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Issue #338: Why You Should Write For Smaller Magazines
January 18, 2021
Greetings Fellow Travel Writers!

. . . and WELCOME all new subscribers. Thanks for joining us.

Editorial: Why You Should Write For Smaller Magazines

When I started my freelance writing career back in 2007, I wasn’t fussy about the publications that ran my articles. I just wanted to get my stories published — anywhere!

Many of my early publications had small circulations. You wouldn’t find them on the top shelf of the magazine racks. Some you might find at your local newsagents. They were smaller specialty publications with relatively low numbers of subscribers.

As I steadily moved up the travel writing totem pole, I continued to write for some of these smaller magazines because they offered significant benefits.

Here’s why you should pitch the smaller magazines, too.

1. Small publications are easier to break into.

You’ll find far less competition when you pitch the small guys. Because these magazines tend to pay less, most veteran writers bypass them. This leaves the small fry magazine editors more receptive to pitches from novice writers.

Two of my earliest small magazines were Colors Northwest, where I wrote about the multi-racial student population at a community college I was teaching at, and Tech Directions, where I wrote about a fellow instructor who was the nation’s top motorcycle repair teacher.

2. Small magazines help you to build your bylines faster.

Your acceptance rate will be much higher with the more obscure publications. If you focus on pitching smaller outlets in your first year or two of freelance writing, you’ll build your bylines much quicker. I used the Kitsap Sun newspaper and Coast Food & Arts magazine to build my bylines, among many other small magazines.

If you want to build your bylines, try it. Look for smaller magazines and newspapers where you live — then get busy and pitch some stories!


This Week's Featured Post

Simultaneous Queries: Answers to Common Questions

One highly effective technique I use to sell my travel articles is simultaneous queries. It’s one of the key strategies that has helped me get more than 1000 articles published in over 200 different publications during my freelance career.

But there’s some controversy around the use of simultaneous queries and I frequently get questions about them from new writers.

Do you use simultaneous queries to pitch your travel stories? You’ll want to read my answers to their questions in this article . . .

READ THE ARTICLE


Upcoming Posts

Jan 25: Twelve Query Letter Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Feb 1: Why You Should Pitch Print Publications First
Feb 8: 9 Ways To Sabotage Your Query Letters (and How To Avoid Them)


PitchTravelWrite.com Success Stories

Jed Vaughn: How I Found Travel Writing Success

“In 2014, I had the privilege and good fortune of meeting Roy Stevenson at a travel writing workshop in San Diego, California. After hearing Roy share his story and his successes with us, I felt compelled to introduce myself at the break.

I told Roy I wanted to do exactly what he was doing and how impressed I was with his 1,000+ published articles.

After returning home, I received an email from Roy indicating he was going to start offering a personal coaching service. With great excitement, I immediately got my name on the list. As a result, I became Roy’s very first travel writing coaching and mentoring student.

This was a turning point for me. Everything I’d been studying and trying to implement was beginning to make more sense. Having this support and knowing the exact steps to take really got me on the right track. Soon after, I was pitching up a storm, and getting results!"

Read Jed's story here . . .


Pitch Travel Write: Most Requested Links about How to Land Press Trips & Fam Tours

Once you’ve established your reputation as a prolific writer in your region—or around the world—and you have a good relationship with several travel magazine editors, you’ll find a whole new world opening up to you - that of FAM Tours and Press Trips.

These press trips and Familiarization Tours will provide you with free or low cost travel, if you have assignments.

Our Press Trips Resource Page gives you 16 free, full length articles on how to land these free travel assignments and cushy press trips. They show you, step-by-step, how I’ve scored more than 100 press trips around the world.

GO TO PRESS TRIPS RESOURCE PAGE


Inspirational Travel Quote



RESOURCES FOR TRAVEL WRITERS

Featured Book: HOW TO LAND PRESS TRIPS AND FAM TOURS


Who doesn't like press trips to exotic and exciting destinations?

Since starting my freelance travel writing career, I’ve been on more than 100 press trips & fam tours in 25 countries. Places like Belgium, Wales, England, France, Germany, New Zealand, Bali, all over the U.S.A., and many other exotic and exciting destinations.

I tell you this not to brag, but to tell you that you can get regular press trip & fam tour invitations, too.

Books about travel writing might mention that press trips are available to travel writers, but they fall woefully short when it comes to telling writers how to get press trip invitations. Most veteran travel writers keep this information to themselves.

My manual, How to Land Press Trips and Fam Tours, tells you exactly what you need to do to get invitations to press trips and fam tours, and how to organize self-guided press trips.

BUY THE BOOK


Group Coaching Mastermind Community

Our first Group Coaching Mastermind Community kicked off in October, 2020, and we’ve got a global group with members living in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Vietnam and the U.S. We're very excited about this group of writers and our new community! We added new members to our community in early January and they're getting to know the group and participate in writing activities.

If you missed out on the opportunity to join this session, you can get on the waiting list for the next session.

Learn more and get on the waiting list . . .


Live Workshops

People have been asking when our 2021 workshops in New Orleans, Louisiana are scheduled.

Here are the 2021 dates:
June 3-6, 2021, Travel Writing & Photography Retreat
June 8-10, 2021, Marketing Master Class for Travel Writers

We've had lots of interest already. You can sign up for our no-obligation interest list for these workshops and receive our substantial early bird discounts when we open registration:

GET ON THE 2021 LIVE WORKSHOP NO-OBLIGATION INTEREST LIST HERE


Did You Know . . .

Our Complete Marketing Master Class for Travel Writers is ranked #1 on TravelWritersExchange.com’s Top Ten Travel Writing Workshops.

You can access the list of the top ten travel writing workshops at the link below . . .

Travel Writers Exchange workshop list: #1 Marketing Master Class


At Your Service

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

email: pitchtravelwrite@gmail.com

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PitchTravelWrite.com, is our information-packed website for travel writers. This e-zine, a series of travel writing books and reference guides, coaching programs, and our workshops all work together to give you guidance in this field.

Our aim is to provide you with practical, nitty gritty information to help you gain entry into the travel writing realm and all the enjoyment that comes with it. 




We're thrilled to announce that www.PitchTravelWrite.com is on The Write Life’s 2020 list of 100 BEST WEBSITES FOR WRITERS! 

You can see the entire list by visiting their website - click on the graphic to view the list now.




Friend me on Facebook

My Facebook page is about freelance travel writing. I frequently post about:
• links to other well produced travel websites and blogs
• links to my travel articles
• magazine cover stories and back stories
• links to resource pages
• links to coaching and mentoring resources
. . .and plenty of other useful information to get you up to speed

Link to Roy's Personal Facebook page




That's all for now. Until next week - just keep pitching! Roy

Roy Stevenson
Pitch Travel Write
www.pitchtravelwrite.com






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