Get Paid to Write!

Travel Writing book review: Get Paid to Write

If you want to know the secrets of travel writing success, then bypass Thomas A Williams’ Get Paid to Write! and pick up something else.

But if your goal is to learn the art of freelance writing and how to make money at it, then this book is worth your time.

Get Paid to Write! is simply a guide to freelance writing. Nonetheless, the 13 easy-to-read, straightforward chapters can be applied to travel writing, or any other form of writing you might practice in order to make money.

And in these tight financial times, isn’t the ability to write beyond the travel genre a good thing?

What’s Good:

A lot of writing books tend to rehash the same old suggestions on the subject, and this book does the same by noting the elements of a strong query, uncovering the “secrets” of freelance masters (they write every day, they revise what the write, etc.) and offering tips on how to read a magazine like a writer.

However, this book also has chapters on more unconventional ways that writers can make money, such as writing and selling e-books, manuals, special reports and similar products, and how to write for businesses. There is also a thorough chapter dedicated to business details such as rights and contracts that is organized well and easy to understand.

I was particularly intrigued by the last chapter, How to Build Your Reputation as a Writer, which suggests that writers prepare a media kit about themselves, their achievements and their specialties. I’ve never heard of this before and would be interested in knowing if writers who do this have success with it.

What Could Be Better:

Like I noted earlier, if you’re looking for a book that tells you how to become a travel writer, this isn’t it. There are no travel-specific suggestions, though many of the general tips in the book can be applied to travel writing. What it lacks is any discussion of press trips, different types of specific travel articles or reviews and ethics.

This book was published in 2004, so while many writing tactics are, in fact, ageless, there are things missing from the book. I’m impressed that Williams was writing e-books six years ago, but there are additional opportunities and issues that have popped up since then, such as writing apps, blogging and social media, that should be added if the book is ever updated.

Summary:

This book presents new ideas and information I haven’t found anywhere else, so those looking for inspiration might especially enjoy this book, and those who want basic but solid advice on freelance writing should get a copy of Get Paid to Write!.

But if you need the nitty gritties on travel writing, choose another book.

~ JoAnna

What Travel Writing books do you recommend? Share your advice!

About JoAnna Haugen 7 Articles

JoAnna Haugen is a creativity connoisseur, idea inventor and freelance writer with a professional background in copywriting. A former Peace Corps volunteer and avid world traveler, she is the community news editor for WorldView, the publication for the National Peace Corps Association, and managing editor for Journey Beyond Travel, an online guide about travel in Morocco. JoAnna’s writing has appeared in more than 40 print and online publications including Caribbean Travel & Life, American Way, WestJet’s up!, Vegas Magazine, Pathfinders Travel, TravelSmart, Diamond Resorts International Magazine and Las Vegas Review-Journal. She also writes the popular travel blog, Kaleidoscopic Wandering.

When she’s not on the road or writing about travel, JoAnna also works as a ghost writer, blogger, copywriter and editor for clients and projects spanning a variety of genres. Learn more about her professional work and follow her on Twitter for updates on her latest travels.

3 Comments

  1. Thanks for the review Joanna. The chapters on the more unconventional ways that writers can make money sounds like it might be what I would be interested in too.
    We have a media kit at Theplanetd. It isn’t exactly geared to travel writing only, but it lists our accomplishments stating how people could benefit from giving us sponsorship etc. While it isn’t for travel writing, our website is all about writing and photography, so it works in the same way. It lists where our writing has been published and our stats etc. I think it works well. It is great to be able to direct people to our package when they need more information. It makes things much easier.
    I think a good slick media package is an asset for anyone. It definitely helps us make money off our blog, so I am sure that it would help freelance writers stand out from others as well.

  2. Thanks for the review this is something that is a great piece of reading for someone interested in getting paid to write no matter what the industry in my opinion. I cant believe it was actually published in 2004 though seems like it was more recent.

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