Many people would love to travel the country, or maybe even the world. Unfortunately, most people only get one or two weeks off per year, so may not get to too many destinations each year, if any. However, if you become a freelance travel writer, you can get not only explore the world, you can get paid for doing so. It is a dream come true for many people, but there are a few things you should know before you embark on this career.
While a regular worker would be an actual employee of a magazine they write for, you as a freelancer would not be an employee, but rather a contractor. You may work with several companies at one time in actuality.
Since you do not work for a magazine or newspaper directly, you will have to come up with an article idea and pitch it to an editor at a publication. Or, if you have already traveled quite a bit and wish to write a guide book, you can pitch that idea to an editor at a publishing house. Based on your pitches, each editor decides if they want to hire you.
The person you pitched to can hire you for the one assignment only, or ask that you come back and contribute later. You would still be a freelancer, but with a recurring gig that could help you get some financial stability. You would generally still be able to pitch other ideas to other publications. The assignments could be reviews of specific hotels or attractions, or a city or state. You may even get to travel abroad.
Some pieces have a more specific focus, such as adventures and thrills, ecology, culture, food and more. You will usually have strict deadlines, so as soon as you arrive, you must get to work. You are paid per assignment, and may be asked to pay for your own expenses up front, with reimbursement to come later. In other cases, the editor will make and pay for the travel arrangements up front.
It is helpful in many ways to go to your meeting with copies of published pieces to help the editor decide if they would like to hire you or not. It is also helpful to have a degree, usually in English or journalism, but is not an absolute necessity.
Many writers are not journalists, but should adhere to journalistic standards in order to become a part of this industry. The Society of American Travel Writers stipulates that all pieces be factual and not plagiarized, even partially, from another writer. You can accept payment for your review, but not specifically for favorable reviews, and you should always be considerate of hosts when traveling for work.
It is also important to note before you get started that since you are not an official employee of a company, even if you work for them often, that you do not get the associated benefits. That means no vacation days or sick leave, and no medical benefits whatsoever. These must be paid out of your own pocket, so make sure you charge enough for your articles to pay for all of these extra expenses. A little prior planning helps ensure you have a smooth transition.
While a regular worker would be an actual employee of a magazine they write for, you as a freelancer would not be an employee, but rather a contractor. You may work with several companies at one time in actuality.
Since you do not work for a magazine or newspaper directly, you will have to come up with an article idea and pitch it to an editor at a publication. Or, if you have already traveled quite a bit and wish to write a guide book, you can pitch that idea to an editor at a publishing house. Based on your pitches, each editor decides if they want to hire you.
The person you pitched to can hire you for the one assignment only, or ask that you come back and contribute later. You would still be a freelancer, but with a recurring gig that could help you get some financial stability. You would generally still be able to pitch other ideas to other publications. The assignments could be reviews of specific hotels or attractions, or a city or state. You may even get to travel abroad.
Some pieces have a more specific focus, such as adventures and thrills, ecology, culture, food and more. You will usually have strict deadlines, so as soon as you arrive, you must get to work. You are paid per assignment, and may be asked to pay for your own expenses up front, with reimbursement to come later. In other cases, the editor will make and pay for the travel arrangements up front.
It is helpful in many ways to go to your meeting with copies of published pieces to help the editor decide if they would like to hire you or not. It is also helpful to have a degree, usually in English or journalism, but is not an absolute necessity.
Many writers are not journalists, but should adhere to journalistic standards in order to become a part of this industry. The Society of American Travel Writers stipulates that all pieces be factual and not plagiarized, even partially, from another writer. You can accept payment for your review, but not specifically for favorable reviews, and you should always be considerate of hosts when traveling for work.
It is also important to note before you get started that since you are not an official employee of a company, even if you work for them often, that you do not get the associated benefits. That means no vacation days or sick leave, and no medical benefits whatsoever. These must be paid out of your own pocket, so make sure you charge enough for your articles to pay for all of these extra expenses. A little prior planning helps ensure you have a smooth transition.
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