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The Travel Writer's Handbook: How to Write and Sell Your Own Travel Experiences

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Veteran travel writer Jacqueline Harmon Butler shows readers, one step at a time, how to research, write, and sell travel articles--but most importantly, she details what makes a travel article a winner.

In this new edition, Butler updates her bestselling handbook for the 21st century with helpful tips on conducting Internet research, utilizing new advancements in digital photography and finding helpful applications on mobile phones. She also helps aspiring writers navigate the changing world of publishing by exploring blogging, new travel websites, and social media, all while discussing how best to expand your platform.

She includes a brand new introduction to reflect the current state of the travel industry and the change in editors' needs. Butler covers all the nuts and bolts aspects of travel writing from pre-trip research, specific marketing strategies, and even includes 12 formats for travel articles with sure-fire appeal to editors and readers. She gives insightful and often humorous advice on pre- and post-trip topics like:

• How to target your market before you begin
• How to save time by doing background research before you leave
• How to write queries and get assignments in advance
• How to find new angles for overworked subjects
• What to take along--from video equipment and laptops to travel documents
• How to set up and conduct successful interviews
• How to take advantage of freebies and junkets without “selling out”
• How to sell what you write--and then sell it again

350 pages, Paperback

First published October 25, 2006

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Jacqueline Harmon Butler

5 books12 followers

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5 stars
17 (20%)
4 stars
26 (30%)
3 stars
26 (30%)
2 stars
14 (16%)
1 star
1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Alison.
15 reviews8 followers
April 22, 2012
Now that I've finished this book, I think that, aside from the authors declaring that writing can't be taught, and focusing over-much on mechanics, the book could use a reorganization. I don't mean to be down on this book; it has a lot of useful information, but in terms of tone, style, and organization, it's best for the developed writer who has already had some pieces accepted. As a handbook for the beginning writer, I'd find something else.

The authors give you information on how to write a query letter before they even get to the fundamental structure of how to write an article. This implies that you, as a writer, are going to approach your subject matter in such a poorly organized way that you would write a letter of enquiry to an editor before you structure your piece, or even determine what your piece can or will be about. The only time I've ever written like that was for newspapers, and it's an awkward trade you make to be in that industry, that, in my opinion, makes for poor writing habits. You don't, in the real world, write backwards, where you write the story in such a haphazard fashion.

The authors also spend a little too much time talking about their personal experiences as professionals. That focus on what the writer "should" or "can" expect as a professional writer doesn't sit well when teaching a beginner. Beginners can only imagine what being so professional at a job can be like, and in my opinion, professionals who write really have a hard time remembering what it was like going back to ground zero, to the very beginning, and imagining themselves knowing virtually nothing. These authors know too much, and suffer from telling their audience details that we won't need unless, or until, we become professional writers.

I'd suggest that if you are a total beginner in this field of travel writing—and I am—there has to be a book for absolute beginners, and I intend to find it.
Profile Image for Sean Smith.
26 reviews
March 29, 2020
3.5 rounded down. A comprehensive guide to travel writing taking in all areas from trip preparation, writing query letters and also tips on typical types of travel writing.

The 7th edition features more about writing for online publications and also how technology can help the travel writer, but given the pace of change in the tech sector, some of these sections could do with an update.

However, overall I found this to be a useful and informative guide.
Profile Image for Jacqueline Butler.
Author 5 books12 followers
Read
March 20, 2013
This is a guidebook for guidebooking and a vessel for the rules of good travel writing, which makes it a useful book whether you’re dreaming of becoming a travel writer from your cubicle or you’ve got a folder of clips and need a reference designed not just for general craft, but one that details the intricacies of the travel market. This 7th version, based on the original ideas of the original author, now deceased Louise Purwin Zobel, Jacqueline fleshes out the most modern of dilemmas about camera phone photos and gets real on press freebies customs and other curiosities of the trade.

In my favorite section Jacqueline details the building blocks of various types of travel stories depending on the reader, publication, and purpose; “ideally your content will sing with active verbs and precise nouns that appeal to the reader’s five senses…” She breaks down the anatomy of historic articles, info-pieces, and even humorous stories so that one research trip could be told in an array of tones. This is helpful when freelancing, where careers can easily depend on selling articles multiple times, but it is useful, no matter how much freelance you do or want to do, to know about what you are doing to make a good story. If you don’t know, I think your good story has a lot to do with luck. Harsh, but true.

Writing isn’t referred to as craft for nothing. And as a teacher of this craft with regards to travel writing Jacqueline is as crisp as her descriptions of white-washed walls on the Mediterranean.

Serena Bartlett
GrassRoots.com
Profile Image for Sapphire Kharyzma.
3 reviews1 follower
September 5, 2017
This book is by far — a must-have for anyone looking to break into the travel writing industry — as it is the ultimate travel maven’s bible! It covers everything — internet research, digital photography, mobile apps, blogging, social media — to chic ways to expand your platform and reach out to editors (via queries) to get your experience published, and you paid! I especially loved the pre-trip research feature (as it is something that I personally — never did) — and the various marketing strategies. Even the 12 Formats for Travel Articles — had me glued to the pages, as you won’t find a dull moment in this invaluable tool. I finally made up my mind — and am about to embark on a life changing career making journey — as I aim to utilize my unique set of quintessential skills (PR, writing, photography & design), coupled with my passion for travel and adventure. As your bliss ambassador — what good would I be if I didn’t add travel to my list of blissful escapes? Especially for you all — my favorite lovelies!

I highly recommend The Travel Writer’s Handbook — to anyone who is interested in a serious freelancing career in blogging/writing or if you want to take your writing to the next level.
Profile Image for Melanie Faith.
Author 14 books80 followers
February 2, 2013
This text is burgeoning with thoughtful and wise tips for the emerging travel writer. From practical chapters on researching and what to pack for long-distance destinations to the various markets and patterns a travel article may take (including how to market travel photography to coordinate with your pieces), I found my highlighter consistently uncapped and denoting ideas and tips to put into action for my next article pitch. This book includes many anecdotes and first-hand accounts of the tried-and-true methods for writing and for career development that make it a worthwhile read and one I'll keep on the shelf to return to again and again. Excellent. The copy I read is the latest, 7th edition (published in 2011), so many of the tips include wise advice for online markets and web researching and apps.
Profile Image for Kyria.
170 reviews3 followers
July 20, 2012
This book is a great source for writers who want to be travel writers and travelers who want to be travel writers! It has a very comprehensive list of where to start, who to send your articles to and what to write about. Tips such as sending a travel story about traveling with a dog or places to go where you can get the best tan to Glamour, tips on how to market yourself or how to enable one story to be sent to various publishers are just a few of the great things about this book.

I love to travel and have always dreamed of traveling, taking photos and writing about it and making money doing all three! This book is a great guide to teach a budding travel writer just how to go about doing that. Also, the author has updated this book with tips on travel writing on the internet.
Profile Image for John Orman.
685 reviews32 followers
August 10, 2012
Interesting book loaded with many details of how to prepare for a trip, and what to do while on one.
Substance and style of stories, and markets to enter to sell your work. How to use websites, blogs, and social media to publicize your work and seek new contracts. The author notes the need to take something to show you are a writer, such as business cards. That may get you into locations you could not enter otherwise, or get you a special interview.
Importance of photos, interviews, and a discussion of what people want to read are discussed. Also an interesting essay on the freebies and perks available around the world to the travel writer!
Profile Image for Nadja.
157 reviews
December 2, 2014
Some books make you imagine the author so vividly that you start enjoying your mental picture more than you do the actual words. The book took me on a journey into the life of the author herself, a travel writer *before* the advance of the internet...now *that's* novel!
Profile Image for Brie.
91 reviews4 followers
April 28, 2014
Assigned school reading. Some solid techniques within but much of the writing felt outdated in its instruction. Little focus on technology.
Profile Image for Nate Jordon.
Author 12 books25 followers
June 22, 2014
I'm giving it three stars because 90% of the information is stuff I already knew. If I were a beginning writer, or a beginning travel writer, perhaps I would rate this differently.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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