Travel writing is one of the fastest routes into getting a gig as a freelance writer. An in-depth knowledge of far-flung places and an ability to express this in writing features compelling content for travel and lifestyle magazine editors. As well as this, the prospect of being paid to travel is enough to have many people licking their lips.
If you harbor serious aspirations of becoming a freelance travel writer, it can sometimes be hard to know where to start. To help you, we have put together this concise list of tips that should soon have you well on the way to recognition.
- Build an Online Portfolio
Getting your foot in the door as a travel writer in the digital age depends on building an online presence. If you have not already done so, you should start a website or blog as soon as you can to serve as a platform where you can showcase your work. The world of travel writing is saturated with many talented individuals trying to carve out a career, so your own online platform is an essential way of reaching an audience.
- Find a Niche
Separating yourself from the tens of thousands of wannabe travel writers exhibiting their skills online can be a challenge. The best way of funneling interest and gaining a snowballing reputation is to focus your writing on an area with clearly defined parameters. Whether it is canoeing, canyoning or Cameroon, it is much easier to gain notoriety among a readership if your site fulfils a definite niche.
- Start Small
Everybody has to start somewhere. You may have grand ambitions of seeing your name up in lights at publications like the National Geographic or Lonely Planet, but you should focus initially on simply being published. Try approaching a local newspaper or one of your favorite websites with your work to see if the editor takes a shine to your work.
- Network
Getting noticed these days can be difficult if you do not possess the right connections. As everybody is aware, sometimes it is who you know rather than what you know that can land you the cushy gigs. As well as reaching out to people online through social media and emails, it is always a good idea to take yourself down to a writers’ meetup in the city that you are in as a way of meeting new people.
- Write with Purpose
Writing about tips and tales is all well and good, but the best travel writing always has a purpose. Focus on defining the point that you want to make in your writing and finding a way to bring it out using literary techniques. Every piece that you write should aim to leave the reader with the feeling that they have taken something important away with them after reading.
Finding work as a travel writer may be the answer to your dream of combining travel and work. If you follow the tips above, you will have a clear head start over your peers.