Advice from Freelance Writers and Photographers

MORE IN-THE-TRENCHES ADVICE FROM FREELANCE WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS

** Freelance travel writer Willard Manus says that for on-spec work, he prefers sending in his article with a note saying ‘photos on request.’ This spares him the cost of hiring a photographer if the article isn’t accepted. And in any event, the editors may prefer to arrange for their own artwork (photographs or illustrations).

** Freelance travel writer Keith Kellett has borrowed photos from the PR departments of tourism offices. But he strongly advises writers to obtain written permission (from the tourism offices) before publishing a photo.

** Roberta Beach Jacobson, freelance travel writer, cautions: “I have only borrowed slides once. It was 1999. The national magazine moved and my envelope ended up in a packing box. My editor emailed me not to worry. Months later, this editor moved on to a different publication and nobody could find my envelope. My article not only never ran, but I am still negotiating with a golf course and a boating company (in two different countries) about their missing photographic materials. Writer, beware!”

[Editor’s Note: Learn more about opportunities to profit from your travels (and even from your own home) in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.]