Learn how to tell a travel story online

Being a writer is all about the Internet these days. Gone is the time when all you needed was a pen and paper — now, if you’re not promoting, writing or even just putting your face online, you’re pretty much toast.

Being a writer is all about the Internet these days. Gone is the time when all you needed was a pen and paper — now, if you’re not promoting, writing or even just putting your face online, you’re pretty much toast.

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So I was thrilled when I stumbled across today’s website. I had already seen a lot of travel websites offering articles about writing and a community for bloggers, before I chanced upon Matador Travel (http://matadortravel.com/). I had just not seen one done as well as this.

Matador gives you a chance to be read by a wide audience. Signing up for a blog gives you access to a whole community, debates and best of all, a shot at any of the paid projects, posted on the bulletin wall, going for $25 (Rs 1,164) a pop. The paid gigs are topic based, so you have to check whether one is still available before you volunteer to do it. The stuff on offer is pretty simple, like ‘World’s Most Kid Friendly Countries’ or ‘Top Ten Social Media Hoaxes’.

My favourite part is MatadorU (http://matadoru.com/), a new media school for wannabe travel writers available online. It’s an extensive, three-month correspondence course that allows you to learn the skills required to be a travel writer or photographer, and get access to gigs across the board.

It’s a bit expensive though, but considering not many places in India offer the same thing, I’d say it would be worth the risk.

Meenakshi writes a blog at the compulsiveconfessor. blogspot.com. Send her your queries at meenakshimadhavan@gmail.com.