The idea of being a freelance travel writer and having a 5-star lifestyle without actually being super wealthy is the dream of a few. But you should dare to dream because it can come true! Cape Grace blog writer, Carrie Hampton, specialises in travel writing and runs 1-Day Travel Writing Workshops for people who love to write and love to travel and want to combine the two in blogs or in print.

The top 5 travel writing questions Carrie always gets asked: 

Q.     Is it as glamorous as it sounds and do you go for free?

A. Being a freelance travel writer certainly can be glamorous and I feel so privileged every time I go on assignment. It is very rare for a publication to pay travel expenses, but hotels and activity operators usually host journalists for free.

Q.     Do you have to be a trained journalist to be a travel writer?

A. No, but you must have excellent written language skills and a talent to express yourself in an entertaining way.

Q. Do you get commissioned to write or do you go and hope to sell the article afterwards?

A. The old chicken and egg question! The answer is both, sometimes I go hoping to sell a piece and sometimes I get a commission before I go. The more known you are the more you can go and find someone to sell it to afterwards.

Q. Do you have to take photographs?

A. No. Editors can always source from photo libraries, but you may get paid more and the article usually looks better if you can supply excellent quality photographs. Snapshots won’t do!

Q. What if you don’t like a place?

A. This is very rare because a place wouldn’t be in business if they weren’t offering something good. If it does happen I may decide not to write the article at all, or I tell all and they get upset with me!

Want to know more about how to become a travel writer? Her only 1-Day Travel Writing Workshops left for 2011 are taking place on Sat 29 Oct and 12 Nov at False Bay Yacht Club, Simons Town at a cost of R649 per person. But if you heard about it here you get R50 off. For more details, please email Carrie or call her on 082 9765905.