Fringe benefits and all: Earning as a travel writer

Image Source: WanderLust.co.uk

There is an illusion to travel writing that outsiders may have—that it’s just a lap of luxury. If you have the guts to become a travel writer, as was required of Louis Habash when I signed up for the job, then you should be able to endure stomach-wrenching local delicacies or bear sleepless backpacking trips just to get a good grasp of a first-hand story. But, it’s not like that all the time. Once you begin publishing your pieces, going on press trips, and establishing your names, freebies pour in as all-expenses paid travel, meals, and events admissions. Now that’s a way to fund your career, a.k.a your lifestyle as a travel writer. And then publishers and television networks start paying you for the stories and photos.

My task is mostly to churn out guest posts in other travel blogs. I write 500-worders per day and syndicate them, earning for just several hours of work. My work dynamics may differ from others, but I appreciate just how creativity cannot be dampened by being on the road, and learn from how others do it.

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Selling stories to travel magazines

John Beede sees this “most traditional way” as the least paying means to travel write. It’s also quite a tough ride to scour the market for interested magazines and publications and face the non-guarantee of payment.

Image Source: Internet-Job.org

Floating online travel agency
 

Mika Hamilton suggests that you establish contacts with tourism departments and travel agencies. As you write travel stories, you can also book visitors for them online. That’s earning for you extra income right there.

Although it’s a hard career choice to take, sometimes mundane even, travel writing can be a lesson in chaos with the most satisfying returns to offer the adventurous.

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