Icetruck.tv News Blog

Writer

Business

How to Tell Compelling Stories as a Travel Writer

How to Tell Compelling Stories as a Travel Writer


How to Tell Compelling Stories as a Travel Writer

Do you fantasize about visiting exotic locations and getting paid to write about them? If so, you have competition. The projected job growth for travel writers is only expected to be about 2% through 2024.

This means if you’re determined to have a go at this niche you need to make your writing stand out, beyond impeccable spelling and grammar. The best travel writers out there know how to tell a story that captivates their readers.

Read on to learn how you can become a great travel writer with interesting stories to tell.

Always Write in the First Person

The enjoyment of travel is a very human experience, which means you should strive to make a personal connection with your readers. One of the best ways to do this is to always write your articles in the first person.

This not only makes it obvious that you’ve visited the location you’re writing about first hand, but it makes your audience feel like a trusted friend is speaking to them.

Travel writers differ from usual journalists in that they usually have personal opinions to share. By contrast, writing from a third person perspective makes you sound way too objective and distant from your readers.

Avoid Cliches

Most people can name some common travel phrases off the top of their head, such as bustling boutiques and sweeping views. Try to avoid using tiresome cliches as they are formulaic and can bore your audience.

Come up with different ways of describing things instead.

Travel writing should be almost conversational as if you’re telling a friend about your latest adventure.

Provide Insider Information

Good travel content should always inform. When people are interested in visiting a destination, they want to know about the best affordable hotels to stay at, the best times of the year to avoid crowds, how to save money on public transportation and more.

In other words, they want insider tips; tactics on saving time and money that not too many other people may know about. If you discovered how to score a free London bus pass or found out that visiting the Colosseum at night is less touristy, definitely include this information when writing about a location.

Knowing the inside scoop will make you sound more like a local. You’ll also come across as a trusted source.

The Paris Guy is one such travel writer that offers tips on how to avoid lines at common Paris tourist attractions.

Write About Unique Attractions and Locations

The same old tourist traps have been covered thousands of times by travel writers. Instead, consider focusing on or highlighting niche attractions and locations that not many people have visited or may think of traveling to.

Sometimes the most interesting places can be found in small towns or villages that have as much to offer as big cities. Hidden or quirky tourist attractions and unique restaurants and shops will appreciate the free PR.

Keep Reading and Learning

Reading travel magazines, books, and newspaper articles will help launch ideas about new places to visit while also teaching you how to keep your own writing fresh. You may also want to visit travel expos and seminars to learn about new destinations and get the inside track on travel tips and new hotels.

Meetup groups that focus on travel, whether local or international, can also provide you with story ideas to pitch to travel editors.

Start a Blog

One of the best ways you can add credibility and writing samples, particularly if you’re a new travel writer, is to start your own travel blog. It doesn’t matter if you begin by covering attractions within a day’s drive of your residence or sharing travel clothing tips; it will give you a chance to practice travel writing and get better at it.

It helps if your blog focuses on something specific. Maybe you love to visit old diners and other vintage American attractions, or you’re really into visiting glamping locations. Or perhaps you have a knack for discovering the latest travel gadgets or sampling authentic local cuisine on trips.

Whatever your specialty, it should be something that you’re really passionate about. This will make updating your blog something you look forward to.

With time and the right content, you should begin attracting an audience and enough traffic to help monetize your website.

Leverage Social Media

If you’re serious about starting a travel writing career, active social media channels are a must. Besides using them to post photos from recent excursions, they can help you connect with magazine editors and industry contacts.

You don’t have to have a presence on every social media channel, but whichever ones you choose aim to post updates regularly. Try to engage your followers in conversations.

Social media is also a great place, of course, to share blog posts and travel articles you’ve written.

Don’t Give Up

You can’t expect every editor you pitch a story idea to get back to you. The key to successful freelance travel writing is to keep actively pitching and never give up.

Try not to take rejection or the lack of a response personally.

Perseverance is the key to any form of successful writing. Keep hustling, reading, and learning as much as you can about travel writing and you’re bound to receive agreements to publish your pieces.

Are You Ready to be a Travel Writer?

Being a travel writer can be a very rewarding gig, whether you want to do it full-time or to supplement your regular income. There’s nothing like exploring the world and everything it has to offer and then sharing your experience with others.

To start becoming a better travel writer, check out our numerous travel and leisure posts. They’re sure to spark some ideas for places to visit and write about as well as inform you of how to be a better and smarter traveler.

Business

5 Top Tips to Help You Become a Financial Writer Online

5 Top Tips to Help You Become a Financial Writer


5 Top Tips to Help You Become a Financial Writer Online

Investing and finances are complex topics. Most schools don’t teach about stocks or compound interest. This lack of financial knowledge has been impactful for all generations.

Most people are in charge of their own financial decisions. But many have no idea where and how to get started.

Did you know that median age workers have saved only $5,000 towards retirement?

This knowledge gap is a prime opportunity for a financial writer. As a writer, you can provide useful financial content.

Keep reading for 5 useful tips for becoming a successful finance writer.

1. Write Relatable Content

Finances and investing aren’t the most exciting topics to read about. As a financial writer, you’ll need to find ways to bring life to these topics.

When writing, ensure your content is relatable. Use real-life stories from real people. This allows readers to understand and connect to the information.

To make your content more personal, consider:

  • Revealing money challenges that you have overcome
  • Talk about your own experiences with retirement investing
  • Interview a source who is willing to share his/her personal experiences.

The key is to not just have words on a screen. The words you provide need to be impactful.

2. Avoid Finance Jargon

Finance is already a difficult topic. Don’t make it even harder by using finance jargon in your content.

Not only does this make the content boring, it makes it more difficult to digest.

Keep it simple! Write your content using the plainest English possible.

3. Provide Resources

Writing about retirement investing or creating a budget is one thing. Boost your content’s usefulness by providing resources to your readers.

Creating a blog about Triple Net? Ensure your content has a link to Triple Net Gateway. This site provides more in-depth information for readers to further their knowledge.

Looking to educate readers on home equity? Include a resource that talks about home equity and home equity loans.

4. Be Knowledgeable

To be a finance writer, you’ll want to understand a variety of finance topics. But you don’t need to be a certified financial planner.

Don’t get intimidated by the idea that you aren’t a finance expert.

As a writer, you’re able to approach difficult topics from a layperson’s view. This is a huge asset for companies looking for easy-to-understand content.

5. Build Your Portfolio

Once you’ve gained experience, now is the time to build your portfolio. This will distinguish you from other financial writers.

Your portfolio should include your best work.

Was your content referenced by a reputable financial institution? Has your work been used in other finance content?

The more impressive your portfolio is, the more likely you’ll be able to snag a high-visibility writing position.

A Successful Financial Writer Needs Quality Content

As a finance writer, you’ll need to drive traffic to the content you create. As a finance guru, chances are you don’t know much about marketing. This is where we can help!

Our experts at ArticleCity know how to drive more traffic to your content. We understand the topics you need to cover to get the results you want.

With our expertise, your content will get the readership it needs.

Sign up for a free account to get started.

Business

How to Become a Sports Writer Online

How to Become a Sports Writer Online


How to Become a Sports Writer Online

Do you love sports and writing? Why not combine the two and build a rewarding career?

You don’t have to be an athlete to work in the sports industry. If you have a flair for writing, you could work as a sports journalist. This way, you’ll turn your hobby into a high-paying job.

In 2017, the average salary for a sports journalist was $41,698 per year. You can earn even more by blogging about sports. Or you could write a book and sell it online.

Most people have a favorite sport. Depending on your audience, you can write about football, rugby, or baseball. Getting started is the hardest part.

Here are some tips on how to become a sports writer and make a name for yourself:

Find Your Niche

The first step is to decide what you want to write about. Are you passionate about fitness and bodybuilding? Or perhaps you know everything about soccer?

Find your niche and hone your skills in that area. Read the latest news and educate yourself. Watch live competitions and take notes.

If you want to become successful, “knowing about sports” is not enough. You have to continuously learn and stay up-to-date with the trends.

Most writers who work in this industry do it because they’re passionate about sports. Money comes second.

For inspiration, check out popular sports blogs and websites. Try to determine what they have in common. This should give a pretty good idea on how to get started.

Get Educated

One of the best things about working as a sports writer is that you can start anytime. It’s no need to have a degree in sports or journalist. However, you must have a clear understanding of the jargon.

Each sport has a language of its own.

For instance, betting involves terms like dead heat and sports picks service plays. If you write about soccer, you need to know what a free kick is.

Make sure you master the grammatical rules. Read sports articles and follow the best writers in this industry.

If you have a flexible schedule, apply for sports journalism internships. This will give you the opportunity to work side-by-side with skilled reporters. It’s also a great way to build connections and acquire sports knowledge.

Start a Blog

After choosing a niche, start your own blog. Share insights about your favorite sports, post news, and publish interviews.

Focus on building your audience. Connect with readers on social networks and let them know about your blog. Reply to comments on Quora and Reddit.

Post content at least three times a week, and share it online. This will boost your popularity and reputation.

Your blog serves as your portfolio. It showcases your work and skills. At the same time, it allows you to practice and get better at writing.

Still Wondering How to Become a Sports Writer?

Once your blog is up and running, you can finally work as a sports writer.

Search for writing gigs on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and ProBlogger. Apply with your resume and portfolio.

Many companies pay sports writers to create content for ads, books, or movie scripts. Contact them and link to your best blog posts. Show employers what you’re capable of.

Check out the online versions of local magazines and newspapers. Pitch journalists and build affiliations. The more time you put in, the higher your chances of success.

Stop asking yourself how to become a sports writer. Take the plunge and hit Publish! Remember that everyone starts somewhere.

It’s never too late to follow your dreams. Give it a try! You can never know where it might lead.