Completely revised edition of the ground-breaking travel writing book that provides a road map to success in the digital age. It dives headlong into the entrepreneurial world of blogging and digital products, while still acknowledging the real money to be made in freelance writing for others. Drawing on interviews and survey responses from more than 100 successful travel writers and bloggers, this is the definitive guide to creating success instead of waiting for permission.

Blogger, editor, and award-winning freelance writer Tim Leffel shares advice from his decades of hard-won experience. He provides practical lessons from running six websites (and selling one), publishing five books through multiple editions, and writing for outlets like CNN, Lonely Planet, and Outside. If you'd like to earn an income from covering your travels and have a clear plan for sustainable profits, this book will open up all the possibilities and show you the best ways to stand out from the crowd.

This is not a rosy, "see the world for free" come-on book that dodges the real challenges in building a career in this competitive field. It lays out the real landscape for bloggers and freelancers and shows the obstacles to overcome, but provides clear lessons on how to leap over them and get ahead, while avoiding most of the common mistakes.

Introduction i

Travel Writing in the Digital Age. 7

How Do Travel Writers Make Money?. 11

Out with the Old: Buggy Whips, Carbon Paper, and Fortress Journalism  27

In with the New: Unleashing the Writing Entrepreneurs, the Solopreneurs, and the Gig Creators. 35

The 104 Faces of a Travel Writer 42

Traditional Earning Opportunities as a Travel Writer 50

Magazine Print Writing. 51

Newspaper Writing. 58

Writing for Trades. 59

Guidebook Writing. 60

Book Writing. 63

Corporate Writing. 70

Digital Opportunities for a Travel Writer 73

Blogging for Yourself 74

Blogging for Others. 83

Writing for Online Magazines. 87

Web Publishing. 87

Digital Corporate Writing. 88

Online Income Streams. 90

Developing a Niche. 104

Photography and Video. 109

The Craft of Travel Writing. 116

Self-promotion. 129

A Whole D@&n Chapter on Social Media?. 140

Perks and Profit 148

The Pros and Cons of Press Trips. 149

Tax Breaks. 158

Earn While You Sleep. 161

Next Steps to Success for Freelancers and Travel Bloggers. 163

Travel Writing 2.0 Resources. 209

Acknowledgements. 210

Index. 211