In my previous post about pitching tourist boards I shared the one and only thing you must know before you start;… …Tourist boards work for the hotels, tour operators and other stakeholders in the destination. So don’t start by pitching tourist boards directly, start with the stakeholders. Develop a killer idea with a hotel first, [...]
Between the horrific events of 9/11, a struggling global economy, and the unknown impact of new technologies,… …the early-2000’s were not a good time for the travel industry. This is also right about the time I was hired to run North American marketing for the Kenya Tourist Board. This was my first gig in the [...]
Some travel writers make the mistake of thinking they need to travel to far-flung destinations many time zones away…. … when, in actuality, there are interesting travel-related stories waiting to be written about their own backyards. In fact, one of the best ways to build a travel writing portfolio is to write about the destination [...]
As a travel writer, you want your stories to be as authentic as possible. The best way to create a realistic piece is to discuss the destination with those around you. Incorporating interviews into your travel writing can provide your readers with tremendous insight that you, as an outsider, cannot. As a writer, your work [...]
Learning how to write stories from different angles is essential skill for any travel writer. Most of us have to operate on a shoestring budget, hence the need to make the most of our working trips by writing more than one story and submitting it to various publications. But having this skill has nothing to [...]
Starting out as a freelance writer isn’t easy. The competition is tough, especially for online freelance work. When you start at the bottom, you have little choice but to accept lower rates compared to more accomplished and veteran freelancers. That doesn’t mean you can’t rise up to the top. If you work hard and produce [...]
Have you been reluctant to take lessons in writing, watch online seminars or read books on improving your writing? Perhaps you fear that if you are too heavily influenced by outside sources you will lose the originality and raw talent of your own style. Or, that your writing will become like the boring literature they [...]
One of the biggest challenges I have as a writer these days is just staying on the beam. For example, just now, rather than write that first sentence and move on to the next, I Googled ‘staying on the beam.’ I wanted to check—was it being used in this context by all sorts of writers [...]
Many of our readers are already familiar with TripBase’s 7 Links Project… …And many have already participated. For those of you who may not have heard of it, the idea is for nominated bloggers to offer their readers a roundup of links to previous posts, one in each of seven categories, as a way of [...]
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 exactly [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Every writer, whether amateur or pro, has at some point dreamed about the amazing lifestyle of a travel writer. It’s rewarding already just to be able to make your living with your craft, and travel writers get to see some of the most amazing places in the world while doing just that, living what seems [...]
Travel writers necessarily have to think from two perspectives at the same time… … that experienced perspective your readers have come to expect from you, and your reader’s perspective. The former knows which bus to take to get to the train station and where to get it, while the latter needs more guidance. Whether [...]
