I've gotten published recently in a couple of travel mags - one feature on-line and one short article in a print magazine. I am, of course, interested in getting published in major travel mags, eg. Travel & Leisure, etc. I know to send these major mags my published clips. Still, it seems they want you to start off with front and back of the mag. short, short articles, eg. new restaurant, new product, new hotel - something new and of interest. My question - where do I find info about these new things so I can write up short, short articles? Must I scour individual local newspapers and mags, or are there websites devoted to "new and exciting" information that I can use?
Have you tried a google search? I just did a quick search on travel magazines and saw several promising entries. Try a few other search terms as well. like periodicals, freelance, submissions, tourism, etc, in combination with one another. I suppose there is a chance you will be lucky enough to encounter a member on this site with direct experience in that that market, but it's really a long shot. You might also get some advice on writer's markets listings that may help you find what you're looking for.
I have a page on my website that may help: Market Search Sites. For what you're seeking, the Writing for Dollars link would probably be most appropriate. Good luck. Terry
uh, the venue is 'travel' magazines, right?... that means you must DO some travelling [or have done a fair amount], to find those 'new and exciting' things to write about!... to establish yourself as a legitimate travel writer, you really have to get up from that computer and get out there where things are happening... if all you do is cop stuff from online sites and present it as your own personal experience, or your opinion as an 'expert' one, you'll soon be found out and never be heard from again in the travel field...
Thank you Cogito and TWErwin2 Mama, really? A nasty start to the new year? I travel quite a lot and have been writing about my travels and, like I said, have already been published in the travel arena. "How to break into major travel mags" is the title of my thread. If you are a magazine writer - and you probably are not - you should know that you very often must prove yourself to the big money mags before they will publish a feature story of yours. One way to do this are by querying them with an idea and including clips of works you have had published in other magazines, along with the query. I already do this. Another way is by sending them short, short articles you have written just for them, so that you can prove to them your writing skills and your fact checking skills before they take a chance on you by publishing a feature. I travel quite a lot, but just because I do does not mean I am going to be discovering the "new and exciting" things that big travel mags like to include as short, short articles in the fronts of their mags. The purpose of my travels is to explore and experience and to write feature articles about the destinations I visit. My intent is to write such features for the big mags. And before I do, I am sure they would appreciate some familiarity with my writing both by seeing my published clips and...by me submitting short articles to prove myself.
Thank you Cogito and TWErwin2 Mama, really? A nasty start to the new year? I travel quite a lot and have been writing about my travels and, like I said, have already been published in the travel arena. "How to break into major travel mags" is the title of my thread. If you are a magazine writer - and you probably are not - you should know that you very often must prove yourself to the big money mags before they will publish a feature story of yours. One way to do this are by querying them with an idea and including clips of works you have had published in other magazines, along with the query. I already do this. Another way is by sending them short, short articles you have written just for them, so that you can prove to them your writing skills and your fact checking skills before they take a chance on you by publishing a feature. I travel quite a lot, but just because I do does not mean I am going to be discovering the "new and exciting" things that big travel mags like to include as short, short articles in the fronts of their mags. The purpose of my travels is to explore and experience and to write feature articles about the destinations I visit. My intent is to write such features for the big mags. And before I do, I am sure they would appreciate some familiarity with my writing both by seeing my published clips and...by me submitting short articles to prove myself.
that certainly wasn't meant to be nasty!... 'twas just a bit of bantering practicality... sorry you had to take it as an insult, as i didn't intend it as such, just wanting to be helpful... you said nothing about having traveled in your first post, so i had no way to know if you did or not, but your questions seemed to indicate you don't... a writing mentor of many years standing, i surely do know what even common sense dictates, that one must work one's way up the ladder to the major mags... naturally... none of which is news to me... and nothing to do with what i wrote, in an attempt to be helpful... had you explained that in your original post, i definitely would have tailored my reply quite differently... but you didn't... so please don't take me to task for not being able to read your mind, ok?... ;-) to get back to your question, now that i have a better idea of your situation, from my pov as a world traveler for many decades, you might want to focus on small 'personal interest' stories for the small pieces you need to pile up credits for... things like the comparative peculiarities of cabs and cabbies in this and that country, or the sales spiels of child flower/gum-sellers... or, as i did once, giving a rundown on countries' national character, as embodied in the style of their passenger trains... little, but intriguing stuff like that, one doesn't often see written about... 'new and exciting' may not be that easy and without knowing where you've been and where you're going next, i can't really come up with anything in particular... hope this is more helpful and will not be seen as 'nasty' in any way... hugs, maia
Mamamia, my first sentence in my first post - "I've gotten published recently in a couple of travel mags - one feature on-line and one short article in a print magazine." It's not likely I would have gotten a feature published if I didn't go anywhere. It's also not likely I would be travel writing if I was not traveling. Just a dose of common sense.
if you had any common sense [along with any common courtesy, which also seems to be missing], you'd know that people CAN get things published in a travel mag without doing much, if any traveling... such as those who write about the place where they live! but you seem more interested in being rude and disrespectful to someone who's only trying to help you, than in being sensible or courteous...
