I remember the day my travel writing gear included headphones so I could communicate with the Bell 407 helicopter pilot who was transporting me to the quaint Puerto Rican city of Isabela. As we soared above the island’s northern coastline, the pilot pointed out a historic lighthouse, Ricky Martin’s home, and a 360-foot bronze statue […]
During this time of COVID-19, I can’t help flashing back to my all-time favorite travel writing experiences. As I reflect on making the travel writing leap a decade ago, I’m amazed how my real-life experiences have exceeded my initial hopes and dreams. My foundation for travel writing is an unlikely one. I was a Minneapolis-based […]
The most beautiful thing about noticing a person’s good work is that it makes me feel good, too. I learned that it’s amazing when you stop to acknowledge the flowers. My travel writing assignment was to experience an 11-bedroom villa on the island of Anguilla. I found that the villa offered so much visually, my […]
Songwriter Kendrick Lamar said, “If I’m going to tell a real story, I’m going to start with my name.” I think this quote is a perfect guidepost for beginning as a travel writer. So many new travel writers are intimidated by the quest of writing that first travel story. Am I a writer? What editor […]
Before I became a travel writer at the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop, my 9-to-5 existence involved working as a corporate recruiter in the architecture and engineering fields. That meant spending the bulk of my day reviewing resumes and discussing job descriptions with engineering managers. Prior to my business card reading “travel writer,” my sexiest day […]
When the owner of the 54-foot catamaran told me that his first boat had crashed in the Bermuda Triangle, I flashed back to something I had learned when I first started travel writing: “Keep your eyes and ears open for spontaneous travel articles.” Since hearing that piece of advice at a GEP travel-writing workshop back […]
A wise travel writer once said, “Some of the best days haven’t happened yet.” It’s true: A great part of my life, since becoming a travel writer, is that I always have something to look forward to. My before and after—from recruiter to getting paid to write about golf in some the most interesting destinations […]
Hindsight is always 20/20. When you’re first starting as a travel writer, everything is new and you’re bound to make mistakes. To help you secure more press trips, here are a few things I wish I had known then that I know now… 1. Patience is a virtue. I’ll never forget my first press trip. […]
