Why I Chose Travel Writing As My Retirement Career

I like to work, discover new prospects, get out of my consolation zone, dwell a full and thrilling life, and hang around with my husband. I selected journey writing as my retirement profession so I might get pleasure from all these issues and dwell life.

1. Journey With My Husband

My husband retired at 67 after 42 years of working with the identical firm. He grappled with the choice for a number of years earlier than really setting a retirement date. Whereas he was making an attempt to determine his timeline, I used to be busy engaged on mine.

We knew we needed to get pleasure from journey alternatives collectively, and being 5 years youthful than him, I didn’t need to wait till I reached my full retirement age earlier than leaving my 9 to 5. Touring was the driving consider what kind of job I needed for my third act. It needed to enable us to journey collectively anytime we needed, to dwell in hotter climates when chilly New England climate set in, and to get pleasure from touring whereas we had been each nonetheless in our go-go years.

For sure, work within the journey trade turned the entrance runner. Once I added up all the talents and causes listed beneath, I knew that journey writing could be the right job for me to work in my retirement.

Professional-Tip: I labored my journey writing facet hustle for 2 years whereas my hubby was nonetheless working full time. I needed to verify I might make the transition with out impacting my earnings too severely.

2. Make the most of My Advertising Background

My skilled background is in Advertising. I used to be an Development Director for a non-public faculty. Nearly all of my work centered round writing and elevating the annual fund. I wrote correspondence, annual appeals, newsletters, web site content material, advertising collateral, the annual report, and extra.

Having a background in advertising that required writing compelling compositions was the right coaching floor to write down compelling journey tales.

Professional-Tip: Whereas I used to be working full time, I made positive to save cash that will cowl me for the primary six months after I left my common day job. I wanted that safety to assist me transfer ahead comfortably.

3. I Will At all times Work

I’m a workaholic. I like to work (more often than not). I don’t ever see myself not working. I selected my retirement profession figuring out that I might work nicely into my later years.

Now, I anticipate I gained’t be cranking out journeys and clips on the tempo I at present do, however journey writing will at all times give me one factor — an ideal motive to journey.

I’ve so many journeys on my bucket listing that I anticipate to journey and create tales at any age, even nicely into my 80s.

Professional-tip: Working retains your thoughts energetic and artistic; it offers you a motive to get off the bed within the morning. Discover one thing you like to do as a result of now’s the time to like your work.

4. Set My Personal Schedule

Setting my very own schedule is an enormous motive why I turned a journey author. After working within the improvement world the place you have got networking conferences at evening, weekend conferences with potential donors, and the day-to-day common work stuff, it’s simple to get burnt out. I resented the time my work took away from my household.

As a journey author, I principally get to set my schedule. I’m in my dwelling workplace each morning writing, planning, and pitching journey write-ups. It’s my dream job. After years of writing, I don’t consider in author’s block. Have you ever ever heard of engineer’s block? Or nurse’s block? No. You simply have to get began and go on from there.

When I’m on press journeys, the general public relations (PR) group tells me the place and when to go. However, finally, I get to resolve if the journey is true for me. On a current journey to Puerto Rico, a vacationer board consultant led us across the central mountains. That is nice since you don’t should plan or suppose, you simply observe alongside.

Professional Tip: It’s essential put aside time every single day to write down. Even for those who don’t have an task. Writing is what makes you a author. It’s what makes your desires come true.

5. Journey Bills As Enterprise Bills

That is one in every of my favourite perks of being an expert journey author. Many instances, my journeys are lined by PR corporations, however typically they’re out-of-pocket bills. When these journey bills result in a journey story, they could develop into enterprise bills.

Professional-Tip: Talk about your journey enterprise along with your accountant. They’ll assist with all of the paperwork you must be compliant.

6. Nomadic Life-style

The pliability my semi-nomadic way of life brings to the desk is liberating! I discussed chilly New England winters — so over that. We get to plan our winters in sunnier locations. This previous yr, we spent a number of weeks in Hawaii after which a month in South Carolina. It was so good to not bundle up each time I went out the door.

For instance, as I’m penning this story, I’m visiting Cooperstown, NY, for a narrative on the Baseball Corridor of Fame. I’m sitting on the porch on the charming Cooperstown B&B. Yesterday, I used to be at a two-day, luxurious glamping retreat at Gilbertsville Farmhouse training goat yoga. Who’s retired? Not me — retirement is the perfect job ever.

Professional Tip: Deadlines nonetheless have to be met, nevertheless, when you find yourself sharpening up a narrative about Maui whereas sitting on a beautiful Maui Seashore, it’s not unhealthy.

7. Press Journeys And FAM Journeys

Press Journeys and FAM (familiarization) journeys are one of the simplest ways to make your effort and time pay extra.

Whenever you attend a press journey with a gaggle of writers, you can be uncovered to insider info that most people doesn’t sometimes have entry to. This lets you write from extra attention-grabbing and strange angles. FAM journeys can typically be simply journalists or they are often you and a touring companion.

Discover your area of interest. Choose three or 4 phrases that describe your writing chops. Hold your bio constant — “I’m a journey author with a give attention to 50 plus journey, native delicacies, and enjoyable libations. Tales and content material creation from the U.S. and past.”

Professional-Tip: Begin domestically with press journeys. Get to know your native vacationer board. This may assist you to construct up clips and credentials.

8. Seeing The USA

I’m a Boston-based author and I write about what I do know. These are the best articles to plan, pitch, and write. New England has been my playground for years. So, I typically write about all of the fantastic locations to eat, issues to see, and experiences to have in and round New England.

My aim is to see the USA. I’ve about ten states and some territories left to discover. Preserving these states in thoughts as I plan journeys helps me fulfill my aim of visiting all of the states and territories.

Professional Tip: Hold it easy and write about what you already know.

9. International Nation Exploration

I like Europe. I attempt to go to a number of instances every year. As with amassing states, exploring new international locations and areas are vital to me. I am keen on the meals, tradition, and historical past of Europe. That’s my factor. It’s essential discover your factor.

Professional-tip: Discover what’s vital to you and pursue that dream.

I Love Being A Journey Author

That is undoubtedly my favourite job ever. I by no means would have been in a position to pursue journey writing whereas elevating my household, however now that it’s simply me and hubby, it’s my happily-ever-after job. Changing into a journey author affords me a freedom that I haven’t skilled for a lot of, a few years. It’s liberating, it’s attention-grabbing, and it’s extra enjoyable than you’ll ever think about.

“Oh, the Locations You’ll Go!” stated Dr. Seuss