Inside travel writing

Lindy Alexander
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Inside Travel Writing is the podcast for writers who want to travel the world and get paid to write about it. Whether you're just starting out or already you're already published and ready to land more commissions, I pull back the curtain on how travel writing actually works - from coming up with ideas editors want, to pitching, press trips and building a writing career you love. New episodes every week.

  1. 2d ago

    EP 23: Travel Writing Isn't Just for the Lucky Few

    Shelly spent six months sending out dozens and dozens of pitches. In those six months, she'd only had one reply from an editor (and it was a no). Then Shelly decided to try something different. A few months later, she had her first commission, then a second, and then a five-star hotel stay for her and her beloved Italian greyhound, Nala. She landed her first travel writing assignment with no clips and no previous travel writing experience. In this episode, Shelly shares: Why six months of crickets nearly made her quitThe pitch she sent four times before an editor said yesHow one very specific (yet quirky) angle became a published storyWhy she now gets excited about a "no" from an editorHow she followed up on a maybe and turned it into her second commissionWhat happens when you stop thinking "I have a niche interest" and start thinking "I have a niche" If you've been pitching and just getting a lot of silence (and you're starting to wonder whether travel writing is only for the lucky few), this episode is definitely for you. Because, as you'll hear, success in travel writing is absolutely not about how long you've been doing it. Want Shelly's kind of momentum? Applications for The Travel Writer Accelerator are open until 16 October, with two incredible bonuses for people who apply and enrol by then. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review 🙏🏻 For more resources, visit www.thefreelancersyear.com Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @thefreelancersyear Happy writing + travelling! - Lindy

  2. Sep 23

    EP 22: Should I Pitch Before a Trip or After I've Returned?

    Should you pitch a travel story before you go on a trip, or wait until you're back? It sounds like a simple question, but the truthful answer is - it really depends. In this episode of Inside Travel Writing, I explore why pitching a feature story before a trip is a bit like trying to write a blurb for a book you haven't read yet. I also walk through what stories I actually pitch when I need commissions before I leave (and the specific types of stories that make this possible). And underneath it all is a bigger question beyond 'should I pitch before or after travel' and I can't wait to share that with you. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review 🙏🏻 For more resources, visit www.thefreelancersyear.com Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @thefreelancersyear Happy writing + travelling! - Lindy

  3. Sep 16

    EP 21: Sending the Same Pitch to Different Editors at the Same Time - Yes or No?

    This episode of Inside Travel Writing came directly from a question in one of my communities, which I thought was so good that I wanted to dedicate an entire episode to it. And this was the question: Have we entered an era where it's okay to pitch the same story to more than one editor at a time? So I dive into simultaneous submissions, that is, pitching the same idea to different editors at the same time. Should you do it? If you're going to, here's what you need to know. Also, applications are opening in early October for The Travel Writer Accelerator. There are two incredible brand new bonuses for this round - make sure you're on my email list to be the first to know when applications open. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review 🙏🏻 For more resources, visit www.thefreelancersyear.com Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @thefreelancersyear Happy writing + travelling! - Lindy

  4. Sep 9

    EP 20: This is What I'd Do if I Was Starting Out in Travel Writing Now

    In this episode, I'm sharing everything I wish someone had told me when I was starting out as a travel writer - the business and admin stuff that can help or hold you back. I know that the business side of travel writing isn't exactly glamorous. But getting it wrong (or not setting it up at all) can cost you time, money and momentum. I'm sharing exactly what I'd do if I was starting out today: what's worth setting up early, what can wait, and what I wish I'd known years ago. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review 🙏🏻 For more resources, visit www.thefreelancersyear.com Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @thefreelancersyear Happy writing + travelling! - Lindy

  5. Sep 2

    Ep 19: How to Follow Up on Your Travel Writing Pitches

    If there's one thing that strikes fear into the heart of travel writers, it's following up on a pitch. So I've dedicated an entire episode to discussing: Why not following up is the biggest pitching mistake writers make What to do when you've heard nothing back (and how long to actually wait)The exact subject line and wording I use for follow-upsWhy pitching through a form makes following up harder (and what to do about it)The final follow-up email that gets a response more often than you'd think Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review 🙏🏻 For more resources, visit www.thefreelancersyear.com Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @thefreelancersyear Happy writing + travelling! - Lindy

  6. Aug 26

    EP 18: This Week's Redundancies, And What They Mean for Travel Writers

    The redundancy notifications kept hitting my inbox this week - editors, friends, familiar names, taking a voluntary redundancy or letting me know they've lost their job 😭 And it's tempting (but not particularly encouraging) to read that as a sign that travel writing is at the beginning of the end. But I think that's a really short-sighted view. In this episode, I'm digging into what's actually happening in travel media right now, and the three things I think matter most if you want to come out of this period of change with more work, not less. In this episode: Why redundancies create opportunity for freelancers - even though it doesn't feel that way at firstThe niche question I fought against for years, and why I've changed my mind (a little)The video I sent an editor last week, and the unexpected thing that came backWhy having a great relationship with one editor is riskier than it feels Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review 🙏🏻 For more resources, visit www.thefreelancersyear.com Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @thefreelancersyear Happy writing + travelling! - Lindy

  7. Aug 19

    EP 17: The Cheat Sheet That's my Secret Weapon for Pitching

    I'm surrounded by travel magazines this week - literally! After watching writers inside The Travel Writer Accelerator push themselves to pitch publications they've had on their 'one day' list for a long time, I've been on my own pitching kick, and it's brought me back to a tool I swear by but rarely talk about in this much detail. It's not simply about finding submissions guidelines for a publication, but it's a super easy document I build for every publication I want to write for - and once I show you how I pull it apart section by section, I hope you'll start creating your own. In this episode, I walk you through exactly how I build it, while I'm flipping through Australian Traveller, International Traveller, Qantas magazine, Condé Nast Traveler and Wanderlust — talking through how to find which sections to pitch in publications like these, month after month. Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review 🙏🏻 For more resources, visit www.thefreelancersyear.com Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @thefreelancersyear Happy writing + travelling! - Lindy

  8. Aug 12

    EP 16: How to Travel Like a Writer, Not Just a Tourist

    This episode of Inside Travel Writing is about something I think about basically every time I pack a bag: travelling for pleasure vs. travelling for work. If you're in a destination with a day or two to explore, how do you organise your time if you're there for work versus for pleasure? It's totally different trip depending on why you're actually there. In this episode I'm sharing: What a genuine, switched-off pleasure day actually looks like for meWhat changes the second I'm travelling as a writer, even self-funded, with no commission lined upWhy I email PRs before a trip - and what I'm actually asking for (spoiler: not a freebie)The one habit I have on self-funded work trips that turns experiences into stories Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review 🙏🏻 For more resources, visit www.thefreelancersyear.com Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @thefreelancersyear Happy writing + travelling! - Lindy

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About

Inside Travel Writing is the podcast for writers who want to travel the world and get paid to write about it. Whether you're just starting out or already you're already published and ready to land more commissions, I pull back the curtain on how travel writing actually works - from coming up with ideas editors want, to pitching, press trips and building a writing career you love. New episodes every week.

Information

  • Creator
    Lindy Alexander
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Freelancer's Year All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    Inside travel writing

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