Travel Writing: A Passion Turned Career
Whenever you ask someone to give you a piece of life-changing advice, oftentimes they’ll say something like, “Pick a career that doesn’t feel like work.” I’ve wrestled with this idea all through high school and college. I have so many interests and hobbies, but can I actually make a career out of them?
Throughout school, I’ve grown to love English and writing. There is something so beautiful about an artfully crafted piece of literature or essay. As I’ve explored Strategic Communication courses at Texas Christain University, I’ve learned to appreciate clever advertising copy and creative campaign content.
But I’ve still questioned: If I could pursue any career without limitations, what would it be?
Over the summer, I was fortunate to study abroad for five weeks in Rome, Italy. This was the perfect opportunity for me to start a travel blog and experiment with a different style of writing. Initially, I created a new Instagram account so I could have all my pictures and experiences in one accessible place. It was a digital journal for my friends and family to keep up with my travels.
However, starting my blog quickly turned into a love for travel writing and became a fun activity for me to do every day in Italy.
I titled the account @votava.viaggiare, merging my last name with the Italian word for “travel, journey, or trip.” I would upload five to ten pictures relating to my blog post and edit them with the VSCO app. But to be completely honest, the pictures were so beautiful they really didn’t need any touch-ups.
Then, I would take 20-30 minutes to write a blog post that would become the photo’s caption. Raving about food, admiring the beautiful Italian scenery, joking about what went wrong, and reflecting on my personal growth were the main topics of my travel writing pieces.
Through my blogging experience, I learned how to push my writing to be descriptive and conversational for a comprehensive and entertaining read. I was also able to practice my photography skills, and tried my best to get angles that blocked out the absolutely insane amount of tourists.
@Votava.viaggiare opened my eyes to the world of travel writing and showed me that I can utilize my writing skills in a creative and fulfilling way.
After discovering travel writing and how much joy it gave me, I decided to do more in-depth research on the profession. Some travel writers work as freelancers and compose pieces that can be picked up by magazines. Magazines purchase individual stories to include in their digital or print editions. Freelance travel writers can be paid in varying amounts, depending on the length and style of the piece.
Some of the most prominent travel magazines include AFAR, Travel + Leisure, Budget Travel, and National Geographic. Article topics range from fun activities, unique places to travel, cruises, hotel recommendations and reviews, and how to travel on a budget.
Additionally, travel writers work as salaried employees for hotel and travel agencies to create owned media copy and reviews. Oftentimes, travel writers are flown to locations to review new hotels or excursions on behalf of the company. In return, the writer will have a better understanding of the hotel or experience, so they can write convincing copy for the company’s website or social media posts. According to ZipRecruiter, the national average yearly salary for a travel writer is $77,800. Fort Worth travel writers make an average salary of about $73,400.
While travel writing seems like a fantasy job, it’s a feasible profession for strong writers who love to experience the world. With a Strategic Communication degree, there are many job opportunities besides corporate Public Relations or agencies. Starting my travel blog has opened my eyes to a newfound passion and potential career opportunity.
So, how can you turn your passions into a fulfilling career?
About the Author
Sofia Votava is a senior Strategic Communication major and English minor at Texas Christian University. This is her second semester working as a Copywriter for the Roxo Pink Team. She enjoys the strategic and creative aspects that a copywriting job incorporates. In her free time, she is the coach of the TCU Elite Dance team. Sofia is passionate about music, creativity, food, and traveling.