Puzzled Where to Start with Travel Writing?
If you’re interested in starting out as a travel writer but don’t know where to start…think of it like a puzzle. And I mean a literal puzzle—the kind you get in a box and fit together on a dining room table. The first thing you do when you open a jigsaw puzzle is build the…
5 Techniques to Ensure Success as a Travel Writer
It was New Year’s 2014 and time to figure out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Thirty-plus years into a successful nursing career, I was ready for something different. Something fun for my retirement years. I discovered Great Escape Publishing and the rest is history. Over 320 published articles later,…
A Practical Guide to Press Trips
“Attached, please find the itinerary for your upcoming six-day visit to Cornwall.” My heart skipped a beat, maybe two. I had been successful in securing a six-day, 100% comped tour of Cornwall, England. While in England, I went gliding, canoeing, cycling, rode a steam train, visited museums, castles, breweries, and wineries. I took an all-day…
5 Ways to Maintain Confidence as a Travel Writer
Writing a travel article is fun. You go on an adventure, have a great time, and put your thoughts down on the page in a way you think is interesting and engaging. Then you send it off to an editor. This is when the hard part comes—waiting to hear back. Oh no, the “what ifs”…
Find Photo Opportunities Whatever Your Level
I’ve spent over 35 years working as a freelance graphic designer, and even though my business is all about marketing and advertising, it thrives without me formally doing either. I began at the bottom with minimal equipment and no experience. The competition was fierce, and I was too shy for cold sales. But I figured…
The Best Ways to Find WiFi on the Fly When You’re Overseas
Without a doubt, internet access has become much more available than back when my husband, David, and I started our world-traveling journey 10 years ago. When we set out in our motorhome for the empty nest adventure we called our victory lap, there were times we would go for a day or more without WiFi.…
Use These Travel Expert Hacks to Enhance Your Cruise
Cruises are the perfect solution for anyone who wants to reduce the down time of traveling and add to the number of sites to see. Unpack once, and your hotel moves while you sleep at night. Glorious. But to get the most out of your next cruise adventure, you should do some advance planning. Customizing…
5 Reasons Housesitting is Great for Travel Writers
I’ve been a travel writer for nearly three years. I explore the globe and write guides, articles, and essays about my adventures and the destinations that I visit. I’m having the time of my life and only wish I had started writing a long time ago. Being a travel writer means having to constantly seek…
Why Getting Bylines May be More Important than Starting Local
One of the first things we’re told when we start freelance travel writing is “start local.” Find local stories, cut down on your travel expenses, and hopefully develop relationships with local or regional publishing outlets where you can sell your articles. Some writers are blessed with an abundance of riches. Others not so much. You…
How I Got My First Byline
Even though it had been a late night in the darkroom during the winter of 1975, I was at my desk putting together a photo submission when the call came in. “Peter, Gerry Gagnon,” the man spoke crisply on the phone. A quick check of my memory, he was the editor of A.L.A. Away magazine.…