Almost all writers (apart from a lucky wealthy few) have always been concerned with how to make a living through their words. For many writing was always a ‘side hustle’– at least in the beginning.
Dervla Murphy took on temporary teaching jobs and lived frugally in order to be able to travel for long periods of time. Paul Theroux was an English teacher and Peace Corps volunteer early on. Both Jan Morris and Bill Bryson used journalism as a way into travel writing, Bryson copy editing with national newspapers, honing his writing craft.
Patrick Leigh Fermor used private tutoring as a way to help pay the bills, and George Orwell was both teacher, bookseller (and in Burma, a police officer) for a time. Faulkner was a postmaster for a university (until he got fired for reading on the job!). Jack London went the creative route of oyster pirate and gold prospector (until scurvy put an end to that short-lived career) and Haruki Murakami ran a jazz bar in the 1970s Tokyo called Peter Cat before turning to writing full-time.
All this to say – if you’re passionate enough about writing and travel, you can find a way to build a career (and life) doing what you love.
The truth? You can make money writing and traveling — but it takes a bit of creativity.
To help you get started, here are 25 proven ways to earn income while exploring the world. Why not choose 3 – 5 that resonate the most with you (with your skills, experience and interests) and focus there to begin.
There are five key areas to consider:
1. Freelance Travel Writing
Pitch stories to travel magazines, online publications, travel publishers, and lifestyle brands. Editors are always keen to discover fresh, local insights. Make sure you research properly first. Read the publications. Understand their ‘voice’ and what types of articles they publish.
Think about trends that are in demand — like “slow travel” or “digital detox retreats.”
Here are five freelance travel writing ways to earn income:
- Write travel magazine features
- Travel guides (Lonely Planet, DK Travel, Bradt etc.)
- Hotel or resort copywriting
- Food & culture essays
- SEO article writing for travel sites
2. Content Writing for Travel Brands
Beyond the travel publications think more broadly about the travel ecosystem: hotels, tour companies, and tourism boards all need writers for blogs, newsletters, and social media. Build a small portfolio of sample posts and outreach directly — you’ll be surprised how many say yes.
Here are five content writing for travel brands ways to earn income:
- Blog posts for tour companies
- Destination marketing copy for local DMOs (Destination Marketing Organisations)
- Website copy for boutique hotels
- Writing branded itineraries
- Writing press releases for travel PR firms
3. Create a Travel Newsletter or Blog
Share your journey, build an audience, and monetise through subscriptions, affiliate links, or sponsorships. Are you on a really interesting travel journey (has it a theme, a key challenge, a frame you can use for your storytelling)? Do you focus on a particular type of travel (house-sitting; weekend breaks; travel and books; travel and food; travel and music; travel and curious history stories, etc.) – what’s your storytelling superpower?
Consistency wins. Publish weekly, and make every post either useful or take your readers on a journey. Build your own community of readers.
Here are five content creation ways to earn income through travel and writing:
- Substack or paid newsletter
- Personal travel blog (ads, affiliates, sponsorships)
- YouTube travel channel as a marketing channel to sell your travel writing books/offers
- Branded partnerships or sponsored posts
- Offering trip-planning or itinerary consultation
4. Teach or Coach Online
If you’re good at things like SEO, editing or travel photography, why not consider turning your skills into an online course or 1:1 coaching. Combine travel content knowledge with advice and how-tos – share your journey, experience and knowledge.
Here are five ways to earn income through knowledge share:
- Run workshops (SEO, travel photography, micro-storytelling)
- One-on-one travel writing coaching
- Teaching English or creative writing abroad
- Consulting for tourism brands or new travel blogs
- Running writing retreats, host mini-groups in interesting locations (as their travel guide)
5. Write and (Self-)Publish Travel Books
From travel memoirs to niche guides, publishing, whether the traditional or indie route, can become both income and legacy. Keep your notes organised when you travel (make sure you’re capturing those travel moments and memories as those journal entries might be chapters later).
Here are five ways to earn income through writing and publishing travel books:
- Publishing travel memoirs or travel narrative books (either traditional or indie routes)
- Writing niche digital travel guides
- Licensing your travel writing or photography to apps, travel publishers or educational platforms
- Building a royalty income from books and audiobooks
- Writing for travel-based online courses or platforms
For more writing tips like these, subscribe to Write Your Way Around the World (the travel-writing.com newsletter on Substack).
Laura McVeigh is an internationally bestselling Northern Irish novelist and travel writer. Her work is widely translated. Her latest novel Lenny is set between Libya and Louisiana. She has authored books for Lonely Planet, DK Travel, had travel writing published by Bradt Guides, bylines in the Irish Times, Irish Independent, featured by the BBC, Newsweek, New Internationalist & many more. A former CEO for a global writers’ organisation, working with writers from 145 countries, she is founder of Travel-Writing.Com and Green Travel Guides. Laura writes on storytelling, travel writing and mindful travel on Substack.