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<< Back to Online advice guides Becoming a travel writer Travel writing on your gap year |
Travel writing on your gap year Fill the travel writing gapCharlotte Hindle, author of The Lonely Planet Guide to Travel Writing, writes... 'A gap year can be expensive. Earning the money takes time, effort, initiative and lateral thinking. In all likelihood, you'll employ a number of money-making schemes to get the cash together but here's one you may not have considered. Could you boost your budget by writing about your gap year experiences? You don't need to be in the middle of your gap year or have completed it before you start thinking along these lines. Each year thousands of gap year students and parents go through exactly the same process as you - weighing up the pros and cons of taking a year out, assessing which gap year organisation is the best value for money, investigating work opportunities abroad, saving up initial funds, agonising over who to go with, how to keep in touch, what to pack... the list is endless. Every one of these stages in your gap year preparation is a potential travel article that is relevant not only to this year's gappers, their friends and families, but to future generations too. And you haven't even started on your travels yet. Can travel writing really be that easy? The answer, of course, is NO. But, for those with the right flair, expertise and determination, it is certainly possible. To earn money from writing about your gap year you need two basic skills: selling and writing. Selling There are hundreds of newspapers and magazines in the UK, almost all of which have some sort of travel coverage. The Saturday and Sunday newspapers, in particular, are a good outlet for travel writing because most have large stand-alone travel sections (up to 42 pages) which need filling weekly. Some UK magazines specialise in travel like Wanderlust and TNT, others have a travel component of at least one page. Most magazines come out monthly or bi-monthly so offer fewer publishing opportunities, although this is off-set by the volume of magazines in the market-place. In addition, many travel companies like ferry operators, hotel groups, rail links, insurance providers, etc, now publish their own magazine so don't discount the likes of DirectLiving (from Direct Line Insurance) or Big City (from Stansted Express). Gap year articles can sell at any time of year to newspapers, particular if you can find a newsy angle. For instance, you could sell a piece about the value of gap years on the back of newly-released gap year statistics or an article on gap year volunteering during Volunteer's Week (1st to 7th June 2005). However, most national newspapers publish their big annual gap year round-ups between August and October. If you want to part of these - and stories from real, current gappers are always included - then you need to contact the newspaper travel desks with ideas or finished articles at least one month beforehand. National magazines can also be interested in gap year articles at this time of year, especially if you come up with some unusual, fresh angles (tips for parents of gap year students, for instance). Magazines work at least three months in advance so need to be contacted much earlier than newspapers. Whatever you do, don't discount your local newspaper or regional/city magazine. If you live in their catchment area, you are immediately important and newsworthy. In addition, these are the media which might be interested in a monthly or bi-monthly gap year report when you're on the road. You're unlikely to fund your whole gap year by writing about it, but every little helps. National newspapers pay between £200 to £500 per thousand words and national magazines from £150 to £400. Having said that, only a few writers command the higher rates or work for newspapers and magazines that pay them. Local newspapers and magazines pay significantly less. However, if you record your experiences, thoughts and feelings when you're away then you've a wealth of material to draw upon for future travel writing and earning opportunities. Writing So, what makes a good travel article? The answer to this question often depends on who you ask. However, in essence, it is a well-researched story told in a direct, clear and engaging style. In addition, there are certain structural, grammatical and descriptive rules which you need to bear in mind. Thankfully, these aren't difficult to learn and some are just plain common sense. A good travel article needs to have a strong, attention-grabbing introduction. If you don't hook your reader in the first couple of lines then they won't read on. It also requires a satisfying final paragraph - something that leaves a lasting impression or neatly ties up all the strands of your article, possibly bringing it full circle. In the middle you need to tell the story or impart your information. When you write, use all your senses: travel is not only about what you see but a heady mixture of all your senses. For instance, if you are writing about your gap year preparations then what you feel as you collect your visas, or decide what to pack, will add more life and colour to what you are describing. If you are writing about an event or place abroad, then what you smell or taste could be as evocative (and sometimes more so) as sight and sound. And, remember, as you write, read the words out aloud and listen to their rhythm. Good writing always flows, nothing jars, and the words work well together as a team. Bad travel writing takes many forms. The most common mistake you might make as a beginner is to sprinkle your copy with well-worn, over-used clichés (...a land of contrasts, snow-capped mountains, sun-kissed beaches, the heat was like a sauna). Another is to take a diary-approach to travel writing.  Keeping a diary to record what you're experiencing is an essential writers' tool. However, a travel article which follows the same approach giving a blow-by-blow account of what you did every day will be interesting only to your mum. A good travel article will use material from your diary but will be highly selective and focussed on the point or angle of your story. The more you write the better your writing will become. Professional journalists always say they are continually learning about and honing their craft. Bear this in mind when you first start travel writing. There are courses you can take to improve your style, meet other writers, and hear more from the professionals; these are certainly a worthwhile investment. And, of course, a good place to start learning about how to become a travel writer is to read Lonely Planet's new Travel Writing book.'  Click here >> to buy The Lonely Planet Guide to Travel Writing |
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