WorkshopsTake Me Away: Embarking on a Career in Travel Writing By Caitlin Jennings, WIW Member Imagine visiting exotic resorts, experiencing a new hotel spa or being paid to try out a new golf course. These experiences are part of the reality of travel writing. However, to succeed in this business, you need more than an affinity for glamorous trips. At the Jan. 24 workshop "Take Me Away: Embarking on a Career in Travel Writing," experienced travel writers Ann Cochran and Victor Block gave their advice on entering and succeeding in the business. Public relations professional Heather Freeman also spoke, explaining how writers can use industry publicists while seeking new ideas or planning trips. Block, who has worked full time as a travel writer since 1970, began by saying, "I have good and bad news about the field." One of the negative aspects of the business is the low pay. He said full-time travel writers earn about $15-$40,000. However, if you are also a skilled photographer you can earn as much as $100,000 yearly. He stressed the competitive nature of the business and the resulting difficulty in getting work. The positive side is that it's a lot of fun. It "gets [him] behind the scenes" doing things he wouldn't otherwise do. Block noted that the field is broad because "many aspects of life are related to travel writing" such as food, art, architecture, adventure and gardening. When submitting articles remember that editors are looking for a sense of place—they want readers to feel like they are there. "Show the reader, don't tell the reader; share the experience, don't just describe it." Block also stressed that you don't necessarily have to travel to write a travel article. "Washington, D.C., is a great place to be," he said, because there are so many things here that people are interested in reading about. In his first few years as a full time travel writer, Block hardly ever left the local metro area. Cochran has been a travel writer for 12 years. While on assignment, she recommended taking notes on the details, like what wood a bar is made out of—things that people couldn't learn by going to a destination's Web site. She also suggested getting plenty of quotations from locals, "don't forget to talk with people," she advised. To get an assignment, she suggested sending a letter (not e-mail) to an editor along with three clips. The clips don't have to be travel clips, but they need to give the editor an idea of how you write. She emphasized the importance of researching the magazine first. Editors hate receiving queries from writers who obviously aren't familiar with their publication. Cochran also discussed the often-low pay involved with the business and noted other negatives, such as the need to get a "round up"—"forget about the nice inn you discovered, you better find four more"—and the tendency for articles to be unrealistically sunny and positive. Despite these drawbacks, she enjoys the work and the people she works with. Both Block and Cochran suggested working with industry publicists. Freeman, a public relations expert in the food and hospitality industry, spoke about the many ways writers can utilize publicists. Publicists have access to almost everything and it is their job to know what the latest trends are, so they can get you into places and help you with story ideas. Their job includes making sure specific hotels, restaurants, night spots, and so on, receive coverage. Most destinations have PR firms working for them, which often host travel writers in order to obtain publicity. To find a publicist to host you, first call a hotel or city's visitor center and ask to be put in touch with the PR person. When you call the publicist, first ask if it's a good time for him or her to talk. You can also e-mail the publicist some of your travel-related clips and an assignment sheet if you have one. Freeman emphasized that, while being hosted, you must "always put your best foot forward" and be a good guest. This includes calling if you will be late and acting appropriately at events. You should also send them your clip along with a thank you note. If you are consistently a good guest, publicists will love you and start inviting you to everything. Block said that it is OK include criticisms in articles, even when a PR firm hosts you. He commented that PR firms pay for "your time and attention, but not your opinion." However, if you do have something negative, make sure it doesn't revolve around a one-time occurrence. For example, if certain lifts are closed during a ski trip, find out the reason—if it is mechanical, weather-related, etc.—and then find out how often this occurs. Could be a one-time event that happened to take place during your visit. Throughout the workshop, many useful Web sites were mentioned: Sign up for the next Workshop online.
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