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Editorial

Will AI Replace Travel Writers?

Every day we hear how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used. Writers ask if AI travel writing will replace human travel writing. Some experts tout AI as a benign tool that can help us tremendously; others claim that it merely regurgitates what’s already out there. I decided it's time to look at AI and what it means to travel writers.

One way AI is being used is to generate content where traditionally writers create content. But AI generates content based on existing data. This content is generated using machines and it’s like google on steroids.

It’s claimed that AI not only collates information, but presents that information in a cogent way. Many believe that AI will save us tremendous amounts of time and research by producing “instant” and specific data.

I’ve been watching AI closely since it hit the headlines. And I’ve especially been following its infiltration into the travel writing arena. If you’ve done any reading about this, you’ll find AI-articles that may sound good at first glance but are often inaccurate, and usually poorly written.

Here’s what I’ve found . . .

Magazine Editors Do NOT Want AI-Generated Articles

Recently, while preparing my 500 Print Magazines That Want To Publish Your Travel Articles listings — which entailed poring through the Writers’ Guidelines of 550+ travel & lifestyle magazines of all stripes — I only encountered one magazine that admits to using AI-generated content. And the editor of this magazine was quick and clear to point out that his occasional AI articles are fact-checked and scrupulously edited before printing.

Conversely, I noted that the Writers’ Guidelines in several dozen travel & lifestyle magazines indicated that AI-generated articles would NOT be considered for publication in their pages. It seems that travel magazine editors actually want their writers to visit the destinations they write about.

Using AI Will Hinder Your Credibility As A Writer

Magazine editors pay for us to be the creatives behind our stories. An editor who gets even the slightest hint that we’re submitting AI generated copy will not work with us. Don’t even think about submitting AI-generated copy to an editor.

Most of us can tell when copy is AI generated — editors can tell, too. They’ve seen it all and can tell within a few sentences if a story is AI-generated or created by a real human writer.

Why are travel magazine editors rejecting AI-generated stories?

Read the rest of my AI article here . . .

• Travel Writing for Military & History Magazines
• Break Into Travel Writing with Museum Stories
• Break Into the Boating, Yachting, Sailing & Cruising Travel Writing Market
• A follow-up eBook about Query Letters for Travel Writers

Next month, I’ll give you seven effective print media strategies for Freelance Travel Writers

Finally, I'd like to thank you for reading this newsletter, taking my online and in-person classes, buying my eBooks, and following my travels. It's been a pleasure working with so many of you and keeping you up-to-date on what’s new in travel writing.

Roy Stevenson,
www.PitchTravelWrite.com

500 Print Magazines - Current Customers

Also, if you find any links that aren't working or any magazines that are no longer published, please let us know so we can get the word out to everyone.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you about which magazines you’ve pitched successfully and what stories you've sold to the magazines on these lists.

Have You Written a Travel Memoir?

Featured Post

How Do I Spend My Time? A Professional Travel Writer’s Day In The Office

If you’ve ever wondered what I do, here’s a day in the life of a professional travel writer. Here I also talk about the extremely limited value of spending too much time on social media.

READ THE ARTICLE

My Latest Writing Assignment

This makes my 25th published museum piece in this highly regarded glossy magazine for classic car aficionados and collectors. My automobile museum assignments have taken me to Alaska, California, Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee and Washington, plus England and Germany.

This is a collector’s magazine — not a throwaway — and has won numerous awards from the Society of Automotive Historians, the Automotive Heritage Association, and other groups. The editor is the consummate professional and great to work with.

Automobiles are such an important part of American culture, and I’ve developed a deep love of classic cars from my museum tours and research. And I’ve seen many spectacular speed cars, “celebrity cars,” and rare and unique autos in these museums. I’m honored to be Collectible Automobile magazine’s museum “go-to” writer.

Here’s how you can break into writing about autos and other types of vehicles -- and make it interesting and lucrative:

READ THE ARTICLE

Our Latest Travel Writing Success Story

Emily Corak: My Freelance Travel Writing Story

When I left my job in education after 12 years, I never remotely considered writing as a feasible option. I’d always loved writing – I’d even earned an MFA in creative writing because I loved it so much, but it felt like a means for personal expression and enjoyment. I’d even had a few things published, but never received a dime. The act of being published was its own reward!

Making money as a writer? Ha! I’d leave that endeavor to the real writers.

But whenever I had a few spare moments, I kept googling travel writing courses. I told myself it was strictly out of curiosity, not because I thought it was a realistic option.

I’d spent a lot of time traveling when I was younger - I took my first international trip at age 14 to Tunisia to visit where my dad had grown up. I visited a friend in Norway numerous times, taught in China, went scuba diving in Belize, spent summers volunteering in Bangladesh, and studied abroad in Italy.

But when my children came along in my early thirties, I feared my traveling would be limited to quick coastal getaways with the occasional trek to Disneyland.

I stumbled upon Roy Stevenson’s workshops online in 2019 on one of my many Google explorations and I had an inkling that this was something I should do. I couldn’t put my finger on why, but I bookmarked the page and kept coming back to it, reviewing all the details about his workshop in Charleston even though I was still a high school English teacher at the time. I worried that it would be impractical and a little self-indulgent because who did I think I was? The most adventurous trip I’d taken recently was braving impatient toddlers in line for the teacups!

Luckily, my intuition won out and I booked the weeklong masterclass with Linda and Roy in Charleston, SC, for the summer of 2020. Roy’s course was postponed for 2 years due to the pandemic, but I finally got to attend it there in June 2022.

Here's my journey . . .

Read the rest of Emily's inspirational story here . . .

Upcoming Posts

Inspirational Travel Quote

Pitch Travel Write: Most Requested Links About Your Travel Writing Productivity & Goals

Seven Ways to Increase Your Travel Writing Productivity and Take Control of Your Time

Six Ways to Increase Your Travel Writing Productivity and Create More Time

It’s important to sell multiple story angles about a place. Here are four reasons it makes sense

MORE RESOURCES FOR TRAVEL WRITERS

Featured Book: Creative Pack Reference Guides

Here's how these reference guides will help you.

The Art & Craft of Travel Writing is a handy reference guide to make your travel stories sparkle and help you become a more successful writer. 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.

For the next 30 days you can get an additional $5 off this bundle (that's 10% off PLUS another $5) when you use PROMO code: CB35

Learn more and buy the bundle

A Note from Travel Writer Tim Cotroneo

Tim curates a popular website called Travel Dreams Magazine and encourages aspiring travel writers to contribute to this website. Here’s what Tim has shared:

Hi Roy,

Here is an idea for you to communicate with your legions of admirers.

Several times per month I receive emails from writers proposing that they write for Travel Dreams Magazine. The overwhelming number of these pitches don’t say what they want to write about.

I’m willing to help just about any aspiring writer get a start. But I am very reluctant to invest time, and possibly receive spam, from someone who fails to pitch a specific article idea. 

Best regards,

Tim Cotroneo
Travel Dreams Magazine

A Note from Sailing & Boating Publisher Jeff Watson

I welcome your input if this is something of interest.


Thanks!

Jeff Watson

Founder/Publisher

VIP Magazines
Jeff@30amag.com

Free Travel Guides

Here’s a link to five websites where you can download Free Travel Guides

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. 

If you know someone who will enjoy this newsletter,
please forward or sign up

HERE.

Awards and Accolades

This listing helps match up travel journalists with magazine editors who are looking for specific stories.

Here’s the link to the download: PRontheGo Pitching Guide

Our website was selected for the 2023 Writer’s Digest Magazine’s “101 Best Websites For Writers” in the June issue. We’ve previously been chosen for Writer’s Digest Magazine’s 101 Best Websites For Writers in 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022. WD doesn’t bestow these awards lightly. We’re the only travel writing website on the lists!

Travel Writers Exchange Top 10 Workshops

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Roy Stevenson
Pitch Travel Write
www.pitchtravelwrite.com