Author Archives: Mandy

About Mandy

Mandy is senior content editor with World Words. She is an experienced travel writer and editor for clients such as Time Out New York and Monarch Airlines. READ HER FULL BIO.

Getting off to the Best Start: How to Write a Winning Travel Writing Opener

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Never underestimate the power of a good opening line. First paragraphs — even just first sentences — will dictate your reader engagement. While the headline hooks your reader’s attention, it’s the introduction that reels them in.

Travel writing relies heavily on storytelling (we spoke about this already in a previous blog post), but it’s important to remember that good stories don’t always begin at the beginning.

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Cuba at the Crossroads: A Snap-Happy Travel Itinerary for Photo Xpeditions

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Cuba has long been a dream destination for many American travellers, and it is gradually becoming a genuine possibility. Relaxed regulations have made it easier for Americans to get to the island for reasons of cultural exchange, though unfettered travel is still some way off the cards. One thing is for sure; Cuba is on the cusp. A dramatic change looms ahead, though right now, much of what makes this country so special – the classic cars, undeveloped beaches, decaying yet beautiful buildings and inimitable atmosphere – is still very much present.

One of our clients, Photo Xpeditions, is enabling travellers to experience this fascinating nation through a new photographic workshop. And our team at World Words produced the web copy and travel itinerary around this. The nine-day tour takes in the country’s second-largest city, Santiago de Cuba; the lesser-known coastal city of Baracoa; labyrinthine Camagüey and many more places besides. Led by two professional (and award-winning) photographers with years of experience snapping and exploring Cuba, the workshop promises the chance for photographers to both experience and capture the island’s unique essence during this most interesting of times.

Fancy a taste of this photographic travel opportunity? Scroll on down to read an excerpt from our Cuba itinerary.

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Five of the World’s Best Long-Distance Trails: A Blog For From the Grapevine

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Fresh air and a sense of freedom – there’s nothing quite like exploring on your own two feet. Hiking is a favourite activity for many and we think it’s one of the best – and most fun – ways to get to know a new place. But the long-distance trails we’ve included in our latest travel article for From the Grapevine are not for fair-weather ramblers; these ambitious walking routes are epic feats reserved for the fittest and most dedicated of outdoor enthusiasts.

In our round-up of the world’s greatest hiking trails, we selected five of the most demanding and most spectacular long-distance footpaths across three continents. We included everything from New Zealand’s cinematic Te Araroa Trail to Israel’s diverse National Trail to America’s famous Pacific Crest Trail (setting for recent Reese Witherspoon blockbuster, ‘Wild’). To find out more about the challenges of each route, read an excerpt from our article below…

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What Makes a Great Travel Pitch?

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In our last travel writing advice post, we looked at ways to find fresh angles and original travel content ideas. But finding a good idea is only the beginning – once you’ve done that, you still need to market that idea. It’s time to write up that all-important travel pitch. For many aspiring travel writers, this is the most difficult part of the process.

While hopeful writers busy themselves wrangling their own thoughts, ideas and experiences into a saleable travel story, commissioners have to sift through what must seem like a never-ending influx of proposals. They too face difficult choices, having to discern what – if anything – will work for their readership and whether the freelancer will be able to deliver the job to their standards. To help both the commissioner and the commissionee through the arduous pitching process, we’ve collated six important questions – ones that writers should ask themselves before they press send, and ones editors can use to identify a winning pitch. Simply scroll down to read them all.

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