Pitch Pit #5: Shows wheel potential
A story with excellent potential that I think many publications would be interested in buying, but the pitch needs significant re-working
What’s the difference between a travel writer and a war reporter?
How travel writers could learn a thing or two from the way war reporters or investigative journalists think.
Travel writing tips: Interview with an editor
A recent interview I did explaining some of the fundamentals on being a professional, hireable, self-sustaining travel writer
The worst headline I’ve ever read (I wrote it too)
How throwing an unthought-out headline into my content calendar made me snigger with shame. How to write a good headline inside
Pitch Pit #4: Dead in the head
A ghoulish pitch that tells me to be afraid rather than showing me why I should be
An interesting new way for travel writers to get hired
Matt Barker’s Horizon Guides connect tour operators with adventure hungry travellers, and he needs writers to help him fulfil his mission
How this freelance writer consistently wins jobs with the world’s best travel magazines
Photographer, writer, author and all-round awesome person Lola Akinmade Åkerström describes how she wins assignments with some of the world’s most coveted travel publications
Always pitch an idea – otherwise you’re just begging
Why pitching without an idea is a fast track to the email trashcan
4 very different travel pitches, all successful
Four query letters from four different writers that all won assignments at prestigious titles – CNN, New York Times, BBC and SCMP
To comp or not to comp: The PR answers (Part 4)
What effect do press trips have on the accuracy of stories? Final part of the series, with answers from the PR side of the debate
To comp or not to comp: Travel pros debate, Part 2
As expenses dry up and fees stagnate, press trips and comps are increasingly necessary to get the story. But is that right?
Lessons from a debut self-published author
Some of the mistakes I made and lessons I learned as I went through the self-publishing process, from idea to sales, all by myself.
Horrible editors: Recall and regret (Guest post)
A travel editor turned freelance writer recalls her ‘bad writer avoidance strategy’ and how it came back to haunt her
Why editors don’t answer your emails
The single most infuriating part of being a freelance writer is being ignored. Here I explain why that happens and how to deal with it.
Pitch Pit #3: The over-sensitive writer
Did someone kidnap all the headlines? A long-winded food pitch doesn’t sell what could be a nice story