BITW 005: Why the Odds are in Your Favor if you Want to Become a Travel Writer with Michele Peterson

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005: Why the Odds are in Your Favor if you Want to Become a Travel Writer with Michele Peterson

Michele in Annecy France (the French Alpes)

Michele Peterson went from a sales job in banking to freelance travel writing. Learn how she used her sales skills and the sales process to query editors and write for more than 100 publications including Conde Nast Traveler, Enroute, Dreamscapes, British Airway’s Highlife, Westjet’s Up, The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, Air Canada onAir, The Boston Herald, VIA Rail, and she just finished a book for Fodor’s on Mexico.

More About Michele:

Today’s guest went from a sales position in the banking industry to freelance travel writer. She has written for many of the top publications and has a knack for seeking out unique and usual stories. Learn how to source out the stories that will set you apart from other travel writers and get you to the top of the list for press trips. Michele participates in at least 12 press trips a year and is invited on many more that she has to turn down. Find out her inside secrets to build a successful travel writing career on the 6th episode of Break Into Travel Writing.

The Finer Details of This Show Include:

Learn travel magazines demographics, style and audience.
How to review past issues of travel magazines to create a honed in pitch.
How to write on spec.
How to re-purpose your stories to gain additional placements.
How to submit to travel anthologies like Travelers Tales or Seal Press.
How to use Twitter to research off the beaten path story ideas.
The importance of seeking out unusual experiences to have a fresh point of view with your travel story.
And loads more!

When Michele isn’t globetrotting on her various press trips, she splits her time between Puerto Escondido, Mexico and Toronto, Canada. She broke into travel writing by interviewing another travel writer and has never looked back.

Michele also shares her many insights on how to break into travel writing and photography. Some of the main points we discuss are:

Why the odds are in your favor if you want to become a travel writer.
The importance of continuing to look for new outlets.
Her favorite website to find publications looking for travel writers.
The importance of networking with other travel writers.
Why every travel writer must have a media kit.
How to model top magazine formats to overcome writers block and learn their editorial style.

There’s plenty more Michele shares on today’s show on that same subject – and offers great insights! One of my favorites is, “Aim high with your queries because larger publications are looking for writers and have a budget“. Be sure to listen to hear what she has to say on the importance connecting with local PR to get your travel career going. Have a listen to get the inside scoop, and then join me in thanking Michele for being here! And thank you as well. We’ll see you next time!

Episode Resources
Michele Peterson’s website
Michele’s Travel Writing Workshop in Mexico
Michele’s Anthologies:
*The Risks of Sunbathing Topless: And Other Funny Stories from the Road
*Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures: Funny Women Write from the Road

Stellar resources for press trips on Michele’s website
Woodenhorse Publications
ASJA
NATJA
ProfessionalBloggers Association
Tbex
Vmax
Media Kitty

Connect with Michele on Social Media:

Michele Peterson on Facebook
Michele Peterson on Twitter

Connect with Break Into Travel Writing
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
The Aspiring Travel Writer, the Facebook group

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