Looking to get into travel blogging as a career.
I'm interested in how someone can make a living writing about travel. I love the idea of blogging and i'm currently tracking my own 3 month trip around the globe through a blog for family and friends to read. I have always been an avid traveler, but have just recently realized a new found love for writing about it.
Can anyone give me advice on how to develop this into a full time or even part time career?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions, ideas and information that you can provide.
Cheers,
Shannon
Reply to this HI Shannon,
My best advice is to grab a whole bunch of travel writing books. They really really helped me in understanding the difference between professional writing and what is otherwise a diary entry. Definitely read and read and read everything you can get your hands on. Other writers logues, articles, research about a place so you have an angle. Figure out what you like about others writing and what you find isn't working, or where your losing interest. Research about a place so that you have an angle, and remember that travel is about our obsessions which is always a good place to start to find a focus. Some ones that helped me:
http://www.travel-writers-exchange.com/tools-tips/top-10-travel-writing-books/
Good luck~ you are already half way there by being passionate and actively traveling and writing!
Reply to this Shannon,
Your passion for travel and writing make a good partnership.I think there are people who earn and bit of money here and there from travel writing and I think their are people who earn their living from travel writing. I would pick up four or five magazines or newspapers who feature travel writer's that you admire and take a look at their biography. It will tell you how they broke into the business. I do believe many of these people have degrees in writing. Maybe it is time for you to become a journalists and get a job working for the National Geographic.
To become good at writing you must write everyday.
I have several suggestions:
1. I have a good friend in Seattle who has joined a writing club. They meet a couple of times a month. The moderator of the group is a professional writer. They are given writing assignments and each meeting they critique each others work. This has helped her. Two of the people in her group have gotten published in the last couple of years. I think this method can work for some people.
2. There are many writing contest in the world. I would enter a few and see what kind of feedback you receive.
3. You should write a few articles and submit them to travel magazines for publication. If you produce quality work they may hire you. This is a very competitive field.
4. If this were my path I would put myself in front of professional writers seeking their feedback. I would go talk with the travel writer at my local newspaper. If I wanted to work for National Geographic I would book one of their trips so I could talk with people who work for the company. I would write letters to travel writers that I admire and ask for advice.
Writing for family is very different than writing professionally.
Reply to this D MJ,
Please forgive me, I dont mean to sounds arrogant, I don't know your experience in the field. While your advice is well intended, and very good, I would like to make a few corrections:
Shannon,
1. You need to build a portfolio. Writing contests will help you show you are a good writer, perhaps get publlished. Your focus should be a portfolio of published clips (with the internet and blogs this shouldn't be hard, the only catch is that you will probably be doing it for free) so that you can send samples with your pitch letters to editors. And of course, as D MJ said they are great for feed back.
2. Know the style of writing and the stories the magazines you want to write for are seeking. Look at their writers guidelines.Once you have a few ideas for stories that will fit their genre, write up your pitches, short and to the point. Get in touch with editors. **Know editors by name and address them as such** Send pitches with samples (*learn how to write a pitch letter) You will probably have to freelance for quite a bit before thinking about a staff position..these are usually reserved for those with degrees in journalism who have worked at the magazine or interned.
3. Like D MJ said, seek out other travel writers. Get connected. You are already there by being immersing yourself in the travel community. Again, all the best!
Reply to this Gabrielle,
No offense taken at all. I hope my comments didn't offend you as I am not a professional writer and hope I didn't give the impression that I was or intended to be.
Certainly, you have far more experience in this business than I.
My intentions were to make some helpful suggestions. I can see that your suggestions are more specific than mine and will be very helpful to Shannon.
Reply to this Great! I am glad. Your suggestions were great, I just wanted to elaborate on your post. I am aware of your talented blogging as well 😉 Cheers!
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