Being paid to travel. This short sentence has captured the imaginations of generations. And although travel has become increasingly accessible to the masses, there is still a certain amount of romance and glamour attached to the idea of roaming the globe and being paid to do it. But what is the reality of making a living out of traveling? How easy is it to break into travel writing? And where does one start? Veteran travel writer Steve Korver reveals his top tips.
Born in Canada, Korver says he always had a “thing” for traveling and writing. “As a kid I hitchhiked a lot around Canada and after university spent a couple of years in Asia,” he says. “And when I settled in Amsterdam a decade or two back, I also had the advantage of understanding the language thanks to my Dutch immigrant parents. So I was kind of ‘inside’ from the start.”
Building a Portfolio
Through friends, Korver began writing for Time Out Amsterdam magazine, and then moved on to other newspapers and magazines about the city. “Slowly from there, I was asked by editors to go further afield – first Benelux [Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg], then the world.”
One of the first countries to fall under Korver’s travel writer’s gaze was the former Yugoslavia, which dominated the front pages in the 1990s. Korver says that initially he focused on understanding the war and political breakdown that was unfolding in the region at the time, but then decided to look behind the headlines. “I became more interested in becoming a propagandist for all the bits that were largely overshadowed by the war: the epic landscapes, the sights, the food, the drink.”
Checking the Facts
After visiting a friend of his in Moscow, what Korver himself terms an “obsession” with Russia followed, in particular with Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. “I discovered that Russians are a lot more welcoming if instead of bringing up gulags and gangsters, you brought up the original big G of 0-G.”
Today, Korver has newspaper and magazine articles and travel guides to his name, with a portfolio that includes the likes of New York Times, Guardian, The Globe & Mail, Time Out and Fodor’s. He attributes at least part of his success as a travel writer to a willingness to join in and not judge, although he says that “loving food and drink is also a nice universal to have.” And his top tip for would-be travel writers? Check and recheck those facts.
Travel Writer’s Checklist
Looking to break into the travel writing industry? Here is a checklist of the basics:
- Travel widely and, if possible, become an expert in a particular city, state or country.
- Interested in a specific area such as architecture, history, food, music or outdoor activities? Then also think about developing this into a specialism.
- Take a writing course, if necessary. The Travel Writer’s Life has a range of dedicated courses and a website packed with useful resources.
- Write accurate, engaging copy that ‘shows’ readers what a place is like, and look for less usual angles. Research the market and make sure the copy is appropriate for the publication for which it is intended.
- Approach small, local publications initially, in order to build confidence and a portfolio.
- Learn the local language, if necessary. This opens up a culture or place like nothing else.
- Build a network of people in the industry.
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