“If you can dream it, you can do it.”
Walt Disney
Now you are a writer, there is no limit to what you can achieve.
Work hard, aim for the top, amaze yourself.
If someone had told me ten years ago I would shake hands with the King of Bhutan on his coronation or sail with Uros Indians on Lake Titicaca, all thanks to writing, I would not have believed it.
But as you see, everything is possible and the good news is: it’s up to you.
Decision Time
How committed are you?
How much time are you prepared to give to writing?
If you want to write when you feel like it or inspiration strikes, that’s absolutely fine but expect rewards to follow suit.
My guess is, if you got this far in the book, you are ready for serious commitment.
So let’s set some goals for if you don’t know where you want to go, how will you get there?
• How many hours a day or a week will you set aside for writing?
• When exactly will this be? Week-end, early morning, evening, on your day off?
• How many features will you write every week or month?
• How many magazines will you read and study in a month?
• How many query letters will you send in a week?
Notice the word ‘will’, that’s a strong word, don’t say ‘might’, ‘try’, ‘could’, these are weak, half-hearted words.
Think carefully but don’t panic, you can be flexible.
Write down your answers or print them out, big and bright, and stick the poster on your wall, a daily reminder of your promise to yourself.
And the best way to keep your promise is to set aside a few minutes on a Sunday night and prepare your schedule for the week ahead. Good habits bear fruit so do something every day, however brief, to advance your writing: Monday pitch to new editor, Tuesday caption images, Wednesday chase up payment and so forth. You decide what to do, when, and keep to it.
The same goes for deadlines: have your work ready ahead of time and you’ll never miss one. You can catch the flu, move house or be called away on an emergency, you won’t let the editor down.
Let’s consider where you will be in two or three years’ time:
• How many published features in your portfolio?
• How much have you earned?
• How many editors offer you regular work?
• What new market(s) did you break into in the past six months?
• How many trips did you enjoy last year and how many features did you sell on each one?
See it, believe it and you will make it happen.
Nurture your existing markets but search relentlessly for new ones. Publishing is constantly on the move and if you stand still, you will be left behind.
Concentrate on your success but should you tend to forget how well you’re doing, set up a few visual reminders. My diary is full of stars, red for published work, blue for commissions, silver for trips and when I want a pat on the back, I open it and smile.
Bare it all on the Web
You can’t go more global than that.
Travel writers are lucky. We get out into the real world, discover places, meet people, find exciting stories, then we come home and write, physically exhausted, but we can’t afford to curl up and hide in our den. Like any successful business, we reach out to potential clients on a daily basis, show them what we offer and gain their trust. That’s the only way to grow. Choose the options that suit you best:
• Set up a personal website. If you’re an IT expert, do it yourself, otherwise get help and be prepared to pay. As in any business, investment comes before rewards.
• Alternatively, have a personal page hosted by an association you have joined. That is a cheaper option but you can’t choose the design. However, appearing on a professional site guarantees your credibility.
• Start a regular blog or create a site on your area of expertise (as mentioned in step 5).
• Join social networks, twitter, facebook, linkedin, the more the better. Showcase your profile, exchange tips and ideas with like-minded people. Stay connected, be active and available but limit the time you spend socializing.
Any of these, stand-alone, combined or linked, will spread your name, your work and reputation across the world.
What should you include in your online profile?
Any or all of the following, as appropriate:
• Your background as relevant to your purpose
• Your expertise: places and themes
• Destinations you visited in the past two years
• Countries you plan to visit in the next 12 months
• Publications where your work has appeared
• Examples of work (images and copy) or links
• Contact details, links to website, blog and social networks
Include keywords and make your page inviting and bright to attract followers.
Join the Professionals
Some associations have free membership, others not, some have easy requirements (blogging might suffice), others ask for a minimum number of published features per year, all offer opportunities you’d never discover on your own.
Here are a few suggestions:
www.astw.org.au (Australia)
www.satw.org (North America)
www.bgtw.org (UK)
Join as soon as you qualify, keep in touch with members, meet those in your area, attend meetings and conferences. This is your chance to share tips and news with established writers, come face to face with editors and leave your business card. When you send an idea two days later, they’ll put a face to your name and read your mail.
It’s also a great way to build your reputation, you’re not a ‘who is that?’ any more, you’re one of them, ‘the lady with the dangling earrings’, ‘the chap who writes about…’ Socialize, tell a story or two and enjoy the company.
When your name is on the professionals’ list, editors might start approaching you with commissions and PRs with networking opportunities from dinners to press trips.
Remember their names and help them to remember you. Create a mini-brand, it could be the way you greet people, your hairstyle or the camera you always carry. Don’t go over the top but let your personality shine through.
Lynne Hackles, writer and facilitator, explains how she does it:
People remember me for wearing a lot of lime green and orange, not necessarily together. And I talk a lot and I am, apparently, amusing. Being no beauty, I’ve been working on amusing for years. Networking, to me, means making new friends so I prefer face to face as opposed to online. I use the three foot rule, talking to anyone within that distance of me. If it’s another writer, I tell them I’ve tackled everything apart from poetry and pornography, then I go into overdrive.
Free Vacation, Wine and Spa
A dream come true? That depends how you look at it: press trips are business trips. Hard work and commitment begin before you leave home. You must secure commissions and research the location as you would for any vacation. You won’t have time when you get there. When you crash out late at night in five star luxury, you’ll be too exhausted even to turn on the TV. Besides, you have notes to complete and images to caption. What time is breakfast? 7.30 but you’ll have to get out before then if you want pictures of the castle, you leave at 8.00.
That said, press trips are great but:
Check your intended market: some publications operate a ‘no freebies’ policy.
Don’t be swayed by the red carpet.
Think of your readers, what would it be like for them?
CVBs, tourist boards and tour operators looking to promote a destination, an activity or a new product. They set the program for a group visit (three to a dozen or more participants).
PRs source bona fide writers through professional organizations, top ranking blogs, websites and networking events. This is where your reputation works wonders and could earn you the trip of a lifetime. But don’t get too excited. The first approach usually invites you to register interest and add your name to the list. The number of potential participants is likely to exceed the number of places.
What happens if the proposed itinerary does not fit in with your commission?
You can request an individual trip, at a different time, giving details of commissioning market(s) and places or themes you plan to cover.
What if they turn you down?
Approach other possible sponsors, airlines, railways, hotels, restaurants, through their marketing department. You might be offered full hospitality or discounted rates.
According to commissions which should be sourced before you apply (except for bloggers’ trips).
PRs look for high circulation (except for niche markets), right readership (age group, interests, budget), suitability for the theme or activity they wish to promote and the cost of hospitality compared to advertising.
If you’re able to offer added value, you will maximize your
If you’re able to offer added value, you will maximize your chances. That could be a second print commission or web exposure on a reputable blog or website and social networks. Print and online are the perfect combination, the first targets the right readers, the second guarantees lasting exposure and flexibility when timing is important. Should you mention the web, you may be expected to blog or tweet every day during your visit.
Press trips usually last two to five nights, depending on flights and distance involved.
Most group trips are fully hosted, apart from personal expenses, from arrival at the departure airport. Individual trips begin on location and may or may not cover local transport and meals. Check what is included and what is not.
On a group visit, you follow the itinerary, accompanied by a guide or PR. It’s a brilliant opportunity to socialize and network with other writers and possibly editors. On an individual trip, you can request the services of a guide, ask to be left to your own devices or arrange a mixture of both.
1. Freelance writers need a commission to get on the list but a commission does not guarantee a place. Can you let an editor down? Not a good idea, especially if it’s your first pitch. You may consider funding your trip and recovering the cost through multiple sales.
2. Be prepared to compromise on a group visit, join in the activities and remain gracious throughout. It doesn’t do to sulk or complain if you want to be asked again.
3. Dress for the part: business or smart for dinner, casual for activities. Have fun, enjoy the wine but remain professional.
4. Don’t chase up commissions on a trip. Editors want to relax and have a good time, as you do. Be pleasant, leave your card then email when you get home, ‘it was lovely to meet you’ and pitch.
5. Avoid gossiping about other writers (or editors), you might be sitting next to their best friend.
6. Thank your host and PR on your return, get on with your assignment and let them have a copy of your published work.
7. Don’t ask for hospitality in the high season. Think low to mid-season and avoid public and school holidays.
8. What do you do if a magazine closes before your work is published?
You sit down at your keyboard and pitch until your head spins.
It happened to me and in a blind panic, I approached a dozen markets. How did I fare? Eight commissions, challenging but I had to do it, different angles and more cash than I ever hoped for, ready for the next trip.
Really? Absolutely.
So here we go:
Find a big colorful map of the world and stick it on your wall.
Highlight all countries or states visited to date, or mark with pins or flags, and count them. More than you thought? How many could you write about?
Now, take a long look at our world, all these places you dream about, the enticing names, the amazing cultures, the mountains and beaches, close to home or far away. Where would you like to go?
Forget about time and cost, just free your mind and draw up a wish list, as long as you like.
Now, decide where you will go next year, set a date and make it happen. How? If you really want to, you will find a way.
In the meantime, just keep on writing and prepare to live your dreams.
Enjoy the Journey and Happy Landing