Original editorial content is a key part of TravelMuse. Our articles aim to provide insider information on destinations and travel trends and issues in order to help users better plan their trips—from inspiration to post-completion. Our initial coverage focuses on Family Travel. TravelMuse primarily is written by freelancers. We work with both established writers as well as aspiring, transitional or returning writers who have a great voice and inspiring travel ideas. If you are a freelancer interested in contributing to the site, please review our Writer's Guidelines.

Writer's Guidelines

What we publish:

Each week we publish an online magazine with between 12 and 15 new articles. The “issue cover” includes an overview feature (1,200 words) along with three or four shorter satellite articles (400 to 800 words each) on targeted topics related to family travel for a selected destination. Remaining articles include columns and general travel topics, all with a focus on family travel.

Column topics currently include: The Back Page (part essay, part feature); Taste Buds (culinary focus); Off-Beat (can include off-the-beaten-path destinations, unusual activities, types of travel, festivals, etc.); College Visits; Book Reviews; Products; Ecotourism; Teen Voice (travel articles written by teens); Special Needs; Travel News.

Non-destination or column specific topics include: travel based on type of destination (i.e., beach, mountain, cruises, city vacations), activity-based travel (i.e., scuba diving, river rafting, skiing), luxury travel, adventure travel, service/how-to pieces, single-parent family travel, educational vacations, trend pieces, travel safety and regulations, and seasonal round-ups.

What we want:

Our target users are well-traveled, college-educated, mid-career professionals with children. They used to globetrot with abandon in their single days and now aim to give their kids authentic cultural experiences when on vacation. For feature destination coverage, first-hand family-travel experience is imperative. We want to give our users information beyond the typical points-of-interest and activities, and for them to glean insider details and tips about travel to a destination that aren't necessarily, or often, covered in guidebooks or other travel sources.

Our “voice” should come across as experienced, authoritative and informative, while also being entertaining, fun and clever. We also want to show our audience what is possible, through examples of real-live family travelers. Yes, most parents take the kids to Disney, but many also would love to take them hiking in Nepal, on an ecotourism excursion to Costa Rica, or on a beach vacation in Thailand. Our articles should show them how to do it.

How to pitch us:

Pitches should address the questions: Why this topic? Why now? Why for TravelMuse? Why you?

Interested writers should review the site for content and style, then send an email to editor@travelmuse.com with targeted queries (please flesh these out in a paragraph—a simple phrase or single sentence is not enough), a short bio and links to three published clips. We will make every effort to respond to all queries in a timely manner.

What we don't want:

• Articles that have already been published elsewhere.
• Unsolicited manuscripts.
• Broad queries without focus. If you want to write about San Diego, do not pitch an article saying the city is an ideal family travel destination. We, and much of the rest of the world, already know that. Instead focus on what local families prefer to do and see; find some little-known fact about a place or “undiscovered” gem and build an angle around that; or come up with a new twist on an already-covered place or activity.
• Phone calls.

What we pay:

Compensation varies depending on the type of assignment and experience of the writer, but generally falls between $50-$200 per article.

If an idea is accepted, the contributor will receive a written contract with the terms of the assignment and payment information clearly stated, which will be agreed upon prior to the contract being offered. The article will not be published nor payment made until TravelMuse receives a signed copy of the agreement in return. The contract is not negotiable.

Tips Wanted

TravelMuse wants your recommendations! From new restaurant and hotel discoveries in Paris to how best to navigate the crowded streets of Bangkok to where to find the best jazz club in the Bay Area—send your insider insights on your favorite places and travel experiences to tips@travelmuse.com.