The world is a large place, full of many countries and cultures that are very different from your own. You may have dreamed of traveling the globe at some point in your life, but found that it may not have been in your budget, not to mention your schedule. It can get costly very quickly, and you may not have enough vacation time to cover the days you will be gone. One way to get around this is to enter the freelance travel writer field, which allows you to traverse the globe and get paid for it, instead of having to pay yourself.
One of the most important things to know is that as a freelancer, you will not be working for one company or publication directly. Instead, you are self employed, and travel on your own usually, visiting cities and attractions.
Usually, your boss or editor would give you an assignment, whether you liked it or not. As a freelancer, you would instead have to come up with your own ideas, then schedule a meeting to pitch the story to an editor. The idea could be for a magazine or newspaper column, an ongoing set of articles, or a single article, or even a book.
You may be hired for a one-time article, or a series. You may even become a regular columnist, but still be a freelancer, which means you are free to write for other outlets at the same time. Your articles will have a travel theme, and could run the gamut of that industry. You may be tasked with reviewing a new hotel or resort, a theme park, or write generally about a city, state or even an entire country.
While some articles could focus on a country or city, some will have a completely different focus. For example, you may be tasked with writing about the local wildlife and ecology of a place. Perhaps you will write about an entire cuisine instead of simply reviewing a restaurant that serves that cuisine. Some publications will pay for your travel expenses for you, while others will reimburse you later.
It is a good idea to show proof of previous published pieces to the editor, as this will increase the likelihood that they accept your pitch. Having a degree in English or journalism helps, but is generally not required in order to get hired.
You may not be a journalist as you embark on this career field, but you should still hold yourself to journalistic standards. This includes those given by the Society of American Travel Writers, which state that you should not take money for a positive review, but instead only accept payment for an objective story. You should never plagiarize, even in part, from any other piece, published or not.
Since you are a freelancer, you do not get medical benefits, vacation days, sick leave or even a retirement plan. You must pay for these out of your own pocket. That is why it is imperative that you only write for outlets that can pay you a good salary that allows you to meet all these expenses on your own. Your pay will fluctuate from month to month, so set some aside and always be prepared, that way you can continue to enjoy this dream job.
One of the most important things to know is that as a freelancer, you will not be working for one company or publication directly. Instead, you are self employed, and travel on your own usually, visiting cities and attractions.
Usually, your boss or editor would give you an assignment, whether you liked it or not. As a freelancer, you would instead have to come up with your own ideas, then schedule a meeting to pitch the story to an editor. The idea could be for a magazine or newspaper column, an ongoing set of articles, or a single article, or even a book.
You may be hired for a one-time article, or a series. You may even become a regular columnist, but still be a freelancer, which means you are free to write for other outlets at the same time. Your articles will have a travel theme, and could run the gamut of that industry. You may be tasked with reviewing a new hotel or resort, a theme park, or write generally about a city, state or even an entire country.
While some articles could focus on a country or city, some will have a completely different focus. For example, you may be tasked with writing about the local wildlife and ecology of a place. Perhaps you will write about an entire cuisine instead of simply reviewing a restaurant that serves that cuisine. Some publications will pay for your travel expenses for you, while others will reimburse you later.
It is a good idea to show proof of previous published pieces to the editor, as this will increase the likelihood that they accept your pitch. Having a degree in English or journalism helps, but is generally not required in order to get hired.
You may not be a journalist as you embark on this career field, but you should still hold yourself to journalistic standards. This includes those given by the Society of American Travel Writers, which state that you should not take money for a positive review, but instead only accept payment for an objective story. You should never plagiarize, even in part, from any other piece, published or not.
Since you are a freelancer, you do not get medical benefits, vacation days, sick leave or even a retirement plan. You must pay for these out of your own pocket. That is why it is imperative that you only write for outlets that can pay you a good salary that allows you to meet all these expenses on your own. Your pay will fluctuate from month to month, so set some aside and always be prepared, that way you can continue to enjoy this dream job.
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