Many people would love to travel the country, or maybe even the world. Unfortunately, most people only get one or two weeks off per year, so may not get to too many destinations each year, if any. However, if you become a freelance travel writer, you can get not only explore the world, you can get paid for doing so. It is a dream come true for many people, but there are a few things you should know before you embark on this career.
The biggest distinction between being a freelancer writer and a regular one is that you may work for many publications at the same time. You are not an official employee of one company or another, but rather a contractor.
Instead of getting assignments from an editor, you would instead come up with an idea, called a story pitch. You would pitch that story to various editors, and they will then decide if they wish to hire you or not. The pitch could be for a single story, a series of stories, a column, or perhaps even a book if you have lots of stories to tell all at once.
The person you pitched to can hire you for the one assignment only, or ask that you come back and contribute later. You would still be a freelancer, but with a recurring gig that could help you get some financial stability. You would generally still be able to pitch other ideas to other publications. The assignments could be reviews of specific hotels or attractions, or a city or state. You may even get to travel abroad.
Some pieces have a more specific focus, such as adventures and thrills, ecology, culture, food and more. You will usually have strict deadlines, so as soon as you arrive, you must get to work. You are paid per assignment, and may be asked to pay for your own expenses up front, with reimbursement to come later. In other cases, the editor will make and pay for the travel arrangements up front.
It is helpful in many ways to go to your meeting with copies of published pieces to help the editor decide if they would like to hire you or not. It is also helpful to have a degree, usually in English or journalism, but is not an absolute necessity.
Though you are not necessarily a journalist, when freelancing as a writer, you should still hold your self to the industry standards as observed by the Society of American Travel Writers. They stipulate that you should never copy from anyone else, even partially. You should not receive payment for a positive review, instead only accepting money for an objective review. Finally, always be considerate of hosts.
The life of a freelancer is fun and full of freedom, but it can also be a little more expensive due to extra expenses such as medical insurance. Since you are not an employee of any particular outlet, you do not get the benefits such as medical cover, sick leave, or vacation days. This is why you should think long and hard about how much money you can accept for each article while still having enough to live on. Plan not for an easier time financially later.
The biggest distinction between being a freelancer writer and a regular one is that you may work for many publications at the same time. You are not an official employee of one company or another, but rather a contractor.
Instead of getting assignments from an editor, you would instead come up with an idea, called a story pitch. You would pitch that story to various editors, and they will then decide if they wish to hire you or not. The pitch could be for a single story, a series of stories, a column, or perhaps even a book if you have lots of stories to tell all at once.
The person you pitched to can hire you for the one assignment only, or ask that you come back and contribute later. You would still be a freelancer, but with a recurring gig that could help you get some financial stability. You would generally still be able to pitch other ideas to other publications. The assignments could be reviews of specific hotels or attractions, or a city or state. You may even get to travel abroad.
Some pieces have a more specific focus, such as adventures and thrills, ecology, culture, food and more. You will usually have strict deadlines, so as soon as you arrive, you must get to work. You are paid per assignment, and may be asked to pay for your own expenses up front, with reimbursement to come later. In other cases, the editor will make and pay for the travel arrangements up front.
It is helpful in many ways to go to your meeting with copies of published pieces to help the editor decide if they would like to hire you or not. It is also helpful to have a degree, usually in English or journalism, but is not an absolute necessity.
Though you are not necessarily a journalist, when freelancing as a writer, you should still hold your self to the industry standards as observed by the Society of American Travel Writers. They stipulate that you should never copy from anyone else, even partially. You should not receive payment for a positive review, instead only accepting money for an objective review. Finally, always be considerate of hosts.
The life of a freelancer is fun and full of freedom, but it can also be a little more expensive due to extra expenses such as medical insurance. Since you are not an employee of any particular outlet, you do not get the benefits such as medical cover, sick leave, or vacation days. This is why you should think long and hard about how much money you can accept for each article while still having enough to live on. Plan not for an easier time financially later.
About the Author:
When you are looking for information about a freelance travel writer, come to our web pages today. More details are available at http://www.writerpromoprosepro.com now.
0 comments :
Dí lo que piensas...