Can you picture yourself on a beach in Hawaii? Would you rather be trekking in the Himalayas of Nepal? How about cruising down a river on the island of Borneo toward a visit with a headhunter chief in his longhouse? Maybe the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace in London is more to your liking. How about the best seat at the track during the Edmonton Grand Prix preceded by lunch with the mayor? Is being granted VIP status at the Food & Fun Festival in Reykjavik, Iceland something that would interest you? Can you imagine a visit to the Rose Red City of Petra, a visit to the Royal Stables in Amman with an informal chat with Princess Alia, taking a dip in the Dead Sea, sleeping in a Beduoin camp in Wadi Rum or rapelling down a waterfall after a long trek in the Wadi Mujib, spending an evening in a candle lit eco-lodge in the desert or one of a dozen other adventures during three trips to the wonderful Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan - all compliments of the wonderful country of Jordan?
This is just a very small sample of the many travel adventures experienced by the author of hundreds of travel features during the past ten years. He is now prepared to offer you the same opportunities he has experienced but with an added bonus. When he began this journey just a few short years back with no experience as a travel writer he had only the encouragement of one person who suggested that he might like travel writing. With a year of investigating and trying to figure it all out, he finally made a few correct decisions and gradually began to be published on a regular basis. Of course, he was frequently rejected when applying for media visits, but then learned a few secrets that make it possible to now travel almost anywhere.
Well, you can have many of the same types of travel adventures open for you. It really isn't difficult - you just need to know how, and that is what this workshop will teach you. You do not have to have writing experience beyond everyday life writing. By that I mean that you have probably written letters, taken notes, maybe a few term papers in school, some types of reports, etc. You simply need to have some language skills - speaking, writing - and be willing to take the time to record your thoughts and ideas about places you visit, or even places where you live. You very likely live someplace that other people might find interesting, even fascinating . . . and you're already there and a story can come directly from that.
There are a few things you should know about travel writing and photography that some may not be completely truthful about. I will warn you that it is not typically a highly paid occupation. Even with the hundreds of travel features that have come off my fingertips I make very little money in the process. There are a number of people advertising travel writing seminars/workshops/classes in the internet and promising that you will make a lot of money in the process. Don't believe it. I know many, many travel writers but I don't know any wealthy ones. Some do pretty well. Many do o.k. Probably most get by and have other income on which to survive. Some are copywriters, some work for publications on a 9-5 job and the travel writing is just a very small part of the job, and many are travel writers for what is maybe the best reason - the opportunity to travel around the globe and have someone else pick up the tab.
That last group of writer's certainly earn the travel. They produce stories that entertain and educate. Most people now look first to the internet for most information and travel is not an exception. Many of this group also produce stories for magazines and newspapers, even make videos and do podcasts. If you've looked at your local newspaper lately you may have noticed that it is shrinking. Revenue is probably down and money for travel stories is either minimal or non-existent. If you are willing to write for the travel and not solely for the money this can be the chance in a lifetime for you to experience travel beyond your greatest imagination.
So, you ask, what's in if for me as a travel writer or photographer? The answer is probably this. There are wonderful opportunities to travel around the world and around the country. There are ad agencies and local convention and visitor's bureas that are looking for ways to spread the word about their clients and destinations and you may be just the right person to help with the task. There are hotels, restaurants, and destinations that can provide transportation, accommodations, meals, admissions, etc. They may provide all of these things or just some of them, but the choice is always yours whether or not to accept.
Please visit the WriteWayTravel website and plan to join the very limited group of future Travel Writers on this exciting journey.
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