How to Get Your Travel Stories Published … Even If You’re Just Getting Started
👇WATCH THE FREE MASTERCLASS NOW 👇
You have a dream to become a published travel photographer or writer, but how do you actually do it?
Uncover the plan you need to kickstart your travel storytelling career
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I had no idea how to get my foot in the door in the travel media industry
I had the dream, yes. And I quit my job to go after that dream. Except, months went by and I had zero clue about what to do next. I had no connections in the travel media industry and no knowledge of how this industry works.
The problem is that the travel publishing industry, like many industries, has very little transparency. There are no guideposts that could help us map out exactly how to start developing stories, approaching publications, and getting published. This means that as we try to break into this industry, there is really no one to show us the way.
You have this dream of pursuing travel photography and writing full time, but something’s stopping you…
Well, so many things are stopping you. How do you start? What do you actually do? Where do you find the confidence, time, and resources needed to pursue this path?
Do you actually have what it takes?
Maybe it’s too late?
And who will believe that this path is possible for you, anyway?
I do. I believe.
The travel storytelling path is calling you, but you have doubts.
You’re short on time.
Your confidence is lagging.
You wish you had more money and more resources to be able to do this one day.
And sometimes you think you should just forget it all and give up on this hopeless fantasy…
With so much uncertainty—and lack of clarity—surrounding our dreams, it’s no wonder many of us give us hope
When I started on this path, I had no idea what to do.
I had no idea how to approach travel publications or where to even start figuring this out. That meant I wasn’t able to get closer to my dream (after I’d just quit my job!), let alone be successful at it.
To make things worse, I felt terrible because I was paralyzed by inaction and wasn’t actually doing anything to get closer to my dream.
I felt even worse because I thought I was just supposed to know how to figure this out on my own, but I was getting nowhere. I wasn’t approaching publications or putting my stories out there. I felt like a failure.
That’s when I decided to become systematic in my approach.
Instead of having a foggy idea of what I wanted to do, I created a clear vision for what I want my career to look like. Instead of sending out cold emails to random editors, I became strategic. I took the time to think about my own values and the types of stories that I’d like to be working on. I scoured the web for information on what makes a good story and what kind of stories editors are looking for. I found a technique for producing ideas, consistently, and used it on my own stories. I tried a lot of different approaches; some worked, some didn’t.
I thought that if I could demystify and break down this process of getting my stories published, I’d be more successful at it. I pitched strategically to the publications I wanted to work with and I used my approach to get the stories published. As more of my stories were getting out there, editors started reaching out to me with assignments.
As a result, after many dead ends and nonstarters, four years after quitting my corporate job, I became a published travel photographer and writer with stories in magazines like National Geographic Traveller, AFAR, Lonely Planet, BBC Travel, and more.
Now I want to share what I learned with you.
That’s why I created my travel media (and dream crystallization) masterclass, Storytellers In Action.
The limiting-belief-smashing system for creators ready to break into the travel industry and start claiming their creative dreams by actually completing and sending a pitch out to a publication.
Perfect for you if you’re tired of not taking any action on your dreams and aspirations!
Photographers • Writers • Bloggers • Travel Media Creators
ENROLLMENT ENDS IN
Imagine what it would feel like to know with certainty that your creative dreams are absolutely within your reach
Imagine if you could…
✅ stop procrastinating and make tangible progress toward your dream of becoming a travel photographer or writer
✅ (finally) approach publications and start putting your travel stories out there, so that you can start earning some income with these stories.
✅ find a community to help you keep the momentum going
✅ get a full download of how a travel journalism career works
This knowledge isn’t really taught anywhere but it is absolutely, 100%, learnable.
⭐ Visualize your dream scenario down to the smallest details so that you know exactly what vision you’re trying to work towards
⭐ Uncover the through line that guides your life to help guide your decisions going forward
⭐ Get a deep understanding of your gifts, experiences, values, passions, and skills—all the elements that give you the mandate to do the work only you can do
⭐ Adopt the smart tiered publications approach so that your efforts are targeted, strategic, and effective
⭐ Learn what makes pitches successful (trust me: with an acceptance rate of 30% in an industry with an average of 10%,I know what works and what doesn’t) and actually craft your own pitch
⭐ Get the run down on the industry’s pay structure: print versus online assignments, photography versus writing—you’ll be an insider in no time
⭐ And so much more!
❝Absolutely do it! It will change your life, and that is no exaggeration.
When I signed up for the course, I was terrified about taking this leap of faith and leaving my current industry behind for the sake of what I feared was a hopeless fantasy. But I truly believe now that it isn't just a pipe-dream: it is entirely achievable and within touching distance. I feel full of excitement, anticipation, curiosity and wonder for the future.”
— Hannah F., Storytellers In Action
ENROLLMENT ENDS IN
Here are just a few of the publications our students have already been published in!
Yulia Denisyuk is an award-winning travel photographer and writer with work in National Geographic, BBC Travel, Lonely Planet, and more.
Yulia was a US Navy Sailor and a corporate brand manager for over a decade at the world’s biggest consumer goods companies. After getting an MBA and spending years on this path, she left this lucrative career to pursue her dream of becoming a travel photographer and writer. She has since worked with her dream publications—National Geographic Traveller, AFAR, BBC Travel, and more—and traveled on assignments to incredible places like Mongolia and Rwanda.
Today, Yulia is kickstarting a movement with the Genius Womxn community to help womxn creators everywhere find their voices and step into their brilliance—not alone, but together with other incredible womxn.
❝ It gives me butterflies when I think about digging deep and making this creative life my reality.
Learning practical information and actual steps to pursuing this career has changed my perception of the possibilities. It has changed everything about how I will act to create this in my life. Most of all, it has changed my mind. Before...this career was something I deeply admired in others, while fully believing it was 'too little, too late" to pursue it myself. After...I can do this.”
— Toni P., Storytellers In Action
What’s Included In Storytellers In Action?
Module 1: Shape Your Mindset
Before we can act in the world, we need to ground ourselves in the mindset that will help us take action. We’ll spend time digging into reasons why your voice needs to be heard and we’ll work on visualizing our dreams, managing your fears, and preparing for rejections.
Module 2: Know Your Worth
We’ll understand how to market what you bring to the table (your values, experiences, skills, and passions), identify publications you want to work with, choose one publication you’ll send your pitch, and dive into the finances side of the equation.
Module 3: Build Your Story
In this session, we’ll start developing the ideas journal practice (we need lots of ideas if we’re to go into storytelling!) and choose the idea you will use for your pitching challenge.
Module 4: Write Your Best Pitch
In this session, we’ll analyze several pitches and look at what makes them work and we’ll get to crafting our own—with the guidance and support of our community.
Module 5: Work The Process
In this session, we’ll go over the unsexy process side of being a freelancing storyteller and learn what habits and practices keep us moving forward and gaining momentum. We’ll also send our pitch to the pub we’ve identified in Module 2!
Module 6: Keep Momentum
In this session, we’ll set expectations for the road ahead, tap into resources (there are many!), and discuss a way to get ongoing support after the course is over.
ENROLLMENT ENDS IN
The course has a whole host of awesome bonuses:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Trip Funding Method Workshop
(Valued at $100)
Learn three primary methods for paying for your travels, so that you don’t let lack of finances holding you back from pursuing this career path.
Widen Your Work Week Workshop
(Valued at $50)
Get deep understanding of where your time goes and how you can widen spaces in your work week that will allow you to do the work you actually want to do.
The Work Only You Can Do Workshop
(Valued at $100)
Understand ways in which you can boost your confidence to go after your dream creative career.
A Pitching Template
(Valued at $250)
Get the actual pitch I used to get a story published on National Geographic and understand how to craft your own winning pitches. With an acceptance rate of 30% in an industry with an average of ~10%, I know what works :)
Group Coaching (Two 60-minute sessions over two months)
(Valued at $500)
Meet other students and grow in our community as you ask your questions and work through any challenges you may encounter along the way.
One 1:1 Session
(Valued at $250)
Get direct access to Yulia and ask all your travel journalism career related questions!
Storytellers In Action Online Community
(Valued at $300)
Connect with other students and alumni in this community centered around storytelling, creativity, and our love for travel. (We are not meeting on Facebook!)
ENROLLMENT ENDS IN
Worried about another course collecting dust on your digital shelf? No more!
Take Storytellers In Action on the go with you & listen anywhere in your private podcast feed!
ENROLLMENT ENDS IN
Just one published article will pay for this entire course (and then some!)
Hey friends, Yulia here. I’m a creative professional, just like you. I understand the risk you feel when deciding to invest in a digital product. You work hard for your money and don’t want to waste it on something that should have been a blog post.
I’m very proud of the products I create and I know anyone who buys them and does the work will be thrilled with their purchase.
That’s why I’m offering a 14-day money back guarantee. While I can’t guarantee that the Storytellers In Action will secure you a New York Times placement right away, I can guarantee your satisfaction with the quality of this class and the time and questions it will save you.
Of course, If you’re not happy with the class, I will refund your money within 14 days of your purchase. Just email us and we’ll happily refund you, no questions asked.
See what others are saying about Storytellers In Action
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
❝ Yulia truly made the impossible feel possible, and left not only me, but I'm sure the whole group with a fully stocked tool box to launch a writing career.
I was waiting to finish a perfect piece of writing, something worthy of submission. This was holding me back. Now, I not only see how the process works, but actually understand how to do it for myself."
— Ashley B., Storytellers In Action
❝ Everything in the course is clearly laid out and so organized. I love it!
And your presentation was wonderful in so many respects. They say when you really know something you can explain it simply. That's what I think you did. You made hard concepts accessible. I loved it and I am sure everyone did too! Thank you."
— Milana D., Storytellers In Action
❝ Game changer.
After Storytellers in Action, I felt so motivated to continue on this creative path. Game changer. I also realized I had to back up the bus a bit and gain more skills to be able to tell my stories well. My photography needed a refresher, and editing is a big hurtle for me in my competence and confidence. One brick at a time.
— Toni P., Storytellers In Action
“After the class, I’m no longer afraid. Someone’s going to get those gigs. Why shouldn’t it be you?”
Hear travel writer Hannah Foster-Roe describe her experience in the class. Right after the class, Hannah got a scholarship to work with a publication to publish her first travel story, followed by another story here!
Let's get real...
If you keep doing what you’re doing now, will anything change in your life?
With my Storytellers In Action masterclass, you can get the full download, dig into the process of becoming a travel journalist, develop your pitch and send it out, all during the course of the class.
It's time to stop putting off your dreams and ideas, and instead, finally send your story pitch out into the world (plus: find a community that will stay with you long after this class is over).
ENROLLMENT ENDS IN
Just one published article will pay for this entire course (and then some!)
If you join us today, you will:
Stop feeling like your dreams are not something that can actually happen because you’re not talented enough, or because you don’t know what to do, or because it’s too late, or because…
Learn how to create a highly detailed vision of your dream creative life through our visualization and songline practices
Create a plan to reach out to publications and start working on your first pitch
Start changing the way you approach your dreams and start believing that YOU are in control of your life, your dreams, and your creativity
If you wait, you’ll still be unsure, unclear, and not taking action towards your dreams when 2021 comes around.
A month from now, you’ll wish you joined us today!
ENROLLMENT ENDS IN
❝ It’s so much more than a travel journalism course…
You get friends, you get community, you get an enduring little support bubble that will last way beyond the course. And also the momentum that it gives you… For anyone who’s ever doubted themselves or ready to get back into it… just do it!”
— Hannah F., Storytellers In Action
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t have a good understanding of the travel journalism space or a story that I could pitch to a publication–is the Storytellers In Action masterclass right for me?
Yes. we’ve designed the masterclass to support different starting points into this industry. If you're a beginner, you'll learn how this industry works (i.e. the actual mechanics of approaching publications, going on media trips, pitching, etc) and work on identifying stories you could pitch based on your own unique viewpoint and gifts. If you've been in this industry and know it, but have been struggling to make progress on your pitching, then this is for you as well: through our weekly homework assignments and challenges, we'll make sure that we all leave with a sent out pitch by the end of the class.
How much time will this class require each week?
This is a self-paced class so you can do it as quickly or as slow as you want. We recommend progressing through one module a week, so that you build momentum. Expect each module to take about two hours (including homework). And don’t forget: you don’t have to keep in front of your laptop to do the work! As part of this class, we are offering a subscription to a private podcast feed. Listen to the modules on the go, while you’re taking a walk, exercising, or cooking dinner!
Is the class worth the investment in time and money?
Immersive, in-depth classes that provide 20+ contact hours can cost thousands of dollars. In this class, we'll cover every aspect of a travel journalism career and come out with a completed pitch that we'll send to a publication. This is a good deal and in this time, you will not only be able to make progress on your dreams and stories, but also find a community of engaged people who care about similar things. How much value would you put on that?