Victorian towns with a touch of the Old West swaggering out the saloon doors.
Stickball in a 19th century Native American village. Discovering over 500 varieties of soda. A wildlife refuge where Teddy Roosevelt once hunted with Comanche war chief Quanah Parker. Celebrating a centennial. Oil barons and their riches. Experiencing the sights and smells of [...]
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 [...]
About four years ago, in a fit of naivety and suffering from a serious case of itchy feet…
…I jacked in my steady career job in PR, bought an entry level D-SLR camera and booked a ticket to South America. I had it all worked out; I was going to become a travel writer.
I was old [...]
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 [...]
Some people realize very early in life what they want to do when they grow up. Some people figure it out later on.
However, a few people, like myself, stumble across their destiny quite by chance.
I am not young. I am not rich. I wasn’t born under a lucky star. I don’t have connections.
I [...]
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 [...]
In the world of travel writing you meet many different people….
…Who all entered the industry in their own way.
Traditionally, people wanting to become travel writers had to study their craft and work their way up in the industry, but with the advent of the internet, many people have become blogging stars without prior experience.
But [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Photography is the world as seen through the eyes of the photographer.
In the same way that two writers would tell two completely different accounts of the same moment, two photographers will likely photograph the exact same scene, the exact same moment in two completely different ways.
This similarity between writing and photography is [...]
Travel writing is a competitive field, which means it’s especially important for you to turn in flawless, polished pieces.
By following these essential proofreading tips for travel writers, you can improve your writing and offer vivid information to readers:
Proofread your draft shortly after your trip. Do your best to begin the proofreading process shortly after returning [...]
Since launching our blog Santa Fe Travelers in December 2010, it’s become a vital part of my life.
While I love blogging, there are some inherent things about writing for the web that irk me.
I think that to keep quality content on the web and to minimize gaming the system, change is needed. [...]
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 [...]
The web is a busy place, and as writers, we are in an uphill battle to …
…overcome the noise and make our message heard, to highlight the best advice, tips, and stories we have to give, and then hope and pray that the gods of the internet bless us with the traffic our posts deserve.
That’s [...]
If a picture is worth 1000 words, using multimedia in your travel writing speaks volumes.
Thanks to numerous open source applications, travel writers can now quickly and easily include video, timelines, data visualizations, and other interactive media directly into their travel articles.
The following lists five indispensable tools for travel writers looking to add content in new [...]
