Turn Your Travel Writing Hobby Into a Career

There are tons of websites where people can post photos and comments about their latest trip, for the intended audience of family and friends, and plenty of people who write reviews of destinations for sites like TripAdvisor or Yahoo Travel, and even quite a large number of people who blog about travel as a part-time endeavor. In almost all of these cases, these are “hobbyist” travel writers. Some may dream about becoming a professional (ie. paid) Travel Writer or Photojournalist, but few take the plunge to chase that dream.

Travel writing can be a great business — but it takes a great deal of work and perseverance to turn a hobby into a travel writing career.

If you’re thinking of pursuing a career in this industry, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Why do I write about travel?
  • Would I be satisfied if I kept writing just as a hobby?
  • Do I want to take my writing to the next level?
  • Am I willing to write for free if it’s necessary to get started?

If you’re ready to go to the next level as a freelance travel writer, then it’s time to put your “business cap” on and start thinking like a solopreneur!

Tips and Tricks

  • If you don’t already have one, start a blog — this way you’ll be able to show off your writing.
  • Make sure your blog presents a professional image, features your writing (NOT your personal diary), and includes a professional photograph of you and a biography;
  • Choose a niche if you want to stand out from the many other travel writers and bloggers out there;
  • Every article should be accompanied by relevant photographs;
  • Make sure that your writing is the BEST it can be — if you need help, consider investing in a tool like WhiteSmoke;
  • Research freelance writing rates, and bid on jobs posted on Online Job Sites;
  • Send out inquiries to editors — at least 2 per month — include pictures!
  • Make use of Article Marketing sites to get your (credited) writing out there;
  • Join organizations for writers, like the IFWTWA, to find writing opportunities;

The biggest complaint from new writers is that they believe that they’re not getting paid what they’re worth. There are a great deal of freelance writers all competing for a limited amount of writing assignments, so it takes dedication, hard work, and persistance to build a successful career. That can — and sometimes does — mean that you may write for free, but our advice is to only write for free if it is for an online or offline publication that has a significant number of readers, ensures author credit (a byline) and links to your site, and offers the potential for paying assignments down the road (but not too far down!).

The bottom line is that you can be a successful travel writer. The choice is yours. But, you must change your mind set about it. Of course, you want to enjoy your travels and have the best experiences, but if you’re serious about becoming a professional travel writer you must ACT like it, otherwise people will not take you seriously. Have confidence in yourself and your writing. People can sense when a person is confident or not. Don’t be afraid to get aggressive in pursuing writing assignments. You never know what will be around the corner!

~Rebecca

Do you treat your travel writing like a business or a hobby? Where do you want to take it?

About Amandah Blackwell 198 Articles

Amandah Blackwell is a creative, freelance and ghost writer for industries that include but are not limited to the arts & entertainment, travel, publishing, real estate, pets, personal and professional development, and much more.

Amandah's personal writing projects include screenplays, teleplays, YA, non-fiction, short stories, and poetry. 

You can find more of her writing at www.MisticCafe.com, savvywritingcareers.wordpress.com, and www.savvy-writer.com.

You can follow Amandah on Twitter at:  http://twitter.com/savvy_writer

7 Comments

  1. I’m down with turning travel writing into a business…the extra cash would be Sweet! I’ll definitely set myself apart with a travel writing niche — guys only vacations….this means hunting and fishing, visiting sports camps, extreme sports, etc…Thanks for the advice.

    • Found the peice intersting. I agree, travelling and writing is a winning combination in my books. Two things I love to do.

      • Oops, sorry. I just noticed I spelt piece wrong. I should have hit the editing button when I had a chance. Now it’s out there in cyber world that I cannot spell or perhaps type, or maybe both!

  2. With my writing, just as with my travels, I want to have a plan or a goal in mind. My time is valuable and I want to be recognized for it($’s). I appreciate your advice on making it the BEST it can be. Unless it’s good, it won’t sell to reader or publisher. Thanks for the tips.

  3. Great article! And yes, you CAN have a career in travel writing.

    V!VA Travel Guides hosts Travel Writing Boot Camps to help aspiring travel writers realize their dream job. Campers get a crash course on the career, and get to stay on-site in the host country after the camp as a PAID contributing writer for V!VA Travel Guides!

    To learn more, visit http://www.vivatravelguides.com/bootcamp

    2009 Boot Camps Dates:
    Antigua, Guatemala: August 10 – 14
    Cuernavaca, Mexico: August 17 – 21

  4. Hi Rachel – thanks for your kind words! Your Boot Camps sound like fun, and we’re happy to help you promote them…..Cheers!

  5. I am not sure how this site slipped my attention. This is exactly the website I had dreamed of creating, but my plate was always too full. Mainly I recognized the need for the many travelers that have these awesome tales to tell, yet lacking in the skills required to write them on a professional level. So, here it is. I applaud you for the fabulous job you have done creating such a wonderful travel writers resource for everyone. I will make note to send our own followers & customers your way. Many Regards,Roman T. CEO of Get A Trip.

Sorry, Commenting is automatically closed on all Posts older than two years.

Some links on this page do earn us a small amount of money if you click on them and make a purchase. Not much, maybe enough for a cup of coffee or a beer, but we would never recommend any item if we didn't believe in it's value to you. Plus, every little bit helps keep this site going and helps us continue to provide you with great information.  We appreciate your support!