Travel writers explore new destinations and share their observations with others using writing. One of the important conditions for doing this kind of work is the desire to travel and explore new environments and cultures. Physical stamina, keen observation and a talent for using descriptive language are just some of the qualities needed to become a travel writer.
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Part 1 of 4: Understanding Job Requirements
Step 1. Know that travel writers receive a small fee
You may dream of being sent all over the world to do well-paid errands, all expenses covered, and to spend endless days watching people milling about while sitting sipping coffee in a European cafe. In reality, very few publications are willing to pay for a travel writer's expenses, especially if he is a freelancer and not an employee of the publication.
- Many travel writers work for themselves as freelancers and work from contract to contract, from story to story. This means you may not have a steady income as a travel writer and it may be difficult to earn a large income if you are assigned to write for publications.
- Currently, the fee for a 500 word article can range from IDR 120,000 to IDR 1,200,000. Oftentimes, seasoned writers with years of experience writing for large print publications will earn the most for a single article (over IDR 5,000,000). Many travel writers don't earn more than IDR 300,000 to IDR 3,600,000 per article. If you can afford great reviews or cover stories, you'll get paid more. However, it is unlikely to come up with more tantalizing stories and you will often have to write articles regularly to support yourself financially in this career choice.
Step 2. Understand the difficulty of finding a full time position
Getting a full-time job as a travel writer for a major travel publication takes years of experience and can be difficult to obtain even if you have built a solid reputation in the industry. Many print publications are reducing employees as writing gradually shifts to online platforms.
- Instead, you must be willing to freelance as a writer while building a portfolio. This means that you have to offer articles to various publications regularly and consistently, and write a lot of articles for a very small fee, perhaps for several years. As a freelancer, you will also have to arrange your own travel accommodations, itineraries and spend a few days traveling alone.
- If you want to make travel writing a full-time job, you'll need to build contacts and credentials within the industry. You may have to spend several years working from one contract to another until you have built your own reputation. Many travel writers have other, more sustainable jobs while they pursue a travel writer career as a side job.
Step 3. Remember the advantages of being a travel writer
With low pay and unstable job security, it can be daunting to pursue a career as a travel writer. But many travel writers take this career because it allows them to go to places they have never seen before and meet people they would never have met had they not written stories about a particular place or area. Often, travel writers really love their job and enjoy the sense of adventure and excitement that this kind of career offers.
It's important that you be a curious and perceptive traveler and don't feel awkward about roughing it when necessary. You should also be willing to submit proposals to editors and be prepared to promote your work whenever the opportunity presents itself. As a budding travel writer, you'll need to demonstrate a talent for writing and a passion for adventure, as well as the ability to sell ideas and writing to editors
Part 2 of 4: Finding a Niche in the Market
Step 1. Read articles by successful travel writers in several genres
Today, travel writers do more than just publish articles in magazines or newspapers. The author also publishes articles on blogs, online magazines and other online platforms. Successful travel writers find a particular niche or point of view, and adapt it, using their unique perspective to hook readers on and sell stories to editors. To familiarize yourself with the market, you should read the writings of several successful travel writers and blog writers, including:
- Travel writer Trinity: Trinity has just published the 7th installment of the highly acclaimed book The Naked Traveler. He started writing a travel blog (naked-traveler.com) in 2005, and in less than two years his blog was nominated as a finalist in Indonesia's Best Blog Award at the Pesta Blogger event. His writings are witty and witty, and inspire young people to travel.
- Travel writer Bill Bryson: Bryson is one of the most successful travel writers in his genre and is highly regarded in the UK for his travel book on British life, Notes on a Small Island, as well as his book on American travel, The Lost Continent. Bryson is also known for his outspoken and witty writing, and often incorporates memoirs and travel writings in his work.
- Travel writer Kate Adie: Adie is the BBC's former lead correspondent covering war zones in the 1980s around the world. He has written an autobiographical book about his journeys to dangerous places called The Kindness of Strangers which is popular with travel writers. Adie's writing is recognizable for her sharp humor, talent for finding the absurd in a situation, and strong understanding of traveling to unfamiliar and often dangerous destinations.
- The Lazy Travelers Blog: A blog created by two Americans who are good friends, recently won Best Travel Weblog at the Bloggies 2014 event. It has its trademark tagline “conquering the globe one glass of wine at a time. (conquering the world with one glass of wine at a time), the two blog writers explore local and foreign destinations in a casual, cheerful style and focus on the average traveler who is likely to want to see popular places, enjoy delicious food, and discover new places. very beautiful and worth capturing in photos in a new city.
- The Escape Artistes Blog: This blog was a finalist for Best Travel Weblog at the 2014 Bloggies, and has the slogan “Postcards from the edge. Written by a British mother who lives with her young son in Bali, this blog explores her life as a former expat who also travels with young children across Asia and Europe. His writing style is friendly and full of sharp wit, catching the attention of readers looking for something unique in a standard travel blog.
- Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund: This unusual blog is very popular online and features the travel adventures of a Dachshund (tackling dog) named Crusoe, with the slogan: “The wiener dog who thinks he's more of a celebrity than he really is (for now)” (a sausage dog who thinks of himself as more of a celebrity than he really is [for now]).
Step 2. Read a much-loved travel magazine
To get a better taste of the print market, read as many magazine issues as you can from highly respected travel publications and pay attention to what kinds of articles these magazines publish. You can read leading travel publications such as National Geographic, Travel and Leisure, International Living, PadMagz, My Trip, DestinAsian, Destinasi Indonesia and Panorama. These are big publications that take years to break through and it's often these publications that pay more for the articles you write.
You may have found a travel magazine that you like and want to write for them, or have set a particular magazine in mind. Reading the magazines they publish before offering article ideas will also allow you to customize your pitch letter based on the character and style of the publication. This way, your idea will catch the editor's eye because editors often pay more attention to the offer that relates to the message their publications carry
Step 3. Start blogging about travel
Use your chosen niche as a guide when starting your travel blog and read about ways to start making money from your blog. Keep in mind that readers are looking for content that is engaging, accessible, and features a unique interpretation of travel writing.
- Focus on three main elements: being professional, showing benefits, and giving it a personal touch. While your blog can have a casual and friendly style, you should still treat it as a professional site and avoid using a bad design.
- You should also edit every post on your blog to correct grammatical and spelling errors. Your blog should also have a purpose and provide readers with useful information about a location, event, or destination. Readers will want to know what they get by reading your blog and feel that your blog is worth visiting every day to check the latest posts. Finally, your blog should have a personal touch and show a unique style or expression that characterizes you.
- Avoid using formal language or complex sentence structures. Try to grab the attention of the majority of readers by using a variety of writing that is open, accessible and fits your unique perspective.
Part 3 of 4: Building Credentials
Step 1. Create an online presence
In today's digital age, it's important that you maintain an online presence to promote your writing and expose it to editors in the industry. You should have an online portfolio, personal website, and/or blog that you update regularly.
- Your portfolio or website should have your biography, a blog documenting your past travel experiences and any future trips, with articles detailing your experiences, and feeds from social media where you can promote and share articles, photos and videos.
- Use portfolios as a platform to attract readers, visitors, and editors in the industry. Linking to a website when you meet an editor or a writing contract you may get will ensure someone pays attention to your online personality and can lead you to a writing contract or offer.
Step 2. Write about the city you live in
One of the best ways to start your career is to focus on local events and activities in your hometown. Focus on the new unique food that people there are loving or the music festival that is being held for the first time in your city. Writing about the city you live in allows you to access easy-to-cover material, at a fraction of the cost of travel.
- As a travel writer, you need to get past the superficial description of a place, and view it in an authentic and engaging way. Writing about objects in your area will allow you to build a strong set of works about a particular niche or location and help you train yourself to “see” a place from a deeper and more interesting perspective.
- One way to create a local write command to cover your own area is to Google “tour” + your city. For example, “Cirebon tourism”. Look at what comes up at the top of the search results and ask yourself if you can provide a well-written article with more useful information. If the answer is yes, you may have found your first travel story writing.
Step 3. Attend conferences and meetings about travel writing
Building a network of online contacts is very important, but by using this online presence, you should also be able to build an offline network by meeting face to face with people who are involved in this industry. Look for travel writing conferences in your area or close to your area. Look for travel writers' group meetings online where you can join.
Focus on introducing yourself and asking more experienced writers who they work for and what projects they are currently working on. That way, you'll get an idea of the current state of the industry and know what types of stories editors are looking for
Part 4 of 4: Publishing Posts
Step 1. Start with small, local publications
Often travel writers don't land full-time jobs at major publications once they start. We recommend that you focus on writing for local publications. If there is a column for a 500 word article, offer ideas about local events or activities. Focus on building your portfolio little by little because the more experience you have, the better your writing will be.
Step 2. Check the Jobs section of online classifieds sites
Many magazines will place advertisements for part-time or full-time writer vacancies on JobsDB and Loker.id. Small, local publications may also place advertisements for writer vacancies on these sites. Check the Jobs section for author requests and try to offer as many great ideas as possible.
Step 3. Offer original ideas often
Maintain a viable freelance presence by offering article ideas as often as possible. If you want to offer posts about infrequent, or unusual locations, you need to have a good perspective on the story. Oftentimes, readers want more information about the destinations they want to visit, and it can be difficult to sell articles about unusual destinations to editors.
- If you decide to offer article ideas, always follow the submission guidelines posted on the publication's website or in their print publication.
- A practical guide you can follow is to write a short pitch letter, no longer than two to three paragraphs to show that you know the type of story the publication is publishing, and to make a special impression at the beginning of the letter so the editor will continue reading it. You should also create a link to an online portfolio or website, and a mailing address to the travel writing editor of the publication, not the editor-in-chief to ensure the letter gets in the right hands.
