Great Escape Publishing

Posted August 16th, 2007 by twl_admin & filed under Travel Writing.

Wanted: Veteran Solo Traveler Experiences
By Roberta Beach Jacobson in Karpathos, Greece

After a year spent on her around-the-world solo journey, editor, Diane Redfern established a solo travel network in 1990. Connecting: Solo Travel News, a bi-monthly newsletter, is her flagship publication. Subscribers can receive it either in print via the mail or online, in PDF format.

According to Solo Travel News, solo travelers go-it-alone for various reasons. Some are single, youthful backpackers, others older and widowed or divorced. Many readers are seeking out peace and quiet… others want to get away from it all and connect with nature. And then there are those who become solo travelers simply because they are surrounded by travel-haters. This newsletter aims to cater to them all.

The newsletter, however, is only one part of Redfern’s solo-travel network. She also publishes the Single-Friendly Travel Directory, which is a comprehensive travel-planning resource that includes over 250 travel suppliers.

Space in Solo Travel News is limited to 16 pages, so you cannot ramble in your contributions. The editor says she wants to be “excited by your description of events, places, and the people you met.” Don’t waste words with adjective-laden descriptions. You’ll find very good examples of the type of writing that will win favor with this editor in the Writer’s Guidelines at: http://www.cstn.org/wrguide.html.

Remember your article will use “I” rather than “we.” After all, you will be writing about “solo” travel. The editor asks that you supply two or three photos, too.

There are four categories you can write for: Reader Reports (800 -1000), Travel Tales (800 – 1000), Day Trips (800 -2000) and Front Page Features (1500 -2500). For me, there was no hesitation. Travel Tale is the way to go. It’s travel humor and exactly the type of writing I enjoy. I have a story about Spain in mind to suggest.

If you are interested in writing for this publication, you can start by submitting a brief query using the online query form here:
http://www.cstn.org/tipsmenu.html#comment.

The standard payment for an article is $25, however, if you have an idea for a Front Page Feature article, you can negotiate the fee, which will be paid upon publication.

Solo Travel News has attracted the attention of some big-name publications like… The New York Times News Service and Budget Travel Newsletter. Plus Redfern herself has been hailed as “one of the unsung heroines of the travel world.” So a by-line here could get you some noteworthy attention.

[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.]