Cathy Smith is a travel journalist, photographer, member of the British Guild of Travel Writers, and a Feature Writer for Suite 101.
SH - When did you start your writing career? Why?
CS - I leapt into freelancing in 1985 because I wanted to write for a living and that seemed the only way to go. Didn't fancy working for a magazine or newspaper full time.
SH - What was your first sale? To what publication?
CS - "London by Gaslight" to the Vancouver Sun.
SH - What kind of things do you write about?
CS - I write about anything that I find interesting. I reckon if it interests me it will interest other people.
SH - Are you a generalist or a specialist?
CS – Specialist, in that I write about travel but, within that specialty, I write about anything that can be at all related to travel. For example, I have written about the history of London Taxis.
SH - What are the benefits of being one or the other?
CS - Definitely better to specialize. I started out as a 'Jack of all trades', writing about almost anything I thought I could sell. Much better to specialize, as editors generally don't think about commissioning writers who are not specialists.
SH - What kind of articles do you most enjoy writing?
CS – Normally, on press trips, you are part of a group, so you all see the same things. Whenever the (rare) occasion arises where I have a chance of a solo trip, I grab it, as this is when I get my best stories, where I am free to make the article more personal.
SH - What is a typical work day for you?
CS - Like most writers, scrunched up in front of the computer.
SH - What are your strengths as a writer?
CS - Persistence.
SH - Your weaknesses?
CS - Not being brave enough to ask for more money.
SH - What do you most enjoy about writing?
CS - The freedom.
SH - What do you least enjoy?
CS - Knowing I'll never get rich!
SH - What reference books do you use most often?
CS - My own notes plus guide books and travel brochures, for contact details, etc. And sometimes history books to get some background knowledge on places I've been.
SH - Tell me about your travel writing book.
CS - "How to Write and Sell Travel Articles" was written for people starting out in travel writing, as well as writers in other areas who would also like to have a go. It was originally published in the UK in 1992, and was twice on the best seller list in the British newspaper The Independent. It has been republished (January 2008), and revised to include changes in the writing world (i.e. the Internet). Details about purchasing a copy are on my website.
SH - Do you have any advice for beginning freelancers?
CS - If I have one word, it would be persistence.
SH - Do you have any advice for established freelancers about becoming more successful?
CS - If people are established they know the obvious things, like keeping regular contact with editors who have previously taken work, being persistent, coming up with original ideas, etc.
SH - Final thoughts?
CS - Good luck. It's a tough world out there, but well worth all the effort you can muster. Remember, a good travel writer gets to see the whole world for free.
Read more about travel writing in Freelance Travel Writing Ideas.
