How to make your travel stories less boring.

A large portion of story pitches that fail to land are probably not terrible, they’re just average; there’s nothing to grab the editor and make him/her sit up and listen. Here are 6 things you can do to inject some wow into your travel story ideas.

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(00:02) Editors often ignore average travel pitches — pitches that are “just okay” don’t stand out, and travel writers need to aim higher than just “fine.”

(01:48) Access matters — having access to exclusive people, places, events, or information makes a story far more compelling and gives it a competitive edge.

(03:24) Use superlatives — words like best, weirdest, only, etc., give your story a strong angle. Combining superlatives with your exclusive access makes a more clickable, interesting pitch.

(04:36) Inject opinion — don’t shy away from your point of view. Having a strong voice, expressing what you think, makes stories more engaging and helps drive reader engagement.

(05:43) Embrace your “genius” — everyone has a unique lens or way of interpreting the world. Use that personal perspective in your writing to stand out and be authentic.

(07:19) Seek controversy — being willing to take a contrarian or provocative stance can drive attention. Controversial travel pieces (even if risky) often perform well and spark conversation.

(09:26) Craft strong headlines — your headline is critical. Think about it first (not last), and make sure it reflects access, superlatives, opinion, or controversy.

(10:01) Because of digital competition (e.g., infinite scroll), headlines have never been more important — they’re what makes people click, so spend time honing them.