Australian Travel Photography and Writing

Hi everyone.

I’ve been in contact with Australian Travel Photography and Writing group Patron, Greg Barton, Editor, Australian Traveller magazine seeking advice for group members.

Greg has been most kind to offer guidance about various aspects of travel writing with a view of becoming a published travel writer. The following is a back and forth interview a student journalist conducted with Greg a little while back for an assignment. Enjoy.

Greg Barton
Editor, Australian Traveller magazine
www.australiantraveller.com

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Interviewer: – What sort of travel writing do you publish? In which forms?

Greg Barton: – First of all, Australian Traveller bases all of its credibility and much of its reader loyalty on the fact that we don’t accept free trips (or “famils”) in exchange for an editorial presence in the mag. Which means we can be critical and truthful (the “buyer beware” and Tripadvisor concepts), preventing our stories from becoming inevitably boring through all those commercially sponsored shades of wonderfulness. Which is not to say that we’re negative simply for the sake of it; we print balanced stories that are actually useful to readers.

Our readership varies wildly, but we aim for a consistently sophisticated tone that is entertaining, humorous and pays our readers the compliment of assuming a high level of intelligence and knowledge about Australia. The AT approach is also synonymous with doing things differently, so we’re always looking to publish stories with a unique perspective, even on well-worn topics.

Interviewer: – What makes for bad travel writing?

Greg Barton: – The first clue, generally speaking, is an overuse of the Travel Writers Directive: “When you’re in Noosa, wander down to the ocean, stick your toes in the water, and enjoy a cool drink while you watch the etc etc”. We like to think we’re not presenting a brochure; our readers don’t need to be commanded by us to do anything, so we’ll go to any lengths to come up with alternate ways of presenting the options available to travellers. The second clue is exclamation marks.

Interviewer: – How should people approach you with their writing?

Greg Barton: – It seems trite to say it, but most of my original jobs came through writing pitches that were very brief but immediately entertaining, so I suppose that’s a fair place to start.

Interviewer: – What do you look for in travel writing submissions?

Greg Barton: – Humour, originality, and a breadth of scope are key for our longer features. A submission on the Mornington Peninsula has limited appeal – a submission on the ten best free camping sites in Australia has far more zing. Items that reach right around the country and are simplicity itself to PR will always draw the eye of an editor.

Interviewer: – What tips do you have for travel writers trying to get their work out there?

Greg Barton: – Research your target before approaching. I dream of being pitched at by someone with a clear idea of the various sections of my mag, what goes where, smaller pieces up front, longer features towards the end that reach right around Australia, humour is key etc etc. I’m sure I would commission them on the spot. Every day I’m contacted by writers who clearly have never picked up a copy of the mag and are just broadcasting pitches willy-nilly. These are invariably disregarded out of hand. Even just a tiny bit of research helps immeasurably.

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Folks, I trust this information provides inspiration to you. My suggestion: purchase Australian Traveller magazine to gain an understanding of what’s required for the magazine.

Good luck in your Australian travel photography and writing pursuits, and I look forward to seeing your contributions to the Australian Travel Photography and Writing group.

Best regards,

Darren Stones
Group Host
Australian Travel Photography and Writing