Travel Writing Jobs Make A Nice Sideline Or Full Time Occupation. You Choose!
Travel writing jobs make a nice sideline or full time occupation. You choose!
If you’re a writer and enjoy travel, travel writing jobs can be a lucrative sideline. While it may take a while to establish yourself in this market, once you do, 
you can make travel writing jobs into a full time occupation. As with any other type of writing job, you’ll need to accumulate a few clips geared specifically to that market, so that when you query a specific client, you’ll have a few published pieces to show which demonstrate your skills, knowledge and style. It’s best to start small, as you’re unlikely to get published in National Geographic right off the bat! Here’s a good strategy to establishing yourself in the travel writing niche.
To begin with, there’s no need to travel far from home to start putting together your portfolio. Check online, in your phone book or with your local Chamber of Commerce to ferret out some of the local and regional travel publications. When you’re brainstorming ideas for articles, think outside the box. While a comprehensive traveler’s guide to San Francisco may be a good topic, when you’re trying to break into the travel writing job market, a narrower focus requires less time and research and may better your chances at being published.
For example, a piece on a make-your-own-teddy-bear shop in Ghirardelli Square’s complex allows you to interview the shop owner, describe the process of making the teddy bear and snap several photos, creating an in-depth look at this shop for both native San Franciscans and travelers visiting the city. The topic obviously has wide appeal among readers of diverse age groups. This article also opens up a variety of publications which might want to publish the piece. Your local newspaper may want to include it in their Sunday travel section. A crafter’s magazine might find it appealing to their readership.
As for photos, editors love photos, and you don’t have to be Ansel Adams to fill their requirements. Photos serve to enhance the article, making it come alive to a greater degree. Pictures of the shop owner, customers browsing the shelves and the quaint, nostalgic flavor definitely help sell the article. While the text should naturally be descriptive, these types of photos allow you to focus on the minute details. Providing photos can also raise the bar considerably when it comes to pay. It’s a winning combination.
Every airline has an ‘in-flight’ magazine. Target a small airline to start. The topic you choose for a particular airline must concern an area which that airline covers. Again, try to choose a topic with multiple markets. For example, an article on B & Bs in the Pacific Northwest may find a home in a small airline’s magazine, an online travel agent’s web content or a wedding planner’s newsletter.
Most writers who are trying to get into travel writing jobs tend to restrict their ideas to the sort of thing found in every travel guide. The snows of Kilimanjaro, the Eiffel Tower, that sort of thing. Think small. Think cool. Choose off-the-beaten path shops, restaurants and little known, but interesting sights. Places the average reader would find fascinating, once they know it’s there!
When pursuing travel writing jobs, you’ll make progress more quickly by developing a new take or slant on your idea. Write to an audience of history buffs, seniors, adventure travelers or students. Foodies and sports freaks are additional demographic groups you might want to consider. It’s a big world of travel out there.
There are more travel writing jobs out there than you can shake a stick at! The only caveat is that it may take quite a while before you are selling enough to make it more than an occasional sideline source of income. However, it’s entirely doable and you’ll have fun writing every piece! If you really want to travel for FREE, then you can always check out http://www.freelancetravelwriter.com!
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