Being a travel writer — a good travel writer — is a lot like taking the vow of celibacy and then devoting your full energies to directing adult movies.
You write about something that everyone wants to (about taking a vacation, that is) but you never get to actually do it yourself.
In fact, most good travel writers I know are incapable of taking a real vacation. Because any time they stay at a hotel, they have to whip out their notepad and think of ten differnet story ideas they can pitch to their editors when they get close enough to a wireless Internet signal.
One of the most common questions that I get (and not just from writers, but also editors) is: “You must travel a lot, don’t you?”
Wrong.
I have a desk job, like most other travel writers I know. We sit in our offices and monitor trends, write about news, and do really boring things like answer letters and pay bills. Those of us who are independent also worry about where our next assignment is coming from, and making sure our one-year-old doesn’t unplug the server.
So don’t let anyone tell you travel writing is glamorous. It only looks that way.
Being a travel writer — a good travel writer — is a lot like taking the vow of celibacy and then devoting your full energies to directing adult movies. You write something that everyone wants to do (take a vacation) but you never get to actually do it yourself.
Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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