I have been a writer and editor for my entire professional career, since studying it at university. I started off in book and magazine publishing, gaining a wide variety of experience. My advice is to write as much as you can and gain practical experience in publishing if that is what you want to do. I loved lifestyle topics but I also gained technical and business experience when writing for trade magazines and B2B publications. Trying a variety of writing styles will ensure you develop skills such as delivering concise, clearly written copy to a house style, as well as the ability to re-write or adjust copy to fit space or changes.
Travel writing
While I wrote about different subjects from crafts to weddings for several years, I didn’t focus on travel writing until I went freelance. I loved travelling and wanted to visit different places while writing about them. I pitched multiple ideas to travel magazines and ended up writing articles for Easyjet inflight magazine, Italy magazine, Country Life magazine, A Place in the Sun’s Everything France magazine, and more.
When pitching an article for submission, make sure you understand the title you are aiming for. Ensure you get the name right as lots of titles can sound similar. Read the submission guidelines carefully and send any details of previously published work, even if it is just your own blog. Think outside the box too. Instead of just travel titles, think about approaching lifestyle publications, or dog magazines, county titles etc.
Starting a blog
After mainly working in print media, I ventured more into digital. I started a travel blog (www.natashasoneseditorial.com/blog) after becoming a passionate year-round wild swimmer, kayaker and stand-up paddleboarder with a deep love of all things water. I wanted to document my adventures and started writing about topics such as how to get into paddleboarding, and reviewing festivals. A blog is a great way to get you writing regularly and is an example of your work to show people. You don’t need an expensive website, I just use wix.com to make mine.
I also like to help outdoor communities where possible; as well as volunteering for the Adventure Queens, I volunteer for my local canoe club and the Bluetits Chill Swimmers. I am also an Ordnance Survey Champion and This Girl Can Suffolk ambassador. I love encouraging people to get outside and so writing and creating social media content became a natural way to combine my skills and my passions.
I also started writing for travel blogs such as Ordnance Survey and CPRE, the countryside charity. I would just contact places and see if they would be interested in an article. As my blog got more exposure I would start to get contacted with various opportunities.
Adventures and Networking
I started taking part in adventures such as competing in the UK Cold Water Swimming Championships and a solo journey around the Helsinki archipelago in 2023, supported by the Adventure Queens Grant! This led to more social media content being created and gaining more followers on Instagram. I also went to various outdoors festivals such as Kendal Mountain Festival, which is fab for making contacts and networking.
Approach people you admire for tips, enter competitions, get your work out there, maybe make a short film, take some photos and get them published, look for writing masterclasses and programmes you could join. Do anything you can to get inspired and have something to write about.
Authoring a book
I always knew I wanted to write a book. I had a couple of ideas and approached a few publishers. I heard back from some and was rejected by all. But I didn’t give up, I just tweaked my ideas and had a book idea accepted by Vertebrate Publishing!
Researching swim spots across London and South East England for my first book has been a dream come true, taking me from casual dipping to confidently swimming a mile, while sharing memorable experiences with friends, family and fellow swimmers. However, it is a huge amount of work. Just the logistics of travelling for research, as well as the writing process, taking photos and then the editing process has been a steep learning curve. Even though I’ve always worked in publishing, it is normally on the other side.
One thing I would say is that if you have a book published you need to be prepared to be a marketer, social media enthusiast and do as much as you can to promote it. It’s a hard market with lots of rival titles so the more you can do to promote yourself as a brand the better. Trust me, your publisher will love it!
There are also self-publishing opportunities – do some research and see what takes your fancy.
Most of all, get outside and start writing. Good luck!
Resources and Opportunities
- I focused on gaining skills and getting qualifications such as editing through The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), formerly the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP).
- The Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild (OWPG) is the only UK guild for outdoorsy content creators. They offer meet ups, advice and networking opportunities. https://www.owpg.org.uk/
- Write for Ordnance Survey. You don’t need to be a big influencer with thousands of followers to write for them, they are looking for tips and advice, inspiring stories and interesting adventures to share with their readers. They would also love to hear from groups who are helping to make getting outside more inclusive for people of low income and from diverse backgrounds – if this is you or you know someone they should be working with, then get in touch! Contact the Editor of Get Outside – hilary.pullen@os.uk
- Write for the Adventure Queens. If you have an idea for a blog post, get in touch. They are also looking for a volunteer for the role of Blog Queen. As a Blog Queen, you’ll help uncover and curate the stories that make our community shine. You’ll connect with members, volunteers, and grant winners to spot great adventures and experiences worth sharing. By gathering these stories and working with our content team, you’ll help bring fresh voices to the AQ blog and celebrate the amazing things happening across our community. Email hello@adventurequeens.co.uk
Adventure Queen, Natasha Sones, is a freelance travel writer and outdoor adventurer. She holds a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing and has over 25 years’ experience as an editor, writer, journalist and blogger.
Swimming Wild in London and South East England, by Natasha Sones, is available to buy from Vertebrate Publishing, Amazon or booksellers. The book lists 100 stunning swimming spots to visit. https://www.adventurebooks.com/products/swimming-wild-in-south-east-england