How to become a freelance travel writer?

If you like traveling and want to tell others about your experience, it makes sense to consider freelance travel writing. The options for storytelling on the Internet have grown significantly in recent years, so you can publish your what-to-see and where-to-go articles and get paid for writing them! 
The appearance of numerous websites, blogs and e-zines dedicated to traveling and tourism is connected with the development of online booking options. More and more people prefer looking for hotel stays, cruises, airline tickets and car rental on the Internet rather than using a travel agent. Such would-be travelers need to do a research and read travel reviews and recommendations. 

Travel writing market

There are basically three Internet-based options for travel writers. The first one is to create your own travel blog or website, make it popular (read: get traffic) and earn income from advertising. Independent online publishing is very promising. It will provide you with work and income for several years. The more people you attract, the more money you will receive.

However, your own blog or website will require a lot of time and efforts. Besides interesting content, you need to think about the design, interface, programming, search engine optimization and link building strategies. You can spend years before your site will receive a high page rank and appear on the first pages of search results! 
A travel blog can be dedicated to your own journeys and travel experience, or contain a good mix of relevant news and articles about travel industry. Look at some examples of successful travel blogs:

• http://www.vagabonding.com by Mike Pugh
• http://everything-everywhere.com by Gary Arndt
• http://lostgirlsworld.blogspot.com by the Lost Girls 
• http://curiousexpeditions.org by D and M
• http://www.notesfromtheroad.com by Erik Gauger

If you don’t think that you have time and money to create something similar and just want to be a travel writer, you can take advantage of other options on the Internet. There are numerous travel blogs, bulletin boards, forums, websites and e-zines designed for independent travels. Their editors often look for new authors and pay for good travel stories, useful information and advice. Just browse the Internet and offer your services!

• http://www.bravenewtraveler.com The editors are looking for prospective contributors to eight content-specific blogs: “Matador Trips”, “Matador Life”, “Matador Change”, “Matador Abroad”, “The Travelers Notebook”, “Brave New Traveler”, “Matador Goods” and “Matador Pulse”. All authors receive $25 per article upon publication.  
• http://www.worldhum.com You can contribute to such sections as “Travel Stories”, “Speaker’s Corner”, “The Travel Books”, “How to stories”, “Travel Interviews”, “Lists”, “Videos” and “Audio Slideshows”. Paste your submission as well as a brief bio into the body of an email and send it to the editors. If your submission is accepted, they will contact you with more information, including payment details. 

The third option is to browse websites of travel agencies and offer them your services. Some good travel stories or reviews will make any website more interesting and help to attract new clients. Typically, travel agencies don’t hire a full-time travel writer. They use freelancers for this job. 

You can also offer travel agents to create a blog, add hundreds of users and make posts on a daily basis. It is an excellent opportunity to communicate with potential customers and promote new deals. 

How to start

First of all, you need to build up a resume and a portfolio. Potential publishers always want to see the examples of your prior work. So write several travel stories and ask your close friends to read them. Do they find your articles exciting, useful or interesting? Publish the best pieces of writing on a free website. If you add some pictures or graphics, your portfolio will draw more attention.

Keep in mind that freelance travel writing is a very competitive business. There are lots of folks who want to share their travel experience. So you need to have new and fresh ideas that can stand your works out. Typically, freelance travel writing covers two fields: your own travel experience or various where-to-stay and what-to-see advice. Think of such interesting topics as local traditions, strange place names, unusual monuments, dangerous places to avoid, and others. For example, an article called “Ten reasons to love Thailand” can seem ordinary. But what about “How I ate bugs for dinner in Thailand”? 

Travel writers have multiple opportunities if they know where to look! When you are traveling, collect brochures and take them home to read. Pay attention to everything – local people, national cuisine, different aspects of diving, the peculiarities of flora and fauna. And don’t forget to take notes and make photos! Otherwise, you can come back home, open a new Word document and write “I was in Thailand. It was very cool. Go to Thailand!” 

Online resources

Learning travel journalism starts with reading examples of successful travel articles. So browse different websites and look what other freelance travel writers tell about. It will help you create new ideas and stay abreast of developing trends. 

There are many web sites and online communities that offer support and help for freelance travel writers.

• http://travelwriters.com is a professional network of travel writers, editors and members of the PR community. There is a forum where you can ask your questions.
• http://travelwriterml.com offers paid subscription to newsletters and database with over 600 publications. 

Contact Editors 

Are you ready to take the first step forward? Armed with fresh ideas and an impressive portfolio, write e-mails to several website editors. Don’t forget that your e-mail should have no errors or typos. It is the first sign of your professionalism!  

Make sure that your articles match the style and approach of the website. It is not wise to send an article called “Auto trip to Europe” to Asia-lovers community or “Best Cyprus night clubs” to a family-oriented e-zine. The writer's goal is to provide an editor with the stories that match the general conception of his/her website. 

What do editors expect from a freelance travel writer? First of all, you need to be a professional in your area. It means that your travel stories should draw attention and make people want to read them. On the other hand, they shouldn’t have inaccuracies or false information. 

Then, you need to offer interesting story ideas. Just one trip to a country can help you create hundreds of topics, from local slang to food in the supermarkets. And always tell your editor if your plans about the topic have changed - he/she might have already asked a designer to find a suitable picture or given a similar topic to another freelance writer. 

Internet gives us numerous writing opportunities unavailable for generation before. Even an inexperienced freelance writer can become a success. So if you have always wanted to write about traveling – do it! Don’t miss a chance to share your unique travel experience! Gain knowledge of the standards, spend time to develop new ideas and get paid for your vacations!