mytropicalescape.com

Editor’s note: I know that a lot of people who like to travel also aspire to write about their travels as a freelance writer. After Cindy Price, freelance travel writer with the New York Times, contacted me for some information about Culebra, I thought, “it would be really good to get her insider’s point of view on what it is really like to work as a travel writer…” So here is part 1 of a two part interview that I conducted with Cindy.

image source: screen grab cindyprice.net

How did you get into freelance writing?

Well. I desperately wanted to be a novelist, but could not manage to actually finish a novel. Or even a short story for that matter. But I loved to write, and so I got an internship at a magazine. Soon after, I started to publish but it took a long time for me to go fulltime as a freelancer. I’m not terrifically ambitious, either – so every once in a while I have to kind of give myself a kick to produce more work. More importantly, I do other writing projects on the side, which pay more. I’m not above doing odd jobs if they pop up. You have to hustle a bit, but the payoff is not having to go into an office. I read somewhere recently that freelance writers are like the migrant workers of the media world, which made me laugh. It’s possible to make a living doing this, but most of us have other sources of income.

How did you become a freelance travel and culture writer? What are some tips that you would offer to others who are interested in pursuing freelance writing for large publications like the NY Times and Conde Nast?

I got into this because an editor named Jeff Klein, who remains a friend, gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. I had been doing odd freelance gigs, including a Q-and-A for the New York Times Magazine. I met Jeff playing softball one day, and he let me pitch him at the Travel section. After that, things kind of clicked. I’d been given the advice from an editor at the magazine to pick a genre and stick to it – that that was the way to establish yourself. I remember feeling a little disappointed about that – but with travel, I quickly realized I could write about anything while traveling, and I really liked it. Lately, I’ve been writing a lot about the culture of food in the various places I visit. I think the best advice I can offer is kind of boring. Write exceptionally well, get your facts straight, get your piece in on time, and don’t be difficult.

MyTropicalEscape focuses a lot on lifestyle design. Was freelance travel writing a lifestyle choice that you made, or was it something that you “fell” into?

I fell into its lap, but then refused to get up. I think life throws all kinds of stuff at you – good, bad, ugly. The trick is to be ultra-aware, like A-Rod snagging line drives in his prime. If something good comes along, hold on for dear life. That’s probably good advice for love, too.

How much traveling do you typically do in a year?

Not nearly enough. It depends – some years, like 2006, I ran around quite a bit. Lately I’ve slowed down, am doing some more local stories, and then traveling for bigger stories.

Did you have the travel bug before you became a travel writer, or did you acquire it through your work?

My soon-to-be-husband, Taylor, is largely to blame. He showed me a neat trick – you don’t need a ton of money to travel if you’re willing to give up material things. For instance, it drives my Mother bonkers that I won’t replace this hideous orange, shredded chair in my living room. On the other hand, I have cannonballed into Lake Tahoe, drank $80 tequila shots with Mexican dignitaries, and breathed all over sacred art at the Vatican. So it’s a tradeoff, you know.

Check back tomorrow for the rest of the interview and to read Cindy’s advice on how to go about getting your summer trek to Everest base camp published and what she thinks you should do if you are hesitant about taking that extended trip, mini-retirement, or sabbatical…

Did you enjoy part 1 of this interview? You might also enjoy reading some of Cindy’s New York Times articles - Party With Pig: In Puerto Rico, a Glorious Feast, Chasing the Perfect Taco Up the California Coast, and 36 Hours in Key West.

Would you like to read more valuable content like this? Consider signing up for my the MyTropicalEscape RSS feed.