When writers have a negative experience during their travels, they often face a dilemma when they go to write about it: How much should be revealed, and how should one balance the downsides with the reasons why a place is worth checking out?
To help decide, I’ve compiled these tips to help address those very issues.

Once we’re able to actually get out an entire story, we’re so excited and have such a sense of accomplishment that we just want to bask in that glory—and so it’s exhausting and sometimes defeating to have to go back and keep reworking it until the nuts and bolts are right. It’s important, though, to retain your original vision as much as possible, and so here are some tips for getting from the A to B of this without losing your sanity:

Life coaches repeatedly tell us that we all have the exact same amount of time, and that’s true. The differences between what some people get done and others don’t, though, is in where they choose to put their efforts. Here are some things to think about as you try to fit travel writing into your busy schedule.

Issues around payment are among the most-asked questions I get, and for good reason: There are very few standards regarding freelancer pay, and there is even less concrete information out there about what a freelance travel writer should get paid. Let’s address some of that, and look at ways to work with an editor to ensure that they show you the money.

Because each trip can yield a hundred very different stories, travel writers have to drill down a bit to find the ideal one that will capture their experiences and meet the needs of publications and their readers. Here are four filters to run your story idea through to determine if it’s a good one.

One draft is never enough. While the first thoughts in your head that you put down on paper are often some of the best, that doesn’t mean you’re done writing — it’s impossible to craft a thorough, thoughtful and error-free piece that’s ready for publication on the first try. Here’s my template for a four-step draft process that can help.

Even though your writing voice is already largely set — based on a variety of factors, including the things you’ve spent time reading over the years, how much you’ve been practicing your writing, and even your confidence level — you can focus more on a few things to ensure that your voice is coming through in your writing. Here are some tips for doing just that.

There are plenty of opportunities out there to write about food, if that is your passion. Or even if it’s not—if you want to be a travel writer, it’s likely that you’ll have to include restaurants in some capacity. If you’re thinking about adding food writing to your repertoire, here are some things to consider.