Many people would love to travel the country, or maybe even the world. Unfortunately, most people only get one or two weeks off per year, so may not get to too many destinations each year, if any. However, if you become a freelance travel writer, you can get not only explore the world, you can get paid for doing so. It is a dream come true for many people, but there are a few things you should know before you embark on this career.
One of the most important things to know is that as a freelancer, you will not be working for one company or publication directly. Instead, you are self employed, and travel on your own usually, visiting cities and attractions.
Usually, your boss or editor would give you an assignment, whether you liked it or not. As a freelancer, you would instead have to come up with your own ideas, then schedule a meeting to pitch the story to an editor. The idea could be for a magazine or newspaper column, an ongoing set of articles, or a single article, or even a book.
The person you pitched to can hire you for the one assignment only, or ask that you come back and contribute later. You would still be a freelancer, but with a recurring gig that could help you get some financial stability. You would generally still be able to pitch other ideas to other publications. The assignments could be reviews of specific hotels or attractions, or a city or state. You may even get to travel abroad.
Some pieces have a more specific focus, such as adventures and thrills, ecology, culture, food and more. You will usually have strict deadlines, so as soon as you arrive, you must get to work. You are paid per assignment, and may be asked to pay for your own expenses up front, with reimbursement to come later. In other cases, the editor will make and pay for the travel arrangements up front.
It is helpful in many ways to go to your meeting with copies of published pieces to help the editor decide if they would like to hire you or not. It is also helpful to have a degree, usually in English or journalism, but is not an absolute necessity.
Many writers are not journalists, but should adhere to journalistic standards in order to become a part of this industry. The Society of American Travel Writers stipulates that all pieces be factual and not plagiarized, even partially, from another writer. You can accept payment for your review, but not specifically for favorable reviews, and you should always be considerate of hosts when traveling for work.
Since you are a freelancer, you do not get medical benefits, vacation days, sick leave or even a retirement plan. You must pay for these out of your own pocket. That is why it is imperative that you only write for outlets that can pay you a good salary that allows you to meet all these expenses on your own. Your pay will fluctuate from month to month, so set some aside and always be prepared, that way you can continue to enjoy this dream job.
One of the most important things to know is that as a freelancer, you will not be working for one company or publication directly. Instead, you are self employed, and travel on your own usually, visiting cities and attractions.
Usually, your boss or editor would give you an assignment, whether you liked it or not. As a freelancer, you would instead have to come up with your own ideas, then schedule a meeting to pitch the story to an editor. The idea could be for a magazine or newspaper column, an ongoing set of articles, or a single article, or even a book.
The person you pitched to can hire you for the one assignment only, or ask that you come back and contribute later. You would still be a freelancer, but with a recurring gig that could help you get some financial stability. You would generally still be able to pitch other ideas to other publications. The assignments could be reviews of specific hotels or attractions, or a city or state. You may even get to travel abroad.
Some pieces have a more specific focus, such as adventures and thrills, ecology, culture, food and more. You will usually have strict deadlines, so as soon as you arrive, you must get to work. You are paid per assignment, and may be asked to pay for your own expenses up front, with reimbursement to come later. In other cases, the editor will make and pay for the travel arrangements up front.
It is helpful in many ways to go to your meeting with copies of published pieces to help the editor decide if they would like to hire you or not. It is also helpful to have a degree, usually in English or journalism, but is not an absolute necessity.
Many writers are not journalists, but should adhere to journalistic standards in order to become a part of this industry. The Society of American Travel Writers stipulates that all pieces be factual and not plagiarized, even partially, from another writer. You can accept payment for your review, but not specifically for favorable reviews, and you should always be considerate of hosts when traveling for work.
Since you are a freelancer, you do not get medical benefits, vacation days, sick leave or even a retirement plan. You must pay for these out of your own pocket. That is why it is imperative that you only write for outlets that can pay you a good salary that allows you to meet all these expenses on your own. Your pay will fluctuate from month to month, so set some aside and always be prepared, that way you can continue to enjoy this dream job.
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