Contests

A good way to break into the travel writing industry could be to have a few contest wins under your belt. You can get your name out there, and let people see what your writing style is like. It also doesn't hurt to win money; or even better, a paid vacation! This travel writing contest from 52perfectdays.com offers first place winners a four day trip for two to Oahu! The contest requires you to write up to 1,000 words on what your idea of a perfect day in a National Park, National Monument, Historic place etc. would be like. These places could be in the United States, or Canada. Maybe I should think back on my trip across the United States where I visited places like the Grand Canyon, and Mount Rushmore. Here are a couple of my own personal pictures from that trip.





The deadline for 52perfectdays.com contest is not until October, so there is plenty of time for some road trip writing!!

Maybe you aren't quite ready to enter a contest just yet, because you aren't sure what they are looking for. Reading the essays written by past winners is a great idea to figure out where your writing belongs.

Here is a contest specifically for women, from Wanderlust and Lipstick. The contest is over, but the winners are all listed with links to their winning travel writing. Reading these essays is a great way to find out if this contest is right for you.

Transitions Abroad also has a contest that is already closed, but the winners and their writing is listed for you to read. The site lists winners from past years as well, so there is plenty to read and no excuse not to be familiar with what the judges are looking for.

This last contest could be right up my alley as a blogger. Grantourismo is the blog of Lara Dunston and Terence Carter, a travel writering couple who decided to explore the globe and blog about it. They are staying in homes rather than hotel rooms, and their blog is a really interesting read. The contest is open to any blogger who can share 500 words and a photograph about a destination. The rules and specifics are all located on their blog. Maybe I will have to look into turning my school project into a way to start winning some travel writing contests!


52perfectdays.com., (2010). 2010 travel writing contest. Retrieved from http://www.52perfectdays.com/2010-travel-writing-contest

Dunston, L., & Carter, T. (2010, March 10). Grantourismo travel blogging competition:march. Retrieved from http://grantourismotravels.com/2010/03/10/grantourismo-travel-blogging-competition-march/

Transitions abroad., (2010). Narrative travel writing contest. Retrieved from http://www.transitionsabroad.com/information/writers/travel_writing_contest.shtml

Wanderlust and lipstick., (2010, January 15). Travel writing contest. Retrieved from http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/about-us/contests/wanderwomen-write-contest/