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Editorial: It’s time to get creative with writing and selling your stories!

The problem is, "Top Ten" lists don’t have a chance to paint a colorful picture of the destination, its people, or their culture. They don’t show us the place or let us feel its soul.

Most of all, lists don’t tell a story.

Instead, they read like they’ve been cut-and-pasted from a tourist agency website. Or Wikipedia. I know some online writers are trying to satisfy SEO with listicles, but they’ve lost the plot. Anybody can put together a list.

Good travel writers tell good stories.

People enjoy reading a good story - especially if they’re sitting in a comfy leather chair in front of a roaring fire with 12 inches of snow outside. Armchair travelers love visiting destinations vicariously, especially if they’re stuck inside, self-isolating because of a rampaging virus.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that print travel magazines rarely publish listicles. Their editors expect something more interesting and appealing to entertain their readers.

If you want to sell your stories to print media — and get paid for them — it’s important to show imagination with your story ideas. 

Equally important, you need to be creative with where you place them.

Here’s the deal. You don’t have to restrict pitching your travel stories solely to travel magazines. There’s a whole universe of alternate genre magazines out there, just waiting for you to send them queries.

It’s easy to track down non-travel magazines to peddle unique travel story ideas. And many of them pay well! 

I’ve literally sold hundreds of travel stories using this formula. For example, I’ve sold a travel piece about a UFO street festival in McMinnville, Oregon, to a UFO magazine. And I sold another travel story about the aircraft “boneyard” near Tucson to an aviation history magazine. 

A ham radio magazine picked up my travel story about touring the London BBC studios. A destination piece about a Balinese healing retreat serving raw vegan food sold to a vegan health & fitness magazine. 

A gold prospecting and metal detecting magazine picked up plenty of my travel stories about ghost towns and gold mining towns. And my travel articles about renaissance living history festivals sold to a magazine about all things medieval. 

You can look at my writer’s website (www.roy-stevenson.com) for more examples where I’ve merged unconventional travel story ideas with off-beat magazines.

Many non-travel magazine editors are screaming out for good stories. If you’re having problems getting your stories published, I urge you be more imaginative. Reassess your approach to dreaming up story ideas. And hunt down alternate print outlets to sell them.

It’s time to get creative with your travel writing and selling!

Your challenge this week:

Go to our Featured Post (below) and find one or more resources to help you. Then add at least ten new magazine titles to your travel magazine distribution list.

For extra credit, be bold - add a new genre that interests you and locate all the magazines you find in that genre.

This Week's Featured Post

14 Great Sources of Magazine Leads

I've updated this list of websites that list a plethora of magazines. Check them out—you’ll be amazed at how many more magazines are out there, just waiting for you to discover. 



Some of these lists require you to visit the magazine’s website for their writer’s guidelines, and editor’s name, and contact details. You’ll get the name from the list, but you’ll still have to do some legwork. 


How many magazines can you add to your list? You won't know until you check out this post . . .

READ THE ARTICLE

GROUP COACHING MASTERMIND

Are you ready to start writing?

Many of you have asked when we’re going to offer group coaching. So, we're working on it. We’re planning to make it affordable, fun, and helpful and productive for you.

Everything will be done online with video training, a community of like-minded writers helping each other, a robust focus on the craft of writing and the art of selling, and lots of other resources at your fingertips.

Here are a few of the things we’ll be offering through our Group Coaching Mastermind program:

A group coaching place where . . .

- you’ll get helpful critiques of your story ideas
- you’ll learn how to write successful query letters
- you’ll get solid advice about pitching your stories
- you’ll get feedback on your articles
- you’ll get photography tips for preparing galleries for editors
- you’ll have an opportunity to showcase your articles & photos

A safe and helpful community where . . .

- you can ask questions and get the answers you need
- you can gain the confidence to leap over roadblocks
- you can gain insight, encouragement, and support
- you can tap into for help when you’re stuck with your writing
- you can give and receive solid advice about problems
- you can celebrate your writing successes
- you can ask for help with magazine leads to pitch your story ideas
- other members can help with“in-the-trenches” perspectives
- everyone exchanges thoughts on story ideas and what works

A mentoring and resource place where . . .

- you'll receive marketing tips about selling your travel stories
- you’ll find new resources to boost your freelance travel writing knowledge
- you’ll get advice on the craft of travel writing
- you’ll have opportunities to fine-tune your photography skills
- you’ll get a chance to share your articles & best shots

You’ll get a writing community, group coaching and resources and content so you can succeed in travel writing - and have fun with other travel writers while you’re doing it.

Our BRAND NEW Group Coaching program will be limited to the first 35 registrants. The people on the interest list will get first option to register, so if you’re interested, get on the no-obligation list so you’ll be notified first:

Click here to get on the Group Coaching Interest List

Upcoming Posts

PitchTravelWrite.com Success Stories

Persistence & Passion Lead to Success

To gain traction in paying print media she needed to learn the marketing and sales component of freelance travel writing.

Sandy says, “Marketing continued to be one of my weaknesses, so I attended Roy Stevenson’s Seattle Travel Writing & Marketing Master Class. After the class, I flew back to Colorado with a revised marketing plan.”

Her 3-step marketing process led to exciting and predictable results – getting more stories published!

Here’s how she did it …

READ SANDY'S STORY . . .

Pitch Travel Write: Most Requested Links about Improving Your Travel Writing

But, there’s much more to the travel writing craft. There are things behind the scenes that your reader doesn’t know about like . . . - how to say the words in just the right way  - sharing valuable information to catch their attention - knowing how to keep them engaged

All of this, and more, is part of travel writing.



There’s also a lot to learn about controlling your time and freeing yourself up from mundane tasks so that you can spend more time on the things you love to do – writing about travel.

This resource page includes information about topics that focus on your travel writing craft. How you can improve your writing and increase your productivity – and get those articles out to editors.

Inspirational Travel Quote

RESOURCES FOR TRAVEL WRITERS

Featured Bundle: The Creative Pack

The tips and techniques packed into the 170-page book will help you develop your craft, hone your skills, and work smarter.

In Find Your Niche you'll learn why it’s important to write in a variety of genres.  It explores the multitude of opportunities available to travel writers and other freelance writers.  



You'll learn to identify the niches that are most interesting and meaningful to you. 

And you’ll find out how to hone in on the most profitable niches.



Full of  tips, advice and inspiration, this 85-page book will help you find your niche!

Story Ideas that Sell guides you along the highly creative path of inventing and discovering potential travel stories to pitch and sell to travel magazines. Conjuring up viable story ideas are the very bedrock of every successful travel writer today.  

In this 76-page book you'll learn my winning system to generate story ideas that sell.  Master this first step - and combine it with a great pitch - and you’ll soon find yourself immersed in exciting experiences with fascinating people.

You can buy the books individually, or save 10% by grabbing the bundle. Learn more and purchase the Creative Pack. . .

At Your Service

Coaching and Consulting
Online Courses
Vietnam 1-1 Retreat & Consulting
Expat Consulting

email: pitchtravelwrite@gmail.com

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Roy Stevenson
Pitch Travel Write
www.pitchtravelwrite.com