Having Trouble Getting Published? Here’s the Secret…

Pretty much every writer has at some point been asked to write for free, and it’s most common with travel writers. It’s a ‘dirty little secret’ that we don’t like to admit to, but most of us have done it, and will continue to do so from time to time. We certainly don’t want to make a habit of it, because even though the most important reason that we do what we do is because we have a passion for both traveling and writing, the bottom line is that we need to earn a living, so naturally we want to be paid for our travel articles.

So why do we occasionally write for free? Simple – getting published can sometimes be a catch-22. Quite a few publishers just won’t accept travel articles from a writer unless they’ve already been published elsewhere, so getting the first “elsewhere” can be a challenge. There are a lot of travel writers out there, and some of them are very good. A few are even quite well-known. And many publications are inundated with article submissions, meaning that they can be choosy about whom to publish — it’s just easier for them to go with a “known” author who has a track record of attracting readers. They don’t need to ‘take a chance’ on a new, unpublished writer. So what’s an aspiring travel writer to do? Yep, write a few articles for free – whether it’s for an online or offline (print) publication, writing for free will at least give you something to point to and say “here you go – I was published here”…..getting published attracts other writing opportunities, most of which (hopefully) you’ll get paid for.

Another reason that we sometimes write for free is when an article is written as a “thank you” to the sponsors of a Media Trip. Although there is rarely any “obligation” when you accept a media trip, there is always the unspoken expectation that you will write an article to help promote the destination or resort you were invited to spend time at. Be aware of the fine print before you do partake of a media trip, in case there is some contractual obligation, but in any case count on submitting an article for publication about your trip experience to any number of outlets regardless of whether you get paid for it or not.

The most important thing to keep in mind if you do decide to write an article for free, is to be clear about ownership and who has the right to republish your article. If the publication is a well-known and respected one (for example, National Geographic or Condé Nast Traveler) and they simply insist on total ownership of your article, then I’d advise you to agree rather than pass up the opportunity, but use your best judgment to weigh all the factors and don’t give up the right to republish on your own if you don’t have to. At the very least – if at all possible – you want to retain the right to post the article to your own travel website, and to potentially submit it (in a modified format) to article marketing sites as well.

Any articles that you manage to have published become part of your ‘portfolio’. Ideally you should have your portfolio in one easy to navigate location online (say for example your own travel blog….). Why? Because often potential employers and Editors will ask to see samples of your writing before they decide if you are the right person for a writing assignment. Some of them would prefer to see these samples online, but it also just makes it easier to give someone a single link to view your work, rather than a list of links or mountains of paper.

So should you write for free? It really depends on you and your situation. If you’re new to travel writing, you may have to consider writing at least some articles for free to get your career off the ground. Remember that it’s a great way to build your portfolio. And we all do it, even if we do it quietly. :)

~Trisha

Do you write for free? Why? Why not?

About Trisha Miller 116 Articles
Trisha Miller Editor-in-Chief, TravelWritersExchange.com - Trisha joined the Travel Industry in 1996 with a background in telecommunications and helped to build (and later sell) one of the industry's top inbound call centers specializing in air travel. Her career in Travel Writing began with creating destination-specific content for a corporate travel intranet, and continued as she contributed content to a large number of travel-related companies that were establishing an online presence throughout the late '90's and early '00's. Currently she is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, and a former Board Member of the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (2009-2015).  Still a frequent world traveler, and occasional guest-blogger on a number of other Travel Blogs, Trisha writes about travel and technology, sometimes both at the same time. You can follow Trisha on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/TravelWriting

7 Comments

  1. Yeah, the only time I’ll write for free is if it’s for a charitable organization or if I’m very passionate about the topic/organization. Unfortunately, I’ve been made promises by organizations that they didn’t keep. I’ve learned to be discerning when writing for free. The time spent writing for free could have been spent elsewhere. Live and learn!

  2. Jazzy, sorry to hear about your experience. It’s a bummer! I do agree that you must be discerning when writing for free. Sometimes people make promises they cannot fulfill, but they did have good intentions; it’s just the way things worked out. Maybe shifting your perception would help. Give it a try.

    All I can say is that I’ve had great experiences writing for free. I’ve made contacts and my writing was published. My only hope is that it helped someone somewhere. Keep the faith my fellow travel writers. Peace Out!

  3. Good point on the media trips. Writing for free can be a great test of “attachment.” When we get too attached to our work it can consume us. I know I sound “zen” like, but it’s the truth. New writers would benefit from writing for free and letting their work go. As Trisha points out, it’s a good way to build a portfolio.

    Before going on a media trip, make sure it resonates with you. As far as ownership of articles, do we really have ownership of anything? Doesn’t it all belong to everyone? Kind of Zen like, forgive me.

    Write from the heart and everything will fall into place :)

  4. @ZenTraveler – I do agree with your point about not becoming too attached to what you write, primarily from the perspective of being able to look at it objectively (helps you to write better) and also having objectivity about your writing also protects you from getting hurt feelings if it gets rejected for publication, or edited for content. As good as even the best writers are, they can’t always read the mind of the Editor, who may have a slightly different vision for an article and who may do some creative editing to get the article to fit the vision. You can’t take that personally, you can only try to learn from it. So avoiding attachment is a key factor to growing as a writer.

    All the same, you do (and should) “own” your work, and for the most part you should get paid for it, but there are times when the benefits of publication outweigh the money you might earn on that article, so in some cases it can make sense, and really help you down the road, to write for free.

  5. Nice post. I prefer NOT to write for free but sometimes I will. If I’m very passionate about the subject matter or organization, I’ll write for free. Otherwise, pay up!

  6. Personally I think this is a really bad idea – Free = amateur.
    There is no way Conde Nast Traveller would take a piece for free… You call them and offer something for free they will put the phone straight down.
    Some never heard of website desparate for content will take something for free sure. Lots do. Question for you is… will it really raise your profile?

  7. Hi Jeremy – thanks for stopping by and joining the conversation.

    You bring up a very good point – and I would like to take the opportunity to clarify my advice – I was referring to a situation in which a writer might be asked to write for free, but it was not my intention to advise any writer to offer to write for free – I hope I didn’t confuse anyone :)

    And to answer your question, although writing for free would not be the preferred method, it can – and will – definitely raise your profile, particularly if you get a link back to your own site, and most especially if your article gets reprinted elsewhere with the link back. For a writer just starting out, it can be one way to get a publishing credit under your belt and get noticed.

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