Travel writing & photography - how do I break into the field?

[Erin Leigh Dinan]

Hello,

I live in NYC and am trying to break into the travel writing/photography industry.  I have traveled and volunteered around the world for a combined 2 years.  I would love to ask anyone's advice on how to break into the industry.  My goal is to find Anthony Bourdain on the streets of NYC and convince him to let me work for him :)

Thank you!!

Erin 

[José Balido]

Hi Erin,

Another member asked a similar question, and got some very solid responses. If you'd like to check them out, click here. Make sure you scroll down the page to see all the answers.

[Ed Wetschler]

I think the key thing in travel writing today is entrepreneurship, Erin. As you know, I came up in the years when a writer could get $1 a word for travel stories in any number of magazines, you could make a good living from guidebooks (especially by doing the revisions in subsequent years), and professional writers did not have to compete against "reader-generated content" on trip.advisor, hotels.com, etc., not to mention amazon.com et alia. Nor did they have to compete against companies like DemandMedia.com, which supplies media with articles for which their writers are paid maybe $.05 a word. Travel photographers, meanwhile, did not have to compete against companies like istockphoto.com, from whom media can get images for as little as $1 a pop -- often damned good images, too.

Today, some travel journalists -- and that includes some members of Tripatini -- are still managing to earn a living working for magazines, newspapers, and even websites owned by large companies such as The New York Times. But they are the exceptions; mostly, travel journalists are trying other things: creating niche blogs, writing niche guidebooks (e.g. on hiking trails in the Hudson Valley), writing for pay-per-click sites like Examiner.com, doing their own publicity work, and/or generating iPhone apps in partnership with companies like Sutro Media, etc. So you can be more independent today, but entrepreneurship, a willingness to put in 18-hour days, and an ability to live frugally -- not just now, but most likely in your 50s etc. -- are important.

[Simon & Baker Travel Review]

Hi Erin,

If you share more about your goal and abilities it would be easier to make suggestions.

What are you looking to do exactly in travel writing/photography? What skills do you have? Elena

[Erin Leigh Dinan]

Hi Elena,
I currently write a Health and Wellness column online with the Examiner, which obviously does not pay very much! But from my two years of traveling abroad, I have developed a passion for combining the topics of health in differing cultures. I would like to write about life expectancy, diets, happiness, etc in the different cultures worldwide. I am an aspiring photographer so I would love to add my photography in to enhance the articles.
I hope to hear from you, and thank you guys for your replies!
Erin

Simon & Baker Travel Review said:

Hi Erin,

If you share more about your goal and abilities it would be easier to make suggestions.

What are you looking to do exactly in travel writing/photography? What skills do you have? Elena

[Simon & Baker Travel Review]

Hi Erin,

I say follow your passion if you are really committed to it (if you find success your aspirations are filled and if you don't you'll move on knowing you tried). At the same time, this is a difficult moment to pursue travel writing for profit. As you know, most if not all media, especially print, are shrinking and have few travel staff left and very limited budgets for freelancers.

Health and travel seems like a column type of topic and you are already doing that. Is it better pay you seek or better opportunities? I'll be happy to chat further offline. You're welcome to email me at editor at simonandbaker.com Elena

Erin Leigh Dinan said:

Hi Elena,
I currently write a Health and Wellness column online with the Examiner, which obviously does not pay very much! But from my two years of traveling abroad, I have developed a passion for combining the topics of health in differing cultures. I would like to write about life expectancy, diets, happiness, etc in the different cultures worldwide. I am an aspiring photographer so I would love to add my photography in to enhance the articles.
I hope to hear from you, and thank you guys for your replies!
Erin

Simon & Baker Travel Review said:

Hi Erin,

If you share more about your goal and abilities it would be easier to make suggestions.

What are you looking to do exactly in travel writing/photography? What skills do you have? Elena

[Mary E Gallagher]

A $1 a word I though that was only in Playboy?
Erin you already have a health and wellness niche so make yourself that type of travel expert. Promote yourself as an expert for the morning news shows, radio programs and try to get quoted everywhere you can. Maybe devise a signature outfit or wear a red cross on your T shirt. Tape every word that comes out of your mouth and then after a uear write a book with all that "talk". Career launched.

Ed Wetschler said:

I think the key thing in travel writing today is entrepreneurship, Erin. As you know, I came up in the years when a writer could get $1 a word for travel stories in any number of magazines, you could make a good living from guidebooks (especially by doing the revisions in subsequent years), and professional writers did not have to compete against "reader-generated content" on trip.advisor, hotels.com, etc., not to mention amazon.com et alia. Nor did they have to compete against companies like DemandMedia.com, which supplies media with articles for which their writers are paid maybe $.05 a word. Travel photographers, meanwhile, did not have to compete against companies like istockphoto.com, from whom media can get images for as little as $1 a pop -- often damned good images, too.

Today, some travel journalists -- and that includes some members of Tripatini -- are still managing to earn a living working for magazines, newspapers, and even websites owned by large companies such as The New York Times. But they are the exceptions; mostly, travel journalists are trying other things: creating niche blogs, writing niche guidebooks (e.g. on hiking trails in the Hudson Valley), writing for pay-per-click sites like Examiner.com, doing their own publicity work, and/or generating iPhone apps in partnership with companies like Sutro Media, etc. So you can be more independent today, but entrepreneurship, a willingness to put in 18-hour days, and an ability to live frugally -- not just now, but most likely in your 50s etc. -- are important.

[Nancy Mueller]

Hi, Erin ~

Welcome to the club! I can't help you out on the Anthony Bourdain front, but here are two books to check out that will start you on your way:

Lonely Planet's Guide to Travel Writing - edited by Don George
Travel Writing 2.0: Earning Money From Your Travels in the New Media Landscape - by Tim Leffel

Best of luck to you!
Nancy