There is no shortage of information on the art and business of travel writing. Do a simple Google search for ‘travel writing’ and you’ll get over 870 million results.
You could narrow the search down to ‘how to break into travel writing’ but that will provide an only slightly less intimidating 201 million results.
No matter how you look at it, that’s way too many results to dig through to get the real dirt on how to make it in the competitive field of travel writing.
Sometimes it’s just better to forsake Google and discover information the old fashioned way – by the book.
Check out, for example, the recently released Break into Travel Writing by Beth Blair. Covering the ins and outs of print and online travel writing, this book is like a road map for new (and even established) travel writers.
One of the co-founders of an award winning travel blog The Vacation Gals, Beth references her own personal story, as well as those of many other travel writers and bloggers, throughout the book.
Break into Travel Writing is an easy to read and inspiring, how-to guide that covers everything from research and press trips to print travel writing outlets, blogging, apps, social media, and the importance of networking and self-branding.
Anyone serious about wanting a career as travel writer should get a copy for the bookshelf.
Add a copy of Tim Leffel’s Travel Writing 2.0: Earning money from your travels in the new media landscape (see my review here) to the bookshelf as well and you’ll soon be on the fast track to a travel writing career
Of course, reading these how-to books is only part of the equation. You’ll also need plenty of determination, discipline, stamina, and hard work.
Travel writing, after all, is not just a walk in the park.
(image by mikecogh via flickr)
Thanks for the shout-out Liz! Beth’s book is a good one too. Add Don George’s (on Lonely Planet) and you’ll be armed with pretty much everything you need to know about any kind of travel writing.
With the help of Kristin Mock, I also interview successful travel writers and editors at the associated blog:
http://travelwriting2.com
You are welcome Tim. Your book and Beth’s are extremely useful for anyone interesting in writing in the digital age. Haven’t read Don George’s book yet – it’s on my list
Cheers,
Liz
I have found most of these travel writer book out of date. Since the world economy has faltered there are less resources for paying articles; it seems everyone wants free submissions. If you’ve already done a Goggle search you’ve found this to be true. So it’s useless to buy books when there are few available resources that actually compensate you.
Hi Mary Ellen,
You’re right that things get out of date very quickly but it’s still good to have a few reference books to guide you and I personally think you can’t go wrong with these two books.
Cheers,
Liz