Making ends meet whilst traveling. - WritingForums.com - Writing Forums, Writing Challenges, Critiques and Help for Writers

Andrew Scotchmer · 08-15-2005, 01:42 PM

Hi

Well this is my first post to writingforums.com so a little intro is needed I think.

I have been writing for the past ten years and I have had articles published in UK magazines and newspapers. I am now considering taking this a little more serious and turning semi-pro (yes I have done the maths LOL).

I have written many travel articles for various publications and I seem to have a knack for it. Mostly these articles are about Japan as my wife is Japanese and we go there frequently. However, the amount I get paid for the article is vastly lower than the actual cost of the trip. My question therefore is, how do you make an income in the travel game. If each article is going to leave you costing you say a grand or more out of pocket, where's the profit.

I love writing about my adventures abroad but I would also like to build my business. I cannot seem to figure out how it can be done.

Yours
Andrew

mammamaia · 08-16-2005, 08:11 AM

sw's right, andrew... you'd have to have an impressive track record as a writer, to land one of those few coveted slots in travel writing that include expenses...

so, if that's your only goal, realistically it will be a long way off, as you'll have to establish yourself as a writer first... if you have a raft of really good clips, you might try for a job as a staff writer for a magazine or newspaper, that you can use as a stepping stone...

Andrew Scotchmer · 08-16-2005, 10:45 AM

Thanks for the response. Yeah I thought it was too good to be true LOL.

I also write on other topics, history, art, current affairs etc. so not short of ideas (and at least I'm not out of pocket either).

Thanks
Andrew

mammamaia · 08-16-2005, 11:02 AM

here's an idea for you, andrew...

since you're interested in and knowledgeable about [one would hope] history and art, you can combine those with your desire to travel by making a name for yourself with articles on the historic and artistic aspects of places within your reach [distance and budget-wise]...

get enough of those well-published, and you will then be more attractive to the big guys who pay travel expenses to the far off places you lust for, as well as for the articles...

the venues for such a combined series of articles wouldn't necessarily be restricted to local publications... i'll wager both minor and major art magazines and history-geared ones would snap them up, if well done...