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Editorial

We’re staying in the An Thuong Tourist District. This series of 200-meter-long streets is packed with nail salons, spas, restaurants, coffee shops, and hotels. Tourism here has recovered considerably and our friends here tell us that it‘s up to 50% of pre-COVID, so it’s still pleasantly quiet rather than bursting with demanding tourists.

500 Print Magazines

We're also including a Revisions document with a few updated links and information. This will be updated each month as needed, so be sure and download it to get the latest information on sites that have made changes.

If you have any problems downloading any issues, please get in touch with us at pitchtravelwrite@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to help you.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you about which magazines you’ve pitched successfully and what stories have been picked up by these magazines.

PitchTravelWrite.com is in Writer’s Digest Magazine’s 2024 Annual Yearbook

The 2024 Writer’s Yearbook is a comprehensive, all-in-one resource for writers who need a boost to finish the year on a strong note or start planning their new years’ writing goals. Featuring the top websites and markets for writers, plus articles on freelancing, creativity, writing book-length works, and attracting an agent, this special publication has something for any writer looking to get their work published. You can find details and order a copy of the Annual Yearbook at the links below:

For the digital version click here

For the print version click here

Funds For Writers Newsletter

My first post, "How To Presell Your Travel Stories” shows how and why travel writers must sell their stories before they visit their destinations. Here’s the link

My second post, "Wrangling Complimentary Travel Writing Perks," shows how to get your travel costs covered by the tourism agencies at your destination once you have travel assignments. Here’s the link

Northwest Travel & Words Travel Writing Conference

Last month, Bianca was one of 30 travel writers invited by Allen Cox to attend the Northwest Travel & Words Conference.

Here’s Bianca’s report on how the conference went down:

On November 14, 2023, we wrapped up the 3-day Travel and Words conference, offered by Allen Cox of Northwest Travel and Life Magazine. The conference was held in downtown Missoula, Montana, co-sponsored by Destination Missoula. We were offered a discounted rate to stay at The Wren hotel, where we gathered daily for breakfast. I was an invited writer, and this was my first travel writing conference.

The array of writers and destinations was impressive. While the conference was focused on showcasing the Northwest, I was surprised at how broad this region is. It included destinations from the Washington and Oregon coasts, Vancouver and British Columbia, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Yuma, Arizona, though not part of the region, was also included. There were about 30 destinations in all.

I later realized that Allen had invited the number of travel writers to match the DMO’s (Destination Marketing Organizations) — there were about 30 writers, as well. This would matter later when we were paired up for meetings. Many of the writers at the conference publish their work in Northwest Travel and Life and come from that region; but New Mexico, California, and Arizona were also represented. I flew in from Utah.

The event opened with a welcome reception catered by area restaurants and held in the conference room of the Missoula Library. After the opening presentation, our table spent the time getting to know each other. The attendees were very open and supportive.

The first full day of the conference was held in the Missoula Community Theatre. After introductions, the writers began rounds of Destination-Journalist Meetings, which were patterned after speed dating sessions. These were 15-minute rounds in which the destination and writers would find out what aspects of their markets and magazines or specialties were a match. When I was first asked what I specialized in, I rambled. I’ve been published in a very broad array of magazines, on a very broad array of topics. For example, I’ve written about my favorite cookbook, the history of American women in Britain at the turn of the century, and the time I worked at the Indianapolis 500. I wasn’t sure how to present myself, so I found these early speed dating sessions mentally taxing.

That evening, the writers and destination marketers continued getting to know each other during a guided tour of Missoula’s new Butterfly House and Insectarium and later over dinner at the University of Montana’s Payne Family Native American Center. I was exhausted from hours of talking, so I walked back to the hotel after dinner, but a tour of the Montana Museum of Art and Culture was offered to those who wanted to keep going.

I was able to walk to The Wren, our conference hotel, on well-lit streets and pedestrian-friendly bridges. The Wren has been repurposed from what I’m told was a dark and dingy hotel that hadn’t been updated since it was built in the 1960’s.

It was redesigned by a Bozeman-based group that focuses on transforming dated lodging and revitalizing the neighborhoods where these hotels are found. The Wren is now a basecamp for all the outdoor activity that Missoula has to offer.

On the second day of the conference we met again at the Missoula Community Theatre. A notable presentation was given by Tami Fairweather of the Adventure Travel Trade Association. Her topic, “Trends in Adventure Travel,” was very helpful. She defined adventure travel as travel that includes nature, physical activity, and culture, and said that 90% of tour operators now offer these three facets to guests. She also addressed the need for recognizing that sustainable travel goes beyond environmental concerns.

“Good places to visit are good places to live,” she said, meaning that good tourism ought to improve a place for the local residents, not deplete it. I was glad to hear that this is the new trend. I see tourism in Utah diminish the available resources and housing for locals, but as writers we can shift the way we promote tourism, and help make our communities more livable.

We continued with our speed dating sessions, and this time I really enjoyed them. The night before, I’d spoken to my husband, who has attended a lot of business conferences. He suggested I boil my work down into three categories. I could simply say that, for this audience, my specialties are RV Travel, Skiing, and Profiles. This simplified the conversations and allowed me to relax. It also made the sessions more fruitful. After that, the destinations did my work for me, offering me detailed stories that would be easy to pitch. I was also invited to contact them about upcoming press trips to their regional ski resorts and cross country ski trails.

Finally, Allen announced the location for the 2024 Travel and Words Conference. It will be held in Tacoma, Washington, in the first week of October. Matt Wakefield of Travel Tacoma shared a few proud words about his city, noting that it’s the hometown of glass artist Dale Chihuly, and that visitors can expect that influence to be prevalent throughout the city and Hotel Murano, the conference hotel. “It’s going to be awe-inspiring awesome,” Matt said.

Allen is from Tacoma and chimed in. “I still today see Mount Rainier and never get tired of it,” he said. “It alone is a reason to visit Tacoma.”

Most people went to the airport in the hours after the conference, but I was among the small group who stuck around for one more night in Missoula. Emily of Destination Missoula took me hiking up Pattee Canyon to support me in an assignment to cover Missoula’s cross country ski trails. After that, we went for a beer at Gild, one of Missoula’s ten breweries.

As I was walking back to the hotel, I saw travel writers Pam and Gary Baker sitting near the window of Pangea Bar and Restaurant. They waved me in, and we shared a bottle of wine and some dessert. They were friendly and generous, ready to share everything they know about travel writing. I came home full of ideas and new contacts. I also feel I’ve got a few new friends.

Have You Written a Travel Memoir?

Featured Post

8 Ways to Enhance Your Travel Writing Brand Using Facebook

It is true that social media has only helped me secure a handful of travel writing assignments from print magazine editors. However, I’ve learned to use Facebook effectively to enhance my image as a travel writer and my marketing platform, which have indirectly helped me snag assignments and press trips.

You can do this too, but you’ve got to be creative and have a strategic plan. Just slapping anything up on your Facebook page and hoping something sticks does not work.

Here are 8 ways to you can use Facebook to boost your professional brand. 

Are you utilizing Facebook as effectively as you could be?

READ THE ARTICLE

Introducing Diane McLeish, Our Latest Success Story

Diane McLeish, originally from South Africa, tells her freelance writing story here. After reading my article on writing about museums, she put my advice into practice and has been well-rewarded for her efforts.

There are two things that especially impress me about Diane’s entry into the freelance writing field:

First, she took advantage of a difficult situation -- the pandemic -- to learn a new hobby and explore places in her own backyard (Kenya). Second, she learned about how to resell her articles from reading my articles and put that learning into practice several times already. This is an advanced skill!

Here’s Diane’s story in her own words . . .


Be sure to read about some of our other success stories at these links:
Success Story: Candi-Licence
Success Story: Jessica-Pickett
Success Story: Barb Harmon

Upcoming Posts

Inspirational Travel Quote

Pitch Travel Write: Most Requested Links - Building Your Travel Writing Platform

But now, sales and marketing skills have become increasingly important — critical even — to get your stories published in the highly competitive print media field. 

What’s a marketing platform and what do you need to do? You’ll find all you need to know in these articles. 

You need a marketing platform to stand out from the thousands of other travel writers and bloggers that have taken up the freelance game in the past few years.

Your Travel-Writing-Marketing-Platform and Why You Need One

Building a Professional-Website

Four Reasons to Get Published on Travel Websites

How to Get Testimonials from Editors and CVBs

MORE RESOURCES FOR TRAVEL WRITERS

Featured Book: How to Land Press Trips

Since starting my freelance travel writing career, I’ve been on more than 200 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 because I'm showing off, but because you too can get regular press trip & fam tour invitations.

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 actually get these 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.

Get $10 off for the month of December when you use PROMO Code: HTLPT

BUY THE BOOK

Testimonial:

“I was extremely impressed with Roy’s last book, so reviewing another of his books was a no-brainer. Roy takes a simple, logical approach to getting invited (or getting on the list) by the folks that have the budgets to offer them. Reality checks are aplenty, and he links to several excellent sites or conferences to stay in-the-know. There are also several sample letter templates to borrow from, along with an entire chapter on etiquette (which could easily be titled ‘How to ensure this isn’t your last fam trip ever!’)

At 75 pages long, the only thing it really lacks is fluff. You can breeze through the basics in a single sitting, but actually taking action will be your bigger challenge. The book does everything it can to offer tools and advice, but it’s still up to you to follow it.” -Chris Backe, OneWeirdGlobe.com

Don't forget: For the month of December save $10 off the regular price of this book if you use discount code: HTLPT

BUY THE BOOK

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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. 

Awards and Accolades

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, & 2023. WD doesn’t bestow these awards lightly. We’re the only travel writing website on the lists!

thewritelife Best Websites 2021

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

Travel Writers Exchange Top 10 Workshops

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Roy Stevenson
Pitch Travel Write
www.pitchtravelwrite.com