How To Become a Professional Travel Writer : Zero To Travel Podcast

This week on the Zero To Travel Podcast, award winning travel journalist Jayme Moye shares everything you need to know about breaking into the travel writing industry, getting published and building a dream career.

Jayme Moye is an accomplished professional travel writer who has won multiple awards and written hundreds of articles for over 50 different publications, including National Geographic and Men’s Journal.

Jayme doesn't hold back in this interview. She spills every industry tip and secret you need to succeed. You'll learn exactly how to get started (even with no experience) and pitch articles like a pro. Give it a listen now and you'll learn:

Exactly how to get started as an unpublished writer with no experience

The first thing you should do if you want to be a professional writer

How Jayme went from office job to world traveling professional writer

What editors are looking for and how to sell your writing

How to pitch magazines with story ideas

The best way to get your name around in the travel writing world

Why your pitches are so important

Key industry terms to make you look like an experienced pro

Inside tips from Jayme on how to become a more creative writer

And so much more!

Listen to the travel podcast interview now by hitting play on the bar above. You can also Subscribe to the Zero To Travel Podcast on iTunes.

Here are a few key points covered in this interview:

Finding Your Place To Start

For just about everyone interested in becoming a travel writer, but especially for those who don’t hail from a writing background, the biggest question is always, “where do I start?”

So let’s begin with a simple and straightforward piece of advice.

READ!

Specifically, read whatever it is that you want to be published in. The better understanding you have of the publication you’re wishing to be a part of, the more likely you’ll be able to create something fitting and desirable.

It’s also a good idea to pay close attention to which section of the magazine you’re aiming for, as well as how the magazine is structured overall. Many magazines are structured similarly with regard to their recurring departments and feature articles, so as you start to recognize the structure of one, others will become easier to breakdown too.

Once you’ve got a destination for a pitch in mind, it’s time to consider the angle you’ll be pitching from. Is the story you’ve got in mind new or a novelty? Is it feature-worthy, or better suited to a specific section of the magazine? If it’s the latter, it’s important to gather information on who the editor is for that specific section. In fact, having a specific editor to contact is always a vital part of the pitching process.

Making An Effective Pitch

Jayme abides by this rule - always pitch before you write.

Why?

Because the editor you’re writing for will be critical in determining the direction your story takes.

The editor knows better than any other person what the audience of the magazine likes and what aspects of the story will need to be up or downplayed, which is exactly why their input is so critical before you put pen to page.

But how do you make an effective pitch?

Format is everything, and in fact a universally accepted format does exist that will propel you 98% ahead of the crowd if you use it. This ideal format consists of:

✓ Including the word “pitch” in the subject line, directly followed by the story subject (for example “Pitch: The Science Behind Polar Migrations.”)

✓ Using an informal greeting, and one that includes the first name of the editor.

✓ An opening sentence that begins something like, “For your consideration…,” and a reference to the specific section you’re interested in.

✓ A strong opening paragraph on the subject of your pitch, a “hook,