Before I made my living with my blog, I spent a few years working as a freelance journalist, in the traditional sense of the word. I sought out editors at glossy print magazines. I carefully read through publications, familiarized myself with each section, and crafted tailor-made pitches.
It was fun, but frankly, it was a lot of work. I’d sometimes spend hours on a pitch and never hear back.
My success was subject to the desires of the editors. They hand-picked the stories. They ran the show.
But all that changed as the result of one thing: blogging.
In case you’re not familiar with the term, a “blog” is a website that you regularly update with stories, photos, or videos. You can write about anything you want: personal stories, facts and statistics, helpful tips, humor. There is no “correct” format. Just be yourself and do what feels right.
Blogs become successful when they grow a substantial readership. If people like what you have to say, they keep coming back — and they tell their friends. (In AWAI’s new program, Money-Making Travel Blogs, I cover how to promote and grow your blog readership.)
After I began blogging, companies started approaching me with opportunities — rather than my approaching them. They asked me to write for their websites. They asked me to help them run their own blogs. They asked if they could put advertising on my site.
That’s one of the many advantages of blogging: publishers seek you out, rather than the other way around. I don’t do any pitching these days, but I have far more opportunities than I can handle. I hired an assistant to help me with administrative tasks so I can focus on writing. And these days, I regularly turn down assignments. Now I call the shots.
And that’s not even the best part…
As a blogger, you can work from anywhere on earth. Paris, Madrid, Fiji, Belize, Estonia — the world is open. The only requirement is that you have an internet connection.
You get to work any time of day or night that you prefer, and you have complete creative control.
On top of all that freedom, people will approach you with so many opportunities that you’ll get to pick and choose.
If this sounds like something you’d like to do, keep this tip in mind…
Bloggers harness their success in many directions: some write books, some teach classes, some give guided tours. There’s no “right” path. As a blogger, you will choose how to channel your success on the path that appeals to you most.
[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.]