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Travel Writing as a Business
Guidebook writing
Getting your articles published
Travel writing organizations
Recommended reading
More links for travel writers
Other web sites
travel writers may find handy
No doubt about it, travel writing sounds like the dream job
to many people. For the vast majority of
aspiring writers, earning a living from traveling and writing remains just
that—a
dream. The good news is that getting your work published is easy. The bad
news is that earning a living from getting your work published is infinitely
more difficult.
Most guidebook writers are signed on by publishers
as experts to a particular region, or start out by researching and updating for
an established writer. Contracts for writing a guidebook vary greatly between
publishers, with potential returns that are usually poor and occasionally good.
Payment is either via royalties or work-for-hire (set fee). Many outside the
guidebook writing world would be very surprised at how little some of the
better known publishers pay their writers.
InfoExchange
is Tom Brosnahan's analysis of the guidebook writing industry, with solid information for beginner writers, including the
excellent essay "Is Guidebook
Writing Worth the Money."
The following travel guidebook
publishers supply online writing guidelines and information on submitting
book proposals:
►
Avalon
Travel Publishing
►
Frommer's
►
Fodor's
►
Lonely Planet
►
Rough Guides
►
Sasquatch Books
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GETTING YOUR ARTICLES PUBLISHED
The easiest and least
expensive way to have your travel articles published is to focus on writing
about where you live or vacation, then submit your story ideas or finished
pieces to local newspapers and magazines. These outlets are
bombarded with literally hundreds of stories and queries (story ideas) each week. In this
flooded market, many will pay little or no money for your work. Like signing
up to write a guidebook, you may be surprised to learn that payment from even
major magazines and newspapers sometimes won't even cover expenses.
The ideal
scenario is to produce work for a variety of outlets from a single trip, to
submit photography with your writing, or to spin off articles from guidebook
writing.
Websites such as BootsnAll.com and
Away.com
provide a good outlet for beginning writers, as do magazines like
Transitions Abroad.
To find
other markets for your travel writing, search at Google using the term "travel writing guidelines" and you will instantly
find literally hundreds of outlets offering online guidelines for submitting
your writing.
Here are
other helpful sources of information on travel writing markets:
►
Writers-Editors Network is loaded
with information for freelance writers of all genres. Basic membership starts at
US$39/C$47 per year, which includes the monthly Freelance Writer's Report,
containing want ads, market updates, and contract information. Excellent value.
► The US$30 subscription to Writer's Market includes access to an online database of over
5,000 paying markets. See below for the printed version.
►
Writers Weekly is a free e-zine
packed with information for writers of all genres. Includes freelance job and
assignment offerings.
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TRAVEL WRITING ORGANIZATIONS
The
following organizations have rigorous membership standards, which in turn
give them creditability:
►
American Society of Journalists and Authors
►
Australian Society of Travel Writers
►
Canadian Authors Association
►
National Writers Union (United
States)
►
Outdoor
Writers Association of America
►
Society of American Travel Writers
►
Travel Media Association of Canada
►
Writers' Guild of Great Britain
Many
larger cities have writing clubs, some specifically for travel writers, others
for writers of all genres. These can be an excellent way to meet with other
writers and exchange ideas. Look for them in your local phone book or online by
searching for "(your city) writing club"
Online
communities of travel writers include Travelwriters.com,
which provides a forum
and meeting place for travel writers from around the world.
Don't be
sucked in with offers of free trips and press cards, which are the eye-catching
incentive offered by some writing organizations. Before signing up, do some
research—check how experienced
their members are, contact members in your area, and ask questions about the
benefits. Also find out who is behind the organization; be wary if it's an
individual.
The market is awash with travel writing courses
and how-to books, all provided by "experts" who are probably making more
money selling their knowledge than they ever did actually writing for
someone else. The following titles will help at any stage of your career.
►
The printed version of
the
Writer's Market Deluxe
(Writer's Digest Books, US$49.99) has been updated annually since the
1920s. It is, by far, the most comprehensive book for writers looking for
new markets and the cost includes access to a website updated daily with
new markets.
►
New Tax Guide for Writers, Artists, Performers & Other Creative People
(Focus Publishing,
2009; $16.95) includes valuable tax information for U.S.-based writers,
as well as blank spread sheets for recording expenses and income. And the
cost (US$15) is deductible.
►
The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success
(Marion Street Press, 2005; $15) comes highly recommended for
its insights on getting started in the magazine writing business.
►
Travel Writing (Leromi Publishing, 2006; US$59) is a
university-level textbook divided into 19 chapters--each dealing with a
different aspect of the industry.
►
The Travel Writer's Handbook: How to Write and Sell Your Own Travel Experiences
(Surrey Books, 2006; US$18.95) is a solid reference for those starting out
in the industry, with coverage of everything fro pre-trip research to
digital photography.
►
Lonely Planet Guide to Travel Writing
(Lonely Planet, 2009; $19.95) is authored by Don George, who has authored
many guidebooks for the world's best-known budget-traveler guidebook
company.
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MORE LINKS FOR TRAVEL WRITERS
►
Carl Parkes'
Travel Writing blog is an insider's view of the travel writing
industry.
► Durant
Imboden, one of the few writers who has made the transition to profitable online
travel writing, gives his take on the profession and changing markets at
Writing.org.
►
Travel Web Owners is a
collection of non-corporate, destination-specific websites. Strict
membership qualifications maintain a high caliber selection of sites.
►
Canadian writers who have authored books should
register their work at Access
Copyright, an arm of the the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency.
►
Media
Bistro is for all media professionals—job
listings, a forum, how-to pieces, related news articles, and more.
► Free for qualified
travel writers, Media Kitty
provides a database of contacts, press releases, trip opportunities, and a
tool that allows you to post requests for information on specific
destinations.
►
Peter Jason Riley
supplies tax information for writers at Tax Guide
for Artists, as well as income and expense worksheets tailored especially
for writers.
►
Publishers Weekly is the
news magazine for the book industry. Print and online versions, with lots
of subscription bonuses.
►
Writer's Marketplace is a leading forum for travel writers and photographers. Also
includes one of the better publication and market databases. Membership
requires affiliation with a major writing organization and costs US$29 per
year.
Back to Top
►
Acronym Finder is the
place to find the meanings of acronyms and abbreviations.
► Free access to an
online dictionary and thesaurus is at
Dictionary.com.
►
Earth Cam
is a directory of streaming video web cams from around the world.
► For converting
most measurements
—weight, length, area,
temperature, speed, etc—click through to
Online Conversion.
►
Edward Hasbrouck’s Practical Nomad is a comprehensive directory of
travel tips. The online version includes insightful articles while the printed
version (Avalon Travel Publishing) has been updated for 2004.
►
Time and Date.com is an
easy-to-use tool for finding the time anywhere in the world, and generates
calendars for years past and present.
►
Tourism Offices
Worldwide Directory lists sources of tourist information around the
world.
► The most useful
online currency converter I have found is at
www.xe.com/ucc
►
Wikipedia
does a good job of describing the differences between British
English and
U.S. English. The few differences between Canadian English and U.S.
English are discussed
here.
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