WRITING CAREER…? A FUN WAY TO LAUNCH ONE

                     

Recently, a friend of mine told me that he saw my blog post online and enquired what my blog is all about? Responding, I gladly told him my blog’s niche is everything what-so- ever that has to do with writing. My articles could be on creative, business, lifestyle or humanity writing.

 

Do you know that many bloggers came into the limelight and make so much money in their blog based on the niches they are writing about? Something is racing in my mind now. Do you know what I’m thinking? Vacations Writing!

 

I can't think of anyone I know who wouldn't like to get the red-carpet treatment wherever they travel – as in luxury hotel rooms, high-end spa treatments, and ocean-front suites.

 

Yet, for most of the world, those high-ticket items aren't a possibility. Not so for travel writers. They can score first-class, celebrity-style perks when they travel … plus, they also often make money off of writing about their adventures.

 

Imagine that … luxury travel, and a paycheck to boot?

 

Here to tell you more – along with explaining how you can make travel writing part of your own paid writing career – is Barefoot Writer Editor Mindy McHorse. Enjoy her advice and see if you can put it to use for any upcoming travel you've planned this season.

 

         Mindy McHorse

I know a lot of writers who tightened their purse strings when they first set out on the writer's life.

 

Which makes sense to a point, or at least until you've got a few paying projects …

 

But, what if you could skip that step entirely? What if launching your writing career meant more vacations and luxuries than ever before – and all right off the bat?

 

What if you suddenly got to spend weekends at five-star resorts, eat lobster and drink champagne, and then walk away from all the indulgence with new clients and a paycheck?

 

If you think that sounds crazier than a butterfly sending her grandkids to Texas, well, it's not.

 

In fact, I know several people who used travel writing to launch their paid freelance writing careers – complete with perks like free resort access and luxury suites.

 

I'll tell you all about them this week. I'll also show you how to launch your own travel writing career from start to finish, including setting up an online portfolio, prioritizing publications, writing a travel-based piece on spec, pitching an idea to an editor, and setting yourself up for long-term work in the travel industry – or, long-term work as a paid freelance copywriter. You pick.

 

Today, I want you to meet two very cool Barefoot Writers who used travel writing to get their own writing careers off the ground.

 

Wendy Ripmeester had never published anything as a travel writer, yet she'd studied plenty about paid writing careers. She took a chance and emailed the PR manager at a mountain resort in Québec, Canada.

 

That email led to an interview with the PR manager, plus resort activity passes for Wendy and her family. Which led to a fantastic day of driving a luge, bouncing on a Eurobungy, and swinging from a rope like Tarzan over the resort pool.

 

And, all of that led to Wendy getting asked to write a paid article for a magazine.

 

Bizarre, right? Wendy is now a working writer with a growing portfolio … and it all started with going to a resort to do fun things for free.

 

But, she's not the only one.

 

Sharon Olson had a similar experience. She'd spent time studying The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting and was just in the beginning phase of her writing career. When she and her husband decided to stay at a five-star resort near their home, she saw it as an opportunity to practice her interview skills.

 

Sharon contacted the Head of Marketing at the resort. After explaining that she wanted to interview someone from the hotel so she could write about her stay, the person on the other end of the phone told Sharon to let her know when she arrived and that they'd take care of everything.

 

"Everything" meant Sharon and her husband scored the penthouse suite, complete with a bay window seat and balcony views of Lake Coeur d'Alene in the Idaho Panhandle.

 

And – as you've probably guessed – Sharon wrote about her experience, landed an article in a magazine, and got paid.

 

If staying in a penthouse suite and getting paid to write about it sounds good to you … or, if you're looking for a way to get your writing career up and running fast … or, even if you'd like to supplement the writing work you're doing now with something fresh and new and fun …

 

Then here are three ways travel writing can help launch your writing career or give it an energizing boost:

 

1.  Travel writing projects are a low-pressure way to build your portfolio. You can write about places you've already been, or even places in your own hometown, since they're a destination for somebody.

 

2.  Travel writing applies to nearly all types of writing projects, from web copy to landing pages to email newsletters. So, if you'd like to try your hand at each type of project, especially before you've chosen a niche topic, travel writing topics are versatile enough to give you that experience.

 

3.  Travel writing is also a terrific way to practice writing on spec. It often means enjoyable writing assignments that "get your feet wet" when it comes to submitting pre-written copy to potential clients.

 

 For now, I invite you to make a list of the top three travel destinations you can write about based on your own travel experiences. It could be a place that's a 30-minute drive from your house or halfway across the world. (What places did you pick? Please share your list in the comment box here.

 

To your travel-writing success!