Norie Quintos

Norie Quintoshttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/about/contributors/norie-quintosNorie Quintoshttps://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/writing/responsible-travel-writingTravel writers have an opportunity to influence the planet in positive ways. Nat Geo's editor shares her tips on writing responsibly.2020-02-21T11:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/writing/responsible-travel-writinghttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-intro segment-margin-break"> <p>Admit it, fellow travel writers, you love it when someone tells you they were inspired by your words or followed your advice or planned a trip around a piece you wrote. You, like me, get a rush out of wielding that power, whether it’s to share where to eat in Washington, D.C. or to tell a tale of personal transformation that opens eyes, changes minds, and even melts hearts.</p> <p>The pen (or its digital counterpart) is mighty, and whether we realize it or not, is a large part of why we write.</p> <p>But with the planet in a climate crisis and travel and flying implicated as not-insignificant contributing factors, not to mention related issues such as over-tourism, biodiversity loss, and poverty, travel writers (and aspiring travel writers) can no longer leave it to news reporters and environment writers to do the dirty work. We need to not only travel responsibly but also write responsibly.</p> <p>Obviously, writers can pen stories about how to get around sustainably and many do so admirably. But there’s a limited market for those kinds of stories in travel media, which in many cases has become an arm of travel marketing and promotion.</p> <p>As one writer friend complained to me recently, “many outlets seem to have a limited appetite for stories about sustainability.” But just because you're not explicitly writing a <a href="https://www.worldnomads.com/responsible-travel/make-a-difference" target="_blank" title="Make a Difference">responsible travel</a> story doesn’t mean you are powerless. Here are six things you can do.</p> <ul> <li><a href="#Choose"> Choose carefully </a></li> <li><a href="#See"> See something, say something </a></li> <li><a href="#context"> Give context to issues and challenges </a></li> <li><a href="#Model"> Model good behavior </a></li> <li><a href="#kick"> Kick the bucket list </a></li> <li><a href="#involved"> Get involved </a></li> </ul> <h2 id="Choose">Choose carefully</h2> <p>Remember that you are raising the profile of the companies and destinations you write about. So don’t just write about anybody. Whatever you’re writing about, decide to only cover companies and destinations that follow best practices. When I wrote about immersive <a href="/explore/central-america/">Latin American</a> tours last year, I not only filtered for interesting itineraries but also vetted the operators I mentioned for sustainability practices.</p> <h2 id="See">See something, say something</h2> <p>Better yet, share your concerns (respectfully) with travel providers. Is a local tour operator letting guests pet wild animals or handing out <a href="/travel-safety/worldwide/bottled-vs-filtered-water">plastic water bottles</a> in situations where they could be using filtered water? As a member of the travel media, you are in a better position than a regular traveler to take the manager aside and suggest alternatives.</p> <h2 id="context">Give context to issues and challenges</h2> <p>When writing about a place, along with the standard where-to-eat and what-to-do, be sure to work into your copy the challenges and issues of the destination, as well as potential solutions. Writing about the Galapagos? Don’t mention the lumbering land tortoises without also talking about the precariousness of their survival and that travelers can help by eliminating single-use plastics from their daily lives and 'adopting' an animal through the <a href="https://www.galapagos.org/" target="_blank" title="Galapagos Conservancy">Galapagos Conservancy</a>. Of course, that means you need to do adequate reporting before, during, and after your trip, and not just practice fly-in/fly-out travel journalism, right?</p> </div> <h2 id="Model">Model good behavior</h2> <p>On your owned content (social feeds, website, blog) you have more freedom to model best travel practices and even write that close-to-the-heart piece for which you can’t find a home.</p> <p>Pay special attention to the pictures, which are perhaps the only thing more powerful than words. While I’m nowhere near perfect, on my own social feeds (@noriecicerone) I try to model the type of travel I believe can be a force for good.</p> <p>What do your photos say without saying? I see too many images of so-called influencers cradling wild animals, sipping smoothies with plastic straws, and taking selfies with potentially vulnerable local children without context or explanation. Use your considerable influence to have a positive impact.</p> <h2 id="kick">Kick the bucket list</h2> <p>Travel websites love round-ups and travel bucket lists, but these, along with Instagram travel selfies, have encouraged travelers to a damaging dash around the world, not to know it but to show you were there.</p> <p>I can’t always avoid writing the ubiquitous listicle, especially when it’s with a plum outlet, but these days I assiduously avoid the overburdened icons to surface the <a href="https://www.worldnomads.com/responsible-travel/make-a-difference/participation/how-to-avoid-the-masses-when-you-travel" target="_blank" title="How to Avoid the Masses When You Travel">out-of-the-way treasures</a> that have the infrastructure and capacity to handle visitors (in Peru, for example, Kuelap rather than Machu Picchu).</p> <p>Where I can, and in my personal travels, I slow it way down, settling in for stays of more than a month in Mexico City this year and in Quito in 2019, so that more of my money goes toward supporting the neighborhood economy: the corner <em>mercado</em>, the <em>panadería</em> down the street, the Spanish-language school, and, natch, the cafetería near the school.</p> <h2 id="involved">Get involved</h2> <p>It’s time for each of us to accept that the travel media is part of the problem and decide what we’re going to do about it. Have I considered abandoning leisure travel completely? Not seriously; there are too many net positives of travel, including connecting cultures and opening new vistas.</p> <p>Currently, there is no ideal solution; there are only various imperfect or incomplete options, including carbon offsetting your travels, going plastic-free, combining trips to reduce airplane travel, etc.</p> <p>As mentioned, on my personal trips I am <a href="https://www.worldnomads.com/responsible-travel/make-a-difference/planet/your-guide-to-greener-air-travel" target="_blank" title="Your Guide to Greener Air Travel">flying less often</a> and staying longer in the destination. For work trips, I sometimes purchase carbon offsets but mostly focus on donating time and money as a board member of the <a href="http://adventuretravelconservationfund.org/" target="_blank" title="Adventure Travel Conservation Fund">Adventure Travel Conservation Fund</a>, which supports wildlife and conservation projects around the world. And increasingly I write, speak, and consult on ways to transform the tourism industry to be less of a problem and more of a solution.</p> <p>What is clear is that every member of the travel media – and everyone who aspires to be in this club – ought to do something, and not only that, ought to radically change the advice we give to those who read our stories, see our images, and follow our travels.</p> <p>You have superpowers. How will you use them?</p>Getty Images / Volanthevist 1150816040 Getty Images Galapagos tortoise

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/writing/the-perfect-travel-story-pitchNat Geo Editor-at-Large, Norie Quintos answers all the whats, whys and hows on getting your travel story into a travel publication. 2019-01-17T11:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/writing/the-perfect-travel-story-pitchhttps://www.worldnomads.com<ul> <li><a href="#pitch">Should I pitch before or after travel? </a></li> <li><a href="#timing">Does timing matter when pitching? </a></li> <li><a href="#letter">What do I include in a pitch letter? </a></li> <li><a href="#complete"> Should I send the completed piece instead of a pitch? </a></li> <li><a href="#multiple"> It is ok to include multiple pitches in one email? </a></li> <li><a href="#same"> Can I pitch the same idea to multiple outlets? </a></li> <li><a href="#stolen"> Will my idea get stolen? </a></li> <li><a href="#follow"> When do I follow up? </a></li> <li><a href="#track"> How do I keep track of my pitches? </a></li> </ul> <div class="scholarships-assignment-intro segment-margin-break"> <p>I’ve been <em>that person</em>. The one standing between your travel story and its publication in print or online, in other words, <a href="/create/learn/photography/interview-with-travel-editor-norie-quintos">the assigning editor</a>. And the only way to get past me or any other gatekeeper is via the pitch.</p> <p>I’ve accepted hundreds of pitches, rejected thousands, and meant-to-respond-but-neglected-to who knows how many more. So I feel qualified to answer the questions I often get about pitching. I’ve also been you – the freelance writer – and I know how hard you work, how little you make, and how much you want to tell your story. So, this is for you.</p> <p>First, a reminder that every outlet is different and every editor is individual, so consider these tips as guidelines rather than commandments.</p> <h2 id="pitch">Should I pitch before or after travel?</h2> <p>Both are acceptable. But when pitching before a trip, never lob the lazy “I’m going to be in Some Amazing Country, do you need anything?” The answer will always be “No,” unless you happen to be Pico Iyer or Tim Cahill or Cheryl Strayed or Paul Theroux. Always have some concrete story ideas. Pitching after travel, of course, is easier because you should have a <a href="/create/learn/writing/journaling-on-your-travels-how-to-for-travel-writers">notebook full of them</a>; but here, discipline is necessary – pitch only the stories most suitable to the outlet.</p> <h2 id="timing">Does timing matter when pitching?</h2> <p>It does matter, as there is a rhythm to every editorial calendar, an ideal time when magazine editors are more receptive to, say, stories for a summer issue or digital editors looking to fill their holiday lineup. But it’s nearly impossible to keep track of them all, so here’s a rule of thumb: the earlier the better. A year ahead is not too early for a magazine feature story, nor a month ahead for a digital piece. And get to know the editorial cycle of your favorite outlets.</p> <h2 id="letter">What do I include in a pitch letter?</h2> <p>First, introduce yourself briefly to the editor; if you’ve met or had an interaction, however minor, this is the time to mention that. Then go into your pitch, addressing the following questions: What’s the story? Why now? Where do you see it fitting in the outlet (what section or department)? And, why you? Stay pithy; aim for no more than a page. And even if you’ve corresponded with an editor before, always include a few short lines describing yourself (your specialties, past credits, website, and where you’re physically based).</p> </div> <div class="scholarships-assignment-intro segment-margin-break"> <h4 class="segment-centered">Are you an aspiring travel writer? <a href="/create/scholarships/writing/2019">Sign up here</a> to stay informed about our Travel Writing Scholarships.</h4> </div> <h2 id="complete">Should I send the completed piece instead of a pitch?</h2> <p>Don’t do it. Every outlet has its own style and voice, and submitting a completed story almost never works. The exception is if you’re submitting a personal essay to an outlet that publishes them.</p> <h2 id="multiple">It is ok to include multiple pitches in one email?</h2> <p>Yes, for shorter department pieces (but no more than three or four). Narrative pitches often need more space and individual consideration.</p> <h2 id="same">Can I pitch the same idea to multiple outlets?</h2> <p>Here’s what I would do: Give your top outlet a head start of a few weeks. Then pitch other possible outlets. If a second outlet bites, inform them about the story you’re doing for the first outlet, and see if you can reframe the story for the second. The key is disclosure and transparency.</p> <h2 id="stolen">Will my idea get stolen?</h2> <p>First of all, let’s define what a <a href="/create/learn/writing/find-a-new-angle-for-an-old-story">unique story</a> idea is. A trip to <a href="/explore/south-america/argentina/magical-patagonia">Patagonia</a>, the best cheese shops in Paris, an upcoming solar eclipse – these are not unique story ideas. Editors often get similar pitches or may come up with the same brilliant idea and are free to assign it to any writer they choose. What is not okay is for an editor to take your insider knowledge, use your carefully cultivated sources, or follow your narrative outline without an assignment, or at minimum a discussion and compensation in the form of a finder’s fee. I’m not sure how much of a problem this is but anecdotally, I have noticed an increase in posts about the subject on the online journalism groups I follow. To reduce the risk of this, keep your sources close to the vest until you actually have the assignment, and work with editors and outlets respected in the industry.</p> <h2 id="follow">When do I follow up?</h2> <p>This is a tough one because no editor likes to get hounded, but emails do occasionally get buried or lost. I know I’ve sometimes been thankful a writer has followed up. I can’t imagine an editor resenting one follow-up a couple of weeks later, especially if a story idea is timely. If you simply want to check if your email was read, sign up for an email tracking software such as <a href="https://mailtracker.hunter.io/">MailTracker</a> or <a href="https://www.streak.com/">Streak</a>.</p> <h2 id="track">How do I keep track of my pitches?</h2> <p>My prolific writer friends swear by a simple color-coded spreadsheet. Include columns such as Name of Editor, Date Submitted, Date to Follow Up, Reply, and Notes. <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GWIzQ4o-Eiqkky7yMhKIQEheIyo87Bw3qzSXWJLlxsc/edit#gid=0">Here’s one</a> you can customize from Alicia de los Reyes of The Write Life.</p> <p>Some writers find pitching to be as difficult as the writing itself but take heart. A well-thought-out pitch actually saves you time. Not only is it the key to getting the assignment, but you’ve just drawn yourself a road map and broadly framed the structure. This is work that must be done if you want to be that writer that <a href="/create/learn/writing/think-like-an-editor">editors love to work with</a>.</p> <div></div>Getty Images/Westend61 0 Getty Images A writer in a campervan

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/writing/think-like-an-editorNorie Quintos, editor-at-large at Nat Geo Travel and a 2018 Travel Writing Scholarship judges reveals what she looks for when editing a piece. 2018-01-08T11:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/writing/think-like-an-editorhttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-intro segment-margin-break"> <p>What goes through my mind when I'm editing a travel story?</p> <p>First, coffee.</p> <p>Through a long career as an editor at a travel magazine, editing thousands of stories – narrative and service, long and short, feature and department, first-person and reported – I always start with a beverage that activates my brain.</p> <p>Editing, after all, is an intensive process of cogitation and organization. If the writer’s job is to tell a story, the editor’s role is to make sure that story is told in the most effective way and that it aligns with the voice of the publication.</p> <p>In an increasingly squeezed environment – where manuscript editors are doing double or quintuple duty as producers, copy editors, fact-checkers, and publishers – writers who can think like editors and anticipate their needs will have a competitive advantage.</p> <p>It boils down to this: The less work we editors have to do on your stuff, the more assignments we will give you.</p> <p>Here I answer the five questions I ask myself when editing a piece.</p> <h2 id="structure"><span>Does the structure make sense?</span></h2> <p>Like a building made without a foundation or frames or beams, a story collapses without a proper structure.</p> <p>Your piece should have a strong and logical underpinning.</p> <p>Unsure if it does? Reverse-engineer the process and go through each paragraph of your piece and note in a few words what you are trying to say. Read through your outline at the end. Does it follow a logical progression?</p> <p>If so, you’re good; if not, figure out the missing pieces and try again.</p> <p>Not all buildings look like rectangular boxes and not all stories have to be linear or chronological, but there has to be a solid internal structure.</p> </div> <h2 id="flow">Does it flow?</h2> <p>Once I’ve made sure that the piece has good structure and organization, I look at the details, the transitions, the anecdotes, and examples.</p> <p>This is where a writer’s voice can really sing and soar (or sadly, fail to connect).</p> <p>The reader’s experience should be effortless, carried along by the writer from one point to the next. As the reader’s avatar, I look critically at every bump in the road and try to smooth the way.</p> <p>If I don’t get an obscure reference, the reader may not as well. Is there a gap in the logic? We may need to fill in critical information. Is a quote wordy and redundant? Let’s tighten it so the reader doesn’t get bogged down and get lost in extraneous information.</p> <p>I don’t generally like to put words in a writer’s mouth, so I may query you or ask you to clarify a sentence or paragraph.</p> <h2 id="fit"><span>Does It fit into my publication's parameters</span>?</h2> <p>Whether print or online, publications write to a particular persona or audience.</p> <p>The personas of outlets such as the <em>Robb Report</em> and <em>Nat Geo Traveler</em> and <em>AARP The Magazine</em> and <em>Vogue</em> are very different, though they may all publish stories about the same destination.</p> <p>Before you commit one word to paper, you should know the audience of the publication you are writing for because that affects your choice of words, examples, quotes, and overall tone.</p> <p>Editors are typically happy to give you information on their readers, so you can channel this audience while you are writing.</p> <p>A word about word count: Going over your word count is fine, but as a rule of thumb, don’t go much over 5 to 10 per cent without checking with your editor. The reason is that your story has probably been slated for a particular section of the publication with a specific format and length. Giving the editor a little extra to work with is helpful, but too much becomes a burden.</p> <h2 id="ledeandkicker"><span>Are the lede and kicker compelling</span>?</h2> <p><span>Every word of a story is important, but there are two parts that you really want to get right, especially in a longer narrative: the opening and the closing (aka the “lede” and the “kicker,” in journo parlance). </span></p> <p><span>The first lines of a story need to hook and immediately reel the reader into the story. </span></p> <p><span>Many inexperienced writers make the mistake of thinking they have to start from the beginning, thus the ubiquitous and tired flying-into-a-destination opener. </span>Stories don’t have to be chronological (though they do need to flow logically, see above).</p> <p><span>The way you end a piece is important too. You want to connect it in some way to the intro. In a recent story, I wrote about </span><span><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/canada/banff/best-trips-2017-banff-canada/" target="_blank"><span>Banff, Alberta</span></a></span><span>, I started the piece in the middle of my trip, at a moment that served as a good launching point. I circled back to it later, pulling out a different aspect of the event to serve as an ending. But be careful. </span></p> <p><span>Endings can have a tendency to be trite or contrived. If your kicker is predictable or obvious, hit delete and keep trying.</span></p> <h2 id="job">Does i<span>t do the job</span>?</h2> <p>If it’s a narrative, does it take me out of my office and transport me? If it’s a reported piece, do I learn something new? If it’s a service story, do I come away with some actionable items?</p> <p>A piece of writing has to <a href="/create/learn/writing/find-a-new-angle-for-an-old-story">fulfill a purpose</a>, whether stated or not. If it doesn’t, it will fail to satisfy and the reader will feel cheated.</p> <p>My job as an editor is to ensure that the piece ultimately delivers on its purpose and to work with the writer to get it there.</p> <p>Extra points if you provide a headline and subhead. Every story ever published has a headline and many have a subhead (sometimes called a deck), yet 90 per cent of writers don’t provide either.</p> <p>The editor may end up coming up with a different headline, but I always appreciate the writer providing suggestions to get me started.</p>Getty Images/MilosStankovic 0

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/photography/interview-with-travel-editor-norie-quintosWhat really grabs a Nat Geo editor's attention? Norie Quintos shares her advice and reveals what she'll be looking for as one of our Travel Writing Scholarship judges.2017-12-27T11:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/photography/interview-with-travel-editor-norie-quintoshttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <h2>What came first, your love of travel or your love of writing?</h2> <p>My first trip was a transatlantic flight from <a href="/explore/north-america/united-states/the-best-american-adventures-youve-never-heard-of">New York</a> to Manila when I was six months old on the iconic Pan Am. By the age of two-and-a-half, I’d made that trip three times. It was the start of a love affair with cultures, languages, and travel. The writing came a little later, in first grade.</p> <h2>How did you get started in the travel writing industry?</h2> <p>In college, I was an African Studies major and was the editor of the yearbook. My original grand plan was to work as a diplomat in the State Department or the United Nations.</p> <p>My first job was as a newsletter editor of a trade publication in Washington, D.C., focused on development and aid.</p> <p>But I eventually decided I wanted to work for a travel magazine, a glamorous calling then; it was the Golden Age of magazines. I quit my job and got myself an unpaid internship at <em>Caribbean Travel and Life</em> magazine; a few months later, I’d gotten myself hired as an editorial assistant. I built the first part of my career covering the <a href="/travel-safety/caribbean/how-to-stay-safe-while-traveling-the-caribbean-islands">Caribbean</a> as an editor and writer. It was the first of several “best jobs in the world.”</p> <p>After that, I covered travel as a reporter and editor at the weekly news magazine <em>U.S. News and World Report</em>, which led to an editor job at <em>National Geographic Traveler</em> magazine.</p> <h2>What’s the best part about your job?</h2> <p>I have had a front-row seat to the cataclysmic changes wrought by digital technology. It’s been quite the roller coaster and I’m lucky to have been able to adapt and reinvent myself for a new journalistic landscape.</p> <p>The old curated gateways of content have given way to everyone doing content, but the differentiator remains quality and editorial rigor.</p> <p>I bring that experience and expertise to my role as a travel communicator, working with clients to help surface stories and tell stories better. And my role as an editor-at-large means I still get to contribute stories and ideas to a trusted and iconic brand I have been associated with for many years.</p> </div> <h2><span>Was there an assignment in your career that was particularly memorable? </span> </h2> <p>I was on assignment to write the cover story for <em>Nat Geo Traveler</em> about <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/canada/banff/best-trips-2017-banff-canada/" target="_blank">Banff, Alberta</a>. My reporting time was short and I had a long list of things to do and see, and people to talk to.</p> <p>On the list was to see a bear, preferably a grizzly. I felt I needed it for the story half-written in my head. But try as I might, I didn’t get to see one while I was there. (Wild animals are funny that way.)</p> <p>When I got down to writing, I kept thinking how great it would have been to see the bear. I kept struggling with the piece until it dawned on me that not finding was the central metaphor for the story. It actually made for a better story.</p> <p>The lesson: In life and in writing, don’t try to force it; let the story unfold.</p> <h2><span>How has travel writing enabled you to connect with locals and their cultures?</span></h2> <p>It gives me a reason to enter <a href="/explore/southeast-asia/indonesia/locals-guide-to-lombok-indonesia">worlds and cultures</a> different from mine and to ask a lot of probing questions.</p> <p>And writing is really an exercise in clarifying the thinking process, so it also forces me to dig deeper and think – not just accept the standard explanations for why things are.</p> <p>At the superficial end, I’ve been able to try a lot of different foods (most of them tasty, by the way) and at the other end, I’ve made some lifelong friends in the remotest corners of the world.</p> <h2><span>What type of stories interest you the most?</span></h2> <p>When it comes to stories I read, I’m a generalist; I read all sorts of stories, the travel category is just one of them, and it’s not even the biggest.</p> <p>I love memoirs and historical nonfiction. Two of my favorite reads are Eric Larson’s <em>In the Garden of Beasts</em>, and Candice Millard’s <em>Destiny of the Republic</em>, both true tales that read like fiction.</p> <p>As for what I like to write, I’m fascinated by stories of journeys of transformation, where metamorphosis is the subtext of a travel yarn.</p> <h2><span>What trends do you see developing in travel writing?</span></h2> <p>The trends have to do with how content is being distributed and how busy people are digesting it.</p> <p>Shorter, fast-paced, and voiced with attitude. If that’s not the way you write, please don’t force it.</p> <p>I also see a counter-trend of solidly reported, authoritatively voiced long-form reads.</p> <h2><span>How can aspiring travel writers take advantage of these trends?</span></h2> <p>I say forget the trends – except the one that says every writer needs to be their own marketer – and follow your passions.</p> <p>However, to make a living, it may be necessary to write for a variety of outlets in a variety of voices.</p> <h2><span>How should travel writers get noticed by publishers?</span></h2> <p>Unfortunately, toiling in the attic and waiting to be discovered never worked for anyone.</p> <p>Writers have to market themselves, which often goes against the grain for certain creatives, so it takes special effort.</p> <p>An online presence is a must. Have a good website and a relevant social media feed. Attend travel conferences both for idea generation and networking opportunities.</p> <p>Pitch liberally and write prolifically (but maintain quality).</p> <h2><span>What the common mistakes you see aspiring travel writers make?</span></h2> <p>The biggest mistake I see inexperienced writers make is to organize their pieces chronologically and linearly. It’s boring. Break it up. Surprise not just with words but with structure.</p> <p>Another common mistake: using too many adjectives. Don’t say the view is “beautiful.” Describe its beauty.</p> <h2><span>What separates good travel writing from great travel writing?</span></h2> <p>I look for great yarns that go beyond the place into the realm of the universal. In other words, tell me a story that's not just about you in one spot, but all of us, everywhere.</p>Norie Quintos 0 Norie on location