travel writing

How does travel writing follow the seasons?

London stars in travel coverage during the summer months

I’m often asked what travel writers should cover at different times of the year. It’s a good question, because there is no clear cut answer -  but there are a few basics to bear in mind. First off, coverage of UK destinations is most popular with editors during summer months. London, in particular, is visited a lot at this time of year. So are many other destinations in the British Isles. You should start thinking in spring about pitching staycation features. Coverage of long-haul destinations takes off, meanwhile, during autumn and winter. You should start approaching editors each autumn  with features and proposals for Asia and all parts south and east. Similar timing considerations applies to ski coverage. There are some caveats. Much depends on the publications you are aiming at. Most importantly, backpacker magazines and websites publish long-haul pieces all year round and aren’t as picky about seasonal trends as national newspapers. Given that many backpacker publications make good first ports of call for newbie travel writers, that’s good news. At the start of your travel writing knowing which article to pitch when is less crucial than later on when you’re higher up  the market place.