The oft-described dream of running for editor includes photographs of exotic locations, rich cultures, and exciting adventures. It’s a career that turns out to offer endless freedom and exploration with a salary attached.
But behind this romantic vision lies a profession that is complex, competitive, and continuously evolving.
The reason? The role of the editor has undergone a fundamental change over the last decade, largely due to advances in web and virtual technology.
What was once a box ruled by print media has now transformed into a multifaceted world where bloggers, influencers, and freelance writers blur the line between professionalism and passion.
Until a few years ago there was a clear difference between a professional journalist and a blogger. Nowadays that is no longer the case.
Travel hounds who still write for an increasing number of major publications have their own blogs, while top bloggers are asked to submit articles for publications due to their popularity. Press trips, once reserved for newspapers or magazines, are now full of bloggers and influencers.
After working as an editor for many years, publisher Tim Leffel now advises new publishers, while also maintaining a network of independent websites and publishing several books.
He believes that adopting such an entrepreneurial business style is the way to gain a foothold in the sector today: “Someone who a decade ago made a living updating guides and filing stories in magazines now probably makes a living from five or more sources. , and almost in fact has his own blog.
Leffel recently published the third edition of his e-book Travel Writing 2. 0, which focuses on writing in the internet age.
Even between editions, he detected a change: most people with more sensible incomes now live off the resources: “Income resources come with books, courses, specialized itineraries for sale, tours, physical products, and many more.
There was also some other, more subtle replacement. Fifty years ago, writing about travel was more inspiring. The novels tell stories of faraway and exotic lands that most readers only dream of visiting.
In 2023, even with the increasing rate of foreign flights, it will be easier and cheaper than ever for a large part of the planet. This has led to increased demand for practical advice, especially in writing.
Leffel believes that today’s most productive writers are making their way into a specific niche, and it can be very specific. “I’m friends with other key people in such popular destinations as Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Mexico City, Brazil, Cambodia. , Thailand, Portugal and Chile,” he says.
Despite the closure of many mainstream travel publications and the long-term decline in demand for tour guides, the rise of enterprising travel writers proves that it is now imaginable to make more money than ever before.
Leffel says median incomes have “increased” since the last edition of his book. Several respondents earn more than $100,000 a year.
“Today, bloggers earn more than freelancers by creating greater earning opportunities not only through independent media, but also through high-end demo ad networks, better associated ad programs, and the development of newsletter monetization tools,” he explains.
That said, this is not a get-rich-quick position. The competition is superior because of the benefits, but also because of the emergence of search engine optimization keyword analysis tools and artificial intelligence software that allow anyone to start blogging quickly.
But a publisher’s conversion role also affects the lower end of the revenue stream scale. Running a blog or destination-focused blog as a “side hustle” is now a feasible part-time activity for many. Editors surveyed through Leffel earned less than $20,000.
“This won’t be enough for a full-time job, but it can be an attractive source of income for a parent or retiree,” he notes.
Despite the business shift in the writing world, books can still sell well. It is also an area where narratives and memories can excel.
For Leffel, e-books have represented 20% of his income for several years. She recommends travel authors write an e-book so they can be taken seriously as an authority versus someone who “just” blogs: “You’ll get more media mentions and more interview requests, for starters. “
The entrepreneurial editor also has great advantages over editors of historical publications. A publisher with an online page about Argentina has a marketing device in place for its e-book on the same topic.
This means that desktop publishing becomes a much more attractive option. “With all the equipment available for self-publishing through Amazon and Ingram Spark, it’s also much less difficult for followed authors to keep a higher percentage of royalties instead of paying them all to the publisher,” Leffel says.
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