Do Travel Writing Jobs Pay Enough To Travel Full Time?

Traveling is an experience unlike any other. The sites you see, the people you meet, it’s almost too good to be true. Typically, when we go on these traveling adventures, we like to keep some journal about the trips we take. Whether it’s a photo album, a handwritten reflection on the experiences you’ve had or a typed up document that depicts the people and places you’ve seen, we want some memory of the traveling escapades we’ve taken.

If you have stories written down about your experience and don’t know what to do with them, try selling your work to make a profit! A little-known fact about documenting your journey is that you have the opportunity to get paid for your journals and reflections about your traveling experiences. Freelance writing is always an opportunity you can, and should, take advantage of to make a little bit of extra cash.

Being a travel writer has many benefits over other writing opportunities out there. As a travel writer, you have the chance to travel the world, from the new and exotic to the standard and usual. Each day is a new adventure, and you’re getting paid to experience these journeys and document your opinions and views. Another benefit travel writing has over other writing jobs is the comforting fact that you can always write about the topics that interest you most. Being a freelance travel writer, you get to decide who you want to sell your work to and you don’t have to conform to any ideas a “boss” has in store for you. Other writing careers often have a set job, in a set company, with a set topic. As a travel writer, you also tend to stay highly motivated to write more and more about your experiences. When you are traveling and experience the new opportunities you want to, you’re more likely to put more of your authentic self into the writings as compared to sitting at a desk writing on the stock market when you failed economics in college!

When you decide to start your freelance travel writing career, you may run into a few problems when thinking of where to begin. Here is a list of some of the things you should do and some things you should avoid when being your writing career as a freelance travel writer. These tips can help your pieces stand out from the crowd and will up your chances of a website or magazine buying and publishing them!

Some tips to help you start your journaling can also help you maintain a good career in freelance writing. First, you need to choose a book or canvas that you like. I know how cheesy it sounds, but if you don’t want the same old notebook you’ve been taking notes in for years, odds are you won’t feel very motivated to open it. If you choose a professional style journal or diary, you’re more than likely going to want to put more time and effort into using it! Another tip to get you started is taking the time to decide what you’re going to write about.

You may feel like it’s a good idea to write down everything you see and everything that happens to you, but more often than not you’ll find yourself losing details of many experiences without noting it down. Stick to one or two topics at a time to focus on so you can have fuller and more visually attractive journal entries.

While it’s always good to focus on the things we need to take advantage of when writing, there are also things we need to be worried. First things first; NEVER compare yourself to other writers.

Comparing yourself just leads to bad results. It can also be very discouraging if you regularly read works by other writers and forget why you wanted to start writing in the first place: STAY ORIGINAL! It’s also a smart idea to stay away from big words and to be “too wordy.” Most companies like to see authentic and genuine writings done by real people who genuinely enjoy traveling. Being too wordy or trying to use big words in places where they don’t fit will more than likely make potential buyers close your writing, and move on to the next piece.

Whether you choose to sell your work to the big name brand companies or you decide your work will be better suited for a local business, freelance writing is one surefire way to make some extra money to start saving for your next traveling adventure. You also need to remember not to get discouraged if and when (and take my word for it, it will happen) business does not accept or like your work. There are always people who will not like your style of writing, or you just don’t seem to fit their criteria. Just remember to keep writing and keep gaining new experiences, and the job opportunities will come to you!