How to Start a Travel Writing & Photography Business

Writing and photography is a good combination for a freelance business. Travel writing and photography is a popular specialty among freelance writers because it's enjoyable to do the research, and travel articles are popular. If you are a good writer and have some rudimentary photography skills, you can start a travel writing and photography business. It may take a while to get established, but if you are persistent, you should be able to turn your business into a success.

Things You'll Need

• Digital camera
• "Writer's Market" or another market guide

Instructions

1. Go through "Writer's Market" or another guide to find markets for travel writing and photographs, and make a list of potential purchasers for your work. If you live near a large bookstore, visit it and go through the magazine rack, making a note of the names and addresses of as many travel publications as possible. If they are not listed in your market guide, check each website to see if the magazine works with freelancers and provides online writers' guidelines.

2. Generate a list of potential topics, and decide which magazines might be interested in each topic. Identify at least two or three possible markets for each of your topics. Travel writing is a highly competitive field, so it's very likely that you'll get several rejections before you make a sale.

3. Write a query for each of your travel topics, emphasizing that you will be able to provide photographs along with your article. Send your queries to the first magazine on your list for each topic. If you get a rejection, immediately send the query to the next magazine on your list.

4. When your query is accepted and you have signed a contract for the article, do the necessary research and travel to write the article, and shoot good-quality photographs to accompany it. Be sure to save your receipts, as you will be able to deduct a part of the expenses that you incur while researching travel articles, even if it involves visiting a fun destination.

5. After you have turned in your article and it is accepted by the editor, immediately send her another query. In order to build a successful travel writing business, it's necessary to develop regular markets. Pitching a topic while your article is still fresh in the editor's mind can boost your chances of making another sale. Eventually she may even assign articles to you.

Tips & Warnings

• Even if you consider yourself a travel writer and photographer, don't limit yourself strictly to travel magazines. Brainstorm ways to fit travel-related topics into other publications. For example, a parenting magazine might be interested in family-friendly destinations, and a household magazine might buy a piece on traveling on a budget. Pitch article possibilities around any destinations you already are planning to visit, and shave off some of the expense of the trips. Keep a portfolio of published articles and photographs, as editors will want to see the quality of your work before they sign you up for a story. Pitch seasonal stories with many months of leeway, as editors may plan their editorial schedules six months or more in advance.

• It can take a year or more to get fully established with a travel writing business. If at all possible, maintain a steady job while you are kicking off your travel writing and do your writing on a part-time basis. This will allow you to ease into writing and establish regular markets while still paying the bills.

Resources

• List of travel writers' organizations