 |
|
[ ] What's
New?
[ ] CAREER GUIDES
[ ] Articles
[ ] Blog
[ ] Podcasts
[ ] Writing Contests
[ ] Writing Events
[ ] Freelance Jobs
[ ] Career Help
[ ] Resources
[ ] Freebies
[ ]
ABOUT
o
About
Us
o
Contact
Us
o
Help
o
Site
Map
o
Home
FREE EBOOK
(
Click
Here )
NEW EBOOK
(
Click
Here )
FREE EBOOK
(
Click
Here )
|
|
Power Structure - Graphically track conflicts, subplots, characters and themes.
|
|
Find thousands
of freelance writing and editing jobs...fresh jobs daily. Kickstart your
writing career for just $2.95. Daily Freelance
Jobs
|
|
|
<< [ BACK TO
FREE ARTICLES
]
|
WHAT IS FREELANCE TRAVEL WRITING?
by Brian Scott
Becoming a
successful travel writer involves some imagination, some legwork, and a
powerful eye for detail to transform the rich experience of a place into a
clear, exciting article. If you can do all of that, and if you're willing to
put time into marketing your work, you can join the ranks of successful
freelance travel writers.
The key to successful travel writing is
putting yourself into the mind of the prospective traveler. When a traveler
arrives at a new destination, what is he or she in the mood for? A bite to eat?
A place to sleep? A sense of local color and history? A pleasant neighborhood
to tour?
And how important is familiarity? Do travelers want to feel
like they're "at home" even when abroad, with all the necessities and comforts
they rely on readily available (and with very little language barrier)? Or do
travelers want to feel excited and challenged doing everyday things, to accept
the difficulties of living, as much as possible, like a native?
Since
you don't know what kinds of travelers are going to use your articles as
references, you'll want to cater to as many of these needs as possible when you
gather your information. Depending on where you intend to sell your article,
you might focus on certain traveler needs more than others. Many travel agents
want to downplay the unfamiliarity of a place to present a more
"tourist-friendly" image; while some adventure travel-oriented magazines prefer
you ignore all references to American-based chain stores within a five-mile
radius of the destination. The general rule in travel writing is to reverse the
old cliché, and to say: more is more. The more excitement and more
attraction a place offers, the more likely travelers will read and use your
articles to prepare for their destinations.
As for the nuts and bolts
of writing travel articles, it's obviously best if you've actually been to the
place you're writing about. There are a thousand little details about a place
-- smell, colors, sounds, the general flow of traffic and attitude of the
people -- that only personal experience can provide.
If you've been to
a place, your original observations help to make your article "stand out" from
the rest. Thousands of people have probably described Paris as a "city of
romance." Without direct experience, how will you know -- and write -- that
Paris is also a city which boasts a really good, Gypsy-haunted crepe restaurant
overlooking a sunset quay on the Seine? These kinds of specific details not
only make editors look more favorably at your articles, but they also make your
articles more popular with travelers.
Travelers, as a rule, aren't
interested (or don't want to believe they're interested) in going to the
"standard destinations" just like everyone else; every traveler wants to
believe their next destination is somehow unique and adventurous. By providing
travelers with those original, out-of-the-way observations, you tap into their
psychological need, and make your article more popular (and you more successful
as a travel writer.)
Unfortunately, we can't all travel to enough
exotic locations per month to make a name for ourselves as travel writers. When
you need to write an article about a place you haven't visited, be sure to
research the location thoroughly. Existing guidebooks, maps and other travel
literature can help to give you some hard facts about dining, lodging and
sightseeing opportunities in a region, all of which you should include in your
article. Beyond that, look at some encyclopedias, books, or other reference
materials to give yourself some idea of the history and culture of the place.
If you can't include actual experience in your article, at least try to give
your readers some sense of the place's appeal and unique character.
Finally, if it's an option, watch at least one film in (or film about) the
city you're writing about. A well-stocked video rental place should have a few
options, depending on the city, and it also may be possible to find adequate
footage online or at a city's tourist bureau website. This will provide some of
the strong sensory details of the place that make travel articles interesting.
Once you have written and perfected your travel article, where do you
market it? You could try selling your articles to existing tour guide or travel
book companies, although these typically have a large stable of "stock" writers
and this may make it difficult for newcomers to break in.
A second
option is to write and pitch a query letter to a tourism bureau, to large
travel agencies, or to travel-centric magazines. In your query letter state
briefly your background, the subject of your article, and your unique approach
to the material. Chances are, if you've done your homework well, the editor
will show interest in your article and publish it.
If that fails, you
could try the Internet. The Internet has numerous travel blogs and
travel-related websites in need of content. Although the pay rates here may not
be as high as for print media, it can be easier to break into as a freelance
travel writer. If you absolutely can't find anything, use a writer's reference
book. The Writer's Market, in particular, offers a wide selection of
publications interested in buying travel articles.
If editors reject
your articles at first, just brush them aside and keep writing and submitting
work. If you've got the talent, soon enough you'll get your foot in the door.
And once you're established, get ready for a fantastic career. What other job
do editors pay you to visit a place, just so you can write about it? Welcome to
the world of freelance travel writing.
© B.
Scott
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian Scott has been
a professional freelance writer for more than a decade. He is an active forum moderator at Writing Answers, a vibrant community of writers helping writers.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
1)
The Best American Travel Writing 2006 (The Best American
Series (TM))
2)
Lonely Planet Guide To Travel Writing (Lonely Planet General
Reference)
3)
Travel Writer's Guide by Gordon Burgett
[ VIEW ALL BOOKS ] |
|
Book Writing Software Use Wizards For Word to format your manuscript in APA Style, Chicago Manual of Style, MLA Style, and Writer's Market Style.
|
|
Power Structure - Graphically track conflicts, subplots, characters and themes.
|
|
|
|
|
