This week I'm joined by Fiona Tapp, award-winning travel writer, editor, and my co-coach inside The Travel Writer Accelerator.

Fiona is a Londoner who's been based in Ottawa, Canada for 20 years, which makes her the perfect person to unpack exactly how press trips and pitching work differently on each side of the world.

We get into all of it, including:

• Why Australian writers are expected to confirm commissions before they say yes to a trip (and how to handle it when you can't)
• Why North American writers almost never pitch before a trip and what editors actually want instead
• The document Fiona sends PRs who push back on her - and why it works every time
• The unspoken triangle between writers, editors and PRs (and why the press trip is almost treated like a secret in North America)
• How many stories a good freelancer should realistically expect to place from a single trip, and what's changed in the PR world post-COVID and what it means for your relationships with PRs.

Plus: payment terms and the hidden costs of press trips

🎓 Fiona and I work together helping writers land regular travel writing commissions inside The Travel Writer Accelerator — find out more here

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From Silence to National Geographic and BBC Travel: Jade Raykovski's Travel Writing Breakthrough

For years, Jade Raykovski pitched without seeing much success.

Rejections, when she got them, were rare - mostly she heard nothing at all.

Then something shifted, and in a relatively short space of time, Jade went from wondering if travel writing was ever going to happen for her to landing commissions with National Geographic, BBC Travel, and a growing list of other publications.

In this episode, we unpack exactly how that happened.

We talk about:

• How a seven-week solo trip to Europe, taken just days after Jade quit her job, turned into 10+ commissioned articles
• The moment a small mention of a local festival in a pitch became the seed for a National Geographic commission
• How a rejection on one story idea led to a BBC Travel commission on the same idea — and what changed in between
• What it actually feels like opening an email from a major publication's editor

If Jade's story resonated with you and you'd like support building this kind of momentum in your own travel writing, applications for The Travel Writer Accelerator (TWA) are open now. Apply here to join The Travel Writer Accelerator

Applications for The Travel Writer Accelerator are open, and over the past few weeks I've been receiving lots of questions about the program.

If you've been considering applying, this episode will give you a behind-the-scenes look at how the program works and whether it's the right fit for you.

1:51 — Do you have a shorter version of TWA?

Why I moved from one-day pitch workshops to a 12-month accelerator, and why building momentum in travel writing takes longer than most people think.

7:08 — How long will it take to get results?

What "results" actually means, realistic expectations, and what the writers getting the best outcomes inside TWA are doing consistently.

8:44 — Am I too inexperienced for the program?

For aspiring travel writers who haven't studied journalism, don't know editors, or haven't pitched a travel story before.

9:41 — I've already been published. Is TWA just for beginners?

Why many of the writers inside TWA have already been published and are looking to build more momentum, stronger editor relationships, and regular commissions.

10:37 — Won't AI make travel writing obsolete?

Why I believe travel writing is uniquely positioned in an AI-driven world and what kind of stories editors are looking for right now

12:22 — Editors only commission writers they already know. Is it even worth trying?

How writers break into new publications and why strong angles and compelling pitches still matter.

13:24 — What exactly do you get inside TWA?

A complete walkthrough of the program, including:

• The TWA curriculum
• Personal essay publication support
• Story Blueprint Training
• Pre-Trip Blueprint
• PR and hosting training
• Publication Hit Lists
• Weekly pitch critiques
• Monthly coaching and Q&A calls
• Community support and feedback

25:39 — Who is TWA for?

The three types of writers who tend to thrive inside the program:

• Published but stuck travel writers
• Professional writers transitioning into travel writing
• Reinvention seekers looking for a creative and meaningful second act

If you still have questions after listening, I'd love to hear from you.

Reach out and let's chat about whether The Travel Writer Accelerator is the right fit for you.