So You Want to Be a Travel Writer

By Valerie Hockert, PhD

Learn from a professional travel writer how to:

• Get started.
• Select the appropriate market.
• Write the query letter that gets response.
• Prepare your manuscript professionally.
• Mail your manuscript with proper etiquette.
• Avoid rejection.
• Get many ideas from one trip.
• Write tantalizing leads.

Learn all this valuable information and more from a professional travel writer who has published extensively in leading national magazines.

If your dream is to take more vacations, and to be writing while traveling, this book is for you.

If you are interested in travel writing, but need writing ideas, this how-to-book is for you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Justice Gray
• Release date: Jan 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310708398

Valerie Hockert, PhD

Valerie Hockert, was born in the Midwest where she has lived all her adult life. She has had much life experience through her various entrepreneurial life. She has a Master's Degree in Liberal Studies, and a PhD in Literary Studies. Dr. Hockert has been teaching at a college level for many years. She was the first publisher of the Writers' Journal and Today's Family, two national publications. She is also a certified personal trainer, great chef, and the Publisher of an e-magazine: www.realitytodayforum.com.

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So You Want to Be a Travel Writer?

by Valerie Hockert

~~~

Smashwords Edition

Valerie Hockert

[e-mail]

Copyright: © 2012, 1992 by Valerie Hockert All rights reserved

No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of author.

SMASHWORDS EDITION, LICENSE NOTES. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

About the Author

Valerie Hockert was a great travel writer until she became seriously ill, and had to cut back on the travelling. She has published many travel articles in national publications, and has taught travel writing. Today, she is a freelance writer publishing a variety of articles, publisher, and college professor.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Getting Started

To Market to Market

Tantalizing Leads

Getting Many Ideas From One Trip

Why Your Travel Article or Query Could Get Rejected

--Editor/Editorial Problems

--Manuscript Content Problems

The Proper Etiquette of Sending Manuscripts

--Mailing

--Including Pictures with Manuscripts

--Emailing Manuscripts

--The Waiting Game

Manuscript Preparation

--Margins, Spacing, and Paper

--Example of Manuscript First Page

--The First Page

The Query Letter

Sample Query Letters

--Example No. 1

--Example No. 2

--Example No. 3

Examples of Travel Articles

--Example 1

--Example 2

--Example 3

--Example 4

--Example 5

--Example 6

--Example 7

Conclusion

Introduction

Learn from a qualified travel writer how to:

Get started.

Select the appropriate market.

Write the query letter that gets response.

Prepare your manuscript professionally.

Mail your manuscript with proper etiquette.

Avoid rejection.

Get many ideas from one trip.

Write tantalizing leads.

Learn all this valuable information and more from a qualified travel writer who has published extensively in leading national magazines.

Getting Started

Being a great travel writer is a dream of many writers. But many writers don't know quite how to begin.

First of all, you need to have an idea--and a great interest and enthusiasm in the subject you are writing about. Generally, you should like to travel, in order to write an article that arouses the reader's senses. And remember, the first reader is the editor who you send the query or manuscript to.

First, you need a fresh idea. After all, many people want to be travel writers, and therefore, each editor of travel publications receives many, many ideas from writers--and many that are similar. So how do you get that fresh idea? You can start by learning to look at events and places in a way similar to the way an artist looks at things. This will help spark your imagination and creativity--which you will need to spark an editor's interest.

You don't have to travel far to have a good source for ideas. Look around you--there may be vacation spots that people from other areas clamor to. You think the area in which you live is quite boring? No area is boring if it is looked at from another angle. Contact the Convention and Visitors Bureau, or the Chamber of Commerce in your area for brochures and literature of various things to do and see. This may spark some ideas. Also, spend some time at the library going through history books on the area, or visit the nearest Historical Society. You may find not only popular vacation spots, resorts and attractions, but may find something of historical interest as well (which is another interest of many editors of travel publications).

Now read some travel articles written by other writers. You can find them in the library, or can purchase some on the newsstand, or in a bookstore. Also read the travel section of your local newspapers.

Visit amusements parks, historic sites, museums, shopping malls, zoos, and anything else that you discover in your research. Observe other peoplewho are visiting these sites. What do they enjoy the most? What are they looking for? What type of people are they? Where do they come from? What is most unusual about the place? Now, think. How could you portray this place as one that would appeal to many more?

Now read some more travel articles and study the ones you have read. And better yet, if you find an article on a topic that you want to write on--think how you can make your article interesting in a different way. Perhaps a totally different angle.... Start jotting down ideas. Then pull out your copy of the Writers' Market or other book listing markets for travel writers, and note the listings that best fit your ideas.

Then you query the editor.

This is a very basic procedure for getting started without having to travel far, or without much expense. However, many writers dream of being able to travel to other areas of the country, going on cruises, and traveling abroad. These things are all attainable, but as with all writing, it's better to start small to get some credits--and some clips--to help you get that big assignment.

To Market to Market

After reading Getting Started, you should have an idea of what travel destination you would like to write about. But where do you go from there?