"I had no idea that even existed. I didn't even know that you could do that. What a dream job!"
When Lindy Alexander first discovered that travel writers could be flown around the world to write about their experiences, it opened a door she never knew existed. But her journey into travel writing didn't begin with exotic destinations. It started much closer to home, with a curiosity about writing, a willingness to learn, and a determination to create a flexible career that fit around family life. In this episode, Lindy shares what it really takes to break into travel writing, why human stories matter more than ever in the age of AI, and what she learned from launching her own podcast.
Lindy Alexander is an award-winning freelance writer, travel writer, educator, and founder of The Travel Writer Accelerator. After spending a decade as a social worker and completing a PhD, she transitioned into freelance writing and built a successful career writing for major publications while helping aspiring travel writers get published. Through her courses, coaching, newsletter, and podcast, she helps writers develop the skills and confidence needed to land regular commissions.
We Also Talked About
- How Lindy transitioned from social work into a full-time freelance writing career.
- Why travel writing is about much more than exotic destinations.
- The surprising opportunities that emerged for travel writers during the pandemic.
- Why human experiences are becoming more valuable as AI-generated content increases.
- The thinking behind launching her new podcast, Inside Travel Writing.
- The benefits of creating short, practical podcast episodes.
- How podcasting helps build trust and authority with an audience.
- The role AI can play in research, editing, and idea generation—and where it falls short.
- Why reading the publications you want to write for is still one of the most important success factors.
- What editors are really looking for when evaluating story pitches.
- The difference between a great experience and a great story.
- How The Travel Writer Accelerator helps writers get their first commissions and build long-term careers.
If you've ever wondered whether freelance writing or travel writing could become part of your business or income strategy, this episode is packed with practical insights and encouragement. Listen now and discover how small steps, consistent effort, and strong storytelling can open unexpected opportunities.
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RESOURCES MENTIONED
Lindy's Website
https://www.lindyalexander.net/
The Freelancer's Year
https://thefreelancersyear.com/
Inside Travel Writing Podcast
https://thefreelancersyear.com/podcast/
Travel Writer Accelerator
https://thefreelancersyear.com/
Instagram – Lindy Alexander Writer
https://www.instagram.com/lindyalexanderwriter/
Instagram – The Freelancer's Year
https://www.instagram.com/thefreelancersyear/
Publications Mentioned
BBC Travel
https://www.bbc.com/travel
National Geographic Travel
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/
Condé Nast Traveler
https://www.cntraveler.com/
Lindy mentions that writers who have completed her travel writing training have gone on to secure publication opportunities with outlets including BBC Travel, National Geographic Travel, and Condé Nast Traveler.
Tools Mentioned
Claude
https://claude.ai
ChatGPT
https://chatgpt.com
Airtable
https://www.airtable.com
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