Write Better

Sign In Enter your details below. USERNAME OR EMAIL PASSWORD Remember Me Forgot Password? I have forgotten my username

Sign In Enter your details below. USERNAME OR EMAIL PASSWORD Remember Me Forgot Password? I have forgotten my username

Things that scare us become way less terrifying when we confront them and break them down into their components so that we can face them head-on. In the spirit of the Halloween season, here are four things that strike fear in the hearts of travel writers, along with pro tips to keep them from being that way.

Sign In Enter your details below. USERNAME OR EMAIL PASSWORD Remember Me Forgot Password? I have forgotten my username

In the first part of this two-part series, I talked about things to look for in your stories that will underscore how much of yourself is in there. This time, I want to take things a step further and look at some ways to feel good about your writing, while allowing for you to include yourself in it a little bit and also make your stories more appealing to editors and their readers.

Most writers think everything they write is amazing (myself included); it takes a well-developed and self-critical reading ear to become more aware of when you go off-track. In the first installment of this two-part series, we’ll look at how making the story all about you can make it unappealing to readers.

Here are 5 things that you could do as soon as you’re done reading this, each one of which will propel your quest forward toward connecting with an editor and snagging that byline.

Statistically speaking, in the same way that employers tend to hire people who look like them, writers are most likely to write about people who are the same race, socio-economic class and gender. The good news is, travel writers are usually innately curious about other cultures and respect and admire them; they also tend to try to showcase locals in their stories. Here are a few tips that will help further ensure that your writing is always inclusive.

I’m here today to encourage you to not be afraid to pursue other kinds of writing that might bring you more satisfaction, more attention, more clips — and also more money. The best part about writing other kinds of stories is that they will still catch the attention of travel editors, because they all know that good writing is good writing.

The possibilities for any given destination are endless, and so the onus is on the travel writer to offer a narrowed focus that will serve as the foundation for a story that entertains and also helps readers replicate the trip. Just because you are in a place isn’t a reason for a story — but how can you distinguish your story from all of the others? Here are four tips for doing just that.