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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.
Guidebook writing
Getting your articles published
Travel writing organizations
Recommended reading
More links for travel
writers
Other web
sites travel writers may find handy
GUIDEBOOK WRITING
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.
Travel Guidebook Writing 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:
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Avalon
Travel Publishing
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Frommer's
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Fodor's
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Lonely Planet
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Rough Guides
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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:
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Writers-Editors Network is
loaded with information for freelance writers of all genres.
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Subscription to
Writer's Market
includes access to an online database of over 5,000 paying markets. See
below for the printed version.
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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:
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American Society of Journalists and Authors
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Australian Society of Travel Writers
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Canadian Authors
Association
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National Writers Union (United States)
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Outdoor Writers Association of America
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Society of American
Travel Writers
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Travel Media
Association of Canada
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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Carl
Parkes' blog The Travails of Travel Writing is an insider's view of the travel writing
industry.
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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.
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Travel Web Owners is a
collection of non-corporate, destination-specific websites. Strict
membership qualifications maintain a high caliber selection of sites.
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Canadian writers who have
authored books should register their work at
Access Copyright, an arm of
the the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency.
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The
official media website of the
Canadian
Tourism Commission provides many benefits for accredited writers,
including newsletters, travel assistance, media releases, and access to an
image library.
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Media Bistro is for all media
professionals—job
listings, a forum, how-to pieces, related news articles, and more.
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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.
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Peter Jason
Riley supplies tax
information for writers at Tax Guide
for Artists, as well as income and expense worksheets tailored
especially for writers.
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Publishers Weekly is the
news magazine for the book industry. Print and online versions, with lots
of subscription bonuses.
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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.
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Acronym Finder is the place to
find the meanings of acronyms and abbreviations.
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Free access to an online dictionary and thesaurus is at
Dictionary.com.
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Earth Cam is a directory of
streaming video web cams from around the world.
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For converting most measurements
—weight,
length, area, temperature, speed, etc—click through to
Online Conversion.
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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)
is updated every few years.
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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.
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Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory lists sources of tourist
information around the world.
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The most useful online currency converter I have found is at
www.xe.com/ucc
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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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