Cashing in on Your Vacations

This time next week, I will be on a much-needed family vacation at one of our favorite South Carolina beaches. Workwise, the timing couldn’t be better, as we will have just sent the latest issue of the magazine I edit to the printer and my next round of freelance assignments aren’t due for a few more weeks. But, as most freelancers know, vacation is no time to rest upon our laurels.

I’ve turned many a vacation into blog posts and travel articles, and over time, I’ve definitely learned to keep my eyes open to possible story ideas while traveling. I’ve been able to write about several trips for different magazines I write for, such as this article, Which Carolina Beach is Best for Your Family? This past year, when we ventured out on a weekend trip at a bed and breakfast in the North Carolina mountains, I reviewed the inn in a regional magazine parenting article that began, “As much as I love my kids, there are times I need to get away with just my husband.” It doesn’t have to be a lengthy or expensive trip—even just a few days to decompress works wonders.”

The great thing about brainstorming while on vacation is that it’s relatively simple. All you really need is an open mind and a good camera to help you take photos to accompany any articles (editors love it when you can do this). And the best part? Save all your receipts, because if you write about specific places/restaurants/experiences within that year, you can possibly deduct them from your taxes.

Vacation is also a great time to snap photos of things you don’t normally see that you can then archive for future blog posts, such as the image I've included at the beginning of this post. I’ve also started a Pinterest board combining some of my travel photos and articles.

In addition to mining the brochure racks for story ideas, I also plan on spending some time each day doing a little prospecting, so that I can make sure to start lining up assignments for the fall and winter. But don’t worry—I won’t spend too much time behind my computer. I have a tote bag full of books and several more saved on my Kindle that I’ve been saving specifically for next week. Until next time!

Renee Roberson is an award-winning freelance writer and editor who also works as a Blog Tour Manager for WOW! Women on Writing. She also blogs at Renee’s Pages.