Travel writing is term that gets thrown around a lot - to the extent that it is now hard to tell what it means. The planning of travel is big business; we are overwhelmed with writing about where to go and if the hotel buffet is good. But as it becomes easier to get everywhere, it well might be harder to be anywhere.

If Robert Byron worked here, he would say:

I wish I were rich enough to endow a prize for the sensible traveller: £10,000 for the first man to cover Marco Polo's outward route reading three fresh books a week, and another £10,000 if he drinks a bottle of wine a day as well. That man might tell one something about the journey. He may or may not be naturally observant. But at least he would use what eyes he had...

World Travel Direct is dedicated to that idea. We seek to publish travel writing that gets beneath the veneer of travel by exploring the ideas and emotions and experiences that makes travel and adventure a rewarding experience.

That makes the guidelines inadvertently vague. What we do, almost by definition, does not lend itself to closely tailored topics and definitive guidelines. Our writing is not about destinations, planning or the specifics of travel. Rather, the goal is to capture experience. That is a goal not best served by narrow expectations. The best advice here, and everywhere else for that matter, is to read closely what we have run previously.

We accept unsolicited submissions primarily for our On Location department. Submissions should be included in the body of an email that also clearly displays the name of the author.  On Location pieces should run between 7-1200 words. We do not run work published elsewhere. Please indicate if the submitted piece has been simultaneously submitted to another publication. At this time, Far Flung does not pay for essays.

Travel Writing
All travel writing submissions should be directed to kootmartin ( at ) gmail (dot) com

Photographs
We prefer that no images be included in emails. Instead, please send a link to an online portfolio and a brief profile of your work. Correspondence should be directed to kootmartin ( at ) gmail (dot) com – we do not accept unsolicited print or slide submissions.

The Basics: Articles

Articles submitted to World Travel Direct should be relevant to travel or cultural observation.  Unlike most travel magazines, we prefer personal travel narratives, cultural observation pieces, interviews, and personal essays.  We don't accept how-to destination guides like you might find in travel guides or most travel magazines.  Your article should inspire people to travel, not take them step-by-step through how to get there.

We also accept travel book reviews and photo essays (see below for guidelines).

Articles can relate to ANY destination in the world. Let your imagination wander. If you are an aspiring writer or traveler, this is your chance to be heard.

Although we do not have a specific word limit, shorter pieces tend to be more effective, especially for online audiences.  We prefer not to read articles over 10 double-spaced pages in length.

We request that you send us a short (no more than 100 words) bio about yourself (with links to your Web site, if you have one) with any written work, so that it can be included with your submission.

Send all submission to kootmartin[AT]gmail.com (use @ in place of [AT]) as an attachment and in the body of the message.

Whether you have been published before or you are just starting out in the world of travel writing, we encourage you to take a look at our Writers’ Guidelines below to increase your chances of your story being accepted for World Travel Direct.

Photography

We are now also accepting photographic travel essays.  If you are a photographer, or if you have some particularly good shots you'd like to share, let us know.  We prefer a set of approximately 8-12 photographs that are grouped into a specific theme.  Please also send us at least a paragraph of text explaining the photographs and the theme.  Also send us a small bio (no more than 150 words) about yourself, with any Web site or contact links you might want to include.

If you want to direct us to your photography Web site, please indicate which photos you are interested in publishing and how they link together to form a photo essay.

Other Submissions: Book Reviews and Miscellaneous Submissions

We are also looking for reviews of travel and culture-related books for our "Armchair Travel" section. These can be reviews of your favorite travel guides, but we are particularly interested in reviews of travel literature or fiction with a cultural aspect (which features a culture or a place almost as a character in the novel). Book reviews should not be longer than 1,500 words, and should conform to the same standards as articles.

We're adventurous, too, so let us know if you have any other ideas for submissions that might suit our magazine.  We promise to keep an open mind!

Writers’ Guidelines

First Things First
The first thing we look for in submissions is the quality of the writing. While your experience braving a storm on a fishing boat in the Pacific Ocean might make a fascinating story, it won’t interest your readers unless it is written well. Description is the key here. You need to bring your reader onboard with you—let him/her hear the waves crashing against the boat. Your main aim is to draw your readers in so that they share the experience with you.

Types of Articles: Make it Human
We are a travel essay/travel narrative magazine, not a destination guide. Most of our readers will never visit the places that you have been lucky enough to explore, so you need to take them there with your writing. Destination pieces are designed to sell a place, help you budget your time and money, and explain the facts about where to go and stay. This is not what we’re looking for at World Travel Direct. Our articles focus on personal travel experience or cultural engagements with a place. They are not meant to be helpful in planning a trip; they are meant to take you on a journey. We like to hear an authorial voice, whether it is an overtly personal narrative or not. Add a human element to your story so that the reader identifies with you.

We are also looking for the more unusual stories, as long as they are well written.

Length
There is no official word limit for World Travel Direct articles—you are free to use your own judgment and write away. However, remember that sometimes the best articles are the shortest ones. Generally speaking, if you can take a reader to a place in two pages, don’t use ten.  We prefer not to read articles over ten pages in length.

Descriptions
Again, be descriptive. Don’t just tell us that a place was “truly magical” or offered a “breathtaking view” if you’re not going to describe it to your readers: they want to see it too. Rather than a journal entry or a postcard home, where you can get away with generic descriptions like this, you need to use your language to evoke a sense of place.

A Window
Try to steer clear of too much chronology. Beginning at the airport and ending as you board the plane again can lead to a “first I did this, then I did that, and then I went here” narrative that will quickly lead the reader to the “back” button. Instead of thinking of your story as a blow-by-blow description of your trip, think of it as a window into a particular element. The best submissions are quite specific, taking either a certain aspect of a culture or a particular travel experience and exploring it. We would prefer to read about one particular conversation in a Chinese tea room than an account of your action-packed two-week trip to Malaysia.

The Key to a Great Article
Your first sentence is the most important part of your entire article. We can’t stress this one enough. Because of the nature of the Internet, most readers will never make it past your first sentence. Unlike a magazine, your readers are just passing through, and the endless possibilities of the online universe are at their fingertips. You have to grab them, hook them into your story, and keep them reading. Before you send anything to us, read your first sentence and think about it. If it doesn’t immediately make you want to read on, re-write it. Don't begin with “I decided to go to Venice because my friend told me it was beautiful” or “I went to Venice last summer…” Instead, try plunging straight in: “The first thing I saw was water.”

Don’t be Negative
Try not to be too negative when you are writing about your travel experiences. Traveling can have its frustrations, but our readers are usually culturally aware and well traveled. They don’t want to hear about how terrible your travel experience was. This doesn’t mean you can’t be honest; some negative experiences are amusing and lend themselves well to travel narrative. But we don’t want to read about your stereotyped ideas of other nationalities or your belief that a particular country is not as “great” as your own.

We will also not publish anything that contains profanity, so please don't submit articles with any obscene language.

Sending Your Submission

Submit articles to kootmartin[AT]gmail.com (use @ in place of [AT]). Please send complete submissions rather than queries. Indicate if there are photos available with your article (preferably we like to see an example sent with your submission.)  An editor will respond to your submission with an acceptance, a rejection, or—more frequently—a request for some small changes to the article. When these changes are only minor editorial adjustments, we will make those for you. Articles will be edited for spelling, grammar and to suit the style of our publication, but we will not correct any grammatical differences between countries. However, we often work with our authors to create a finished article, so don’t be surprised if we return your submission with a few comments on how it can be improved.

Because of the sheer volume of submissions, it can often be over a month before you hear back from us.  Feel free to send us a reminder.

Compensation

Since we are a non-profit publication, we regret that we cannot offer payment for submissions at this time. However, you will get a chance to see your name in print, and this is a wonderful way for writers who are just starting out in the business to build their portfolio. We will also link to your Web site and include a mini biography at the end of your article. ALL work will be credited to you, and you maintain all rights to your work.