From Lonely Planet Editor to Full-Time Travel Writer: My Career Leap
As a former Lonely Planet Destination Editor, I traded my desk for the open road to pursue travel writing firsthand. Far from corporate drudgery, my role involved commissioning expert guidebook authors—until I craved the adventures myself.
Working nine to five
In 2014, a LinkedIn post led me to my dream role as Lonely Planet Destination Editor. For four years, I oversaw South American editorial content, handpicking freelance writers for rigorous on-the-ground research. It was an ideal job in a vibrant office of travel aficionados—no suits required.
Editors rarely travel; we trust destination experts among writers. Occasional self-funded familiarization trips aside, Lonely Planet offered me a research assignment in Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. Days immersed there confirmed my path. Weeks later, I resigned.
Swapping the office for the open road
Editing was my career focus; travel writing felt out of reach—a domain for privileged white men of earlier generations. As a Black millennial woman with student debt, raised by a single public school teacher father, and among Lonely Planet's few editors of color, my field perspective could amplify diverse traveler insights.
Guidebook research demands long hours in harsh climates, navigating unfamiliar cultures and logistics mishaps. Challenges include isolation, language barriers, illness, theft—often alone. As a woman of color, racism and harassment compound these hurdles.
The reality of life as a travel writer
No free rides: Each assignment brings a flat fee, detailed brief, and deadline. Writers self-fund visas, flights, lodging, meals, and fees. Lonely Planet mandates 100% independent research—no freebies or sponsored trips. Balancing thorough exploration with budget discipline maximizes earnings.
Spending varies: hostels or hotels, buses or taxis. Time is precious; daily checklists ensure coverage. Risks abound—mediocre spots waste resources. Constant transit breeds fatigue, belying Instagram's gloss. Travel tests resilience.
Living my dream on my own terms
This isn't a vacation—it's rigorous, rewarding work. The world as my office allows deep cultural immersion and local connections, suiting my extroverted introvert nature. Mid-30s, single, and child-free, I seize freedom, answerable only to editors and borders. Leggings endure.
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