samedi 23 décembre 2017

Working As A Freelance Travel Writer

By Douglas Moore


The world is a large place, full of many countries and cultures that are very different from your own. You may have dreamed of traveling the globe at some point in your life, but found that it may not have been in your budget, not to mention your schedule. It can get costly very quickly, and you may not have enough vacation time to cover the days you will be gone. One way to get around this is to enter the freelance travel writer field, which allows you to traverse the globe and get paid for it, instead of having to pay yourself.

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.

If the editor in question decides that they want your article, they will hire you. Always do your best work, because based on that, they may ask you back for other assignments as a recurring freelance writer. The assignments they could give you are endless, and may include traveling abroad, or going local and reviewing specific hotels, a new resort, or even a local attraction or restaurant for people who have not been.

Instead of reviewing specific locations, the piece may have a specific focus such as adventure travel, ecological travels, cultural experiences, and even food reviews that cover an entire cuisine rather than a restaurant. The pay will be per assignment, and may or may not include the travel expenses. You may have to pay those expenses such as lodging and airfare on your own and get reimbursed later.

To increase the likelihood of an editor accepting your pitch, you will want to show previous pieces of writing, especially ones that have been published. A degree in English, journalism, or similar field is helpful, though not always required.

You may not be a journalist as you embark on this career field, but you should still hold yourself to journalistic standards. This includes those given by the Society of American Travel Writers, which state that you should not take money for a positive review, but instead only accept payment for an objective story. You should never plagiarize, even in part, from any other piece, published or not.

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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