Author Profile: Susan Farewell

Biography »

Susan Farewell is the editor-in-chief of FarewellTravels.com, a travel information and planning site drawing on the experiences and insights of passionate travelers all over the world. It features animations, videos, photography, artwork and of course, words, to showcase travel destinations, experiences and products.

A former travel editor and staff writer at The Condé Nast Publications in New York City, Susan is a widely known digital, print and broadcast travel journalist. Her work has appeared in numerous publications (and sibling websites) including  Condé Nast Traveler, Vogue, Gourmet, Cooking Light, Travel and Leisure, Outside, Metropolitan Home, McCall’s, Child and Bride’s. She also writes for newspapers such as The New York Times and The New York Post, newsletters (BottomLine Personal) and numerous in-flight and regional magazines as well as various websites.

In addition to writing, Farewell has also developed countless products both in digital and traditional media from travel guides to online magazines.

She is the  author of several books including "How To Make A Living As A Travel Writer", "Hidden New England" and "Quick Escapes from New York City" (the latter two have had multiple editions). She has also co-authored many books.

Susan is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers, the New York Travel Writers, the North American Snowsports Journalists and the Eastern Ski Writers Association.


Articles By Susan  »

Are You Cut Out to Be a Travel Writer?
Posted in Getting Started, Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 2 January 2012
Stats: and 10 Comments

If you’re already an established travel writer, you’ve heard it dozens of times.
“Oh what I would do to have your job!” Indeed, the life of a travel writer can be an enviable one, but at the same time, it’s not for everyone. Take a few minutes and answer the following 12 questions. Jot down [...]

Dos and Don’ts for Getting Invited on Press Trips
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 5 December 2011
Stats: and 11 Comments

You just noticed on Facebook that two colleagues are off to the Amalfi Coast on a press trip.
Your heart sinks. Why weren’t you invited?
Chances are you’re not on that invitation list for a reason. So what does one have to do to get on and stay on these lists?
Here are some dos and don’ts that apply [...]

10 Pros and Cons for Top 10 Lists
Posted in Getting Readers, Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 7 November 2011
Stats: and 8 Comments

For my site, FarewellTravels, we just posted a piece about 10 great winter retreats.
Putting it together got me thinking about the whole formula of using top ten lists in travel writing.
Why are they so popular among bloggers and site editors? Are they really a smart choice when preparing content?
I decided to weigh the [...]

Is It REALLY the Best Place on the Planet?
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 3 October 2011
Stats: and 5 Comments

 
With the rush to get scoops on stories or simply to just write and post a piece before one heads out to the gym in the morning…
…. we all know, editorial standards have taken a nose dive.
Some of this I can live with occasionally. The word “there” inadvertently spelled “their” for example. A [...]

Going Someplace? Bring Money.
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 5 September 2011
Stats: and 7 Comments

About a year ago, I was on a press trip with three other journalists.
Our driver did a yeoman’s job of taking us places to get great stories and really amazing photographs.
He personally went out of his way many times for us, taking group pictures, working very long days, even lugging one writer’s camera [...]

Title? Check. First Sentence? Check.
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, Overcoming Obstacles, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 4 July 2011
Stats: and 4 Comments

Years ago, while driving around Norway, my colleague (also a journalist) suddenly announced quite smugly…
…“Well…I’ve come up with a title and a first sentence, so my story is done. Now I can relax and enjoy Scandinavia.”
At the time, I didn’t quite get what she meant, but over the years, I’ve come [...]

Losing it Over Lost Luggage
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, Overcoming Obstacles, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 6 June 2011
Stats: and 6 Comments

A few weeks ago, someone I was traveling with lost her luggage…
…well, briefly so.
We arrived at our baggage carousel at Heathrow, and within five minutes, two out of three of us had our bags.
We waited and watched the conveyor belt empty out and as it ground to a halt, it became very clear. [...]

What Makes You an Expert Anyway?
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 2 May 2011
Stats: and 12 Comments

Over the last several weeks, I received a couple of e-mails from writers who told me they were experts in various parts of the world.
One fancied himself an Asia expert; another, an Israel expert.
The first one really threw me, because I can’t even call myself an expert on the country I’ve spent my [...]

Travel Writer Slash Photographer
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer, Travel Photography on 11 April 2011
Stats: and 8 Comments

One of the first job responsibilities I had when I started out as an assistant travel editor at Condé Nast was to do photo research.
This required physically going to various Ad and PR agencies in midtown Manhattan and examining sheet after sheet of slides with my loupe (which I never let out of my [...]

Getting a New Perspective
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 7 March 2011
Stats: and 2 Comments

Today more than ever, there’s such an urgency to post stories.
No sooner do we have an idea, there’s pressure to get it written and get it out there.
So what’s up with that?
Fear. Fear that someone else is going to beat us. Fear that they’ll be perceived as the originator [...]

Standing Out in the Crowd
Posted in Getting Started, Guest Blog Posts, Overcoming Obstacles, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 7 February 2011
Stats: and 7 Comments

Among us, right now, there could be a garage band as game-changing to the music world as the Beatles were.
But chances are we’ll never hear a note they’ll play.
Breaking out of the pack or being discovered in any creative arena today is as realistic as a blonde hair/blue eyed Minnesota girl showing up in [...]

Serious Travel Writing: It’s Not About First-Class Hotels
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, Opportunities, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 3 January 2011
Stats: and 15 Comments

Since I started FarewellTravels.com just over a year ago, I’ve been approached by many writers who say they simply want to write for the site so they can stay in luxury hotels.
This always stops me.
I can’t help but wonder….did they get into the field so they could stay in luxury hotels?
I have a very [...]

How I Get My Travel Stories
Posted in Enhance Your Writing, Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer, Writer's Education on 6 December 2010
Stats: and 12 Comments

After recently attending a NYC press event, I noticed three bloggers wrote about the news that had been announced, the very next day.
It was then tweeted, retweeted, posted and shared around on Facebook. I’m assuming at least a portion of the paper magazines that were represented at the lunch will also run [...]

Who Ya Gonna Call?
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer on 1 November 2010
Stats: and 4 Comments

We’ve all had a computer breakdown.
One day, it might simply not turn on. Or perhaps the cursor may suddenly become hyperactive and unpredictable, or the screen may flash every time you hit “enter.”
Everyone has some story. And presumably, everyone has someone they call at these frustrating moments.
Chances are the “someone” is somebody [...]

Travel Writers As Firefighters
Posted in Guest Blog Posts, The Ambidextrous Travel Writer, Travel Writer Op-Ed on 4 October 2010
Stats: and 7 Comments

With the U.S. State Department issuing an alert on Sunday “urging Americans traveling to Europe to be vigilant about possible terrorist attacks,” I am wondering how many of the editors I know are canceling assignments, “holding stories” and in general, choosing NOT to write about Britain, France and Germany until this storm passes.
When is this [...]



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