I recently had quite an experience while travelling. I wrote a 6000
word diary which friends have read and found very interesting and
amusing. I wondered if there was any way to sell it to be published.
The emphasis on the diary is travelling to the wrong half of Greece
while on holiday and getting from one side to the other. Another
emphasis is being Jewish while on holiday. While they fit in well
together in this article, they could be seperated. I would like to
know who to approach, the best length for an article such as this so
that I could edit it to the desired length and a range of fees that
may be paid.

Hi Shaffer,

Thanks for your question! Sounds like you've had quite the adventure.
As a part-time freelance writer, I've come across a number of
resources which may be of help to you.

First off, don't worry about article length right away -- that's the
editor's decision, typically based on the publication's space
constraints and traditional format. Your best bet is to query
prospective editors before sending a full manuscript. A query is
essentially a one-page pitch that saves you and the editor unnecessary
time and effort; you don't have to polish your manuscript until it's
requested, and the editor doesn't have to slog through a piece she may
reject. A query letter follows a general format. Typically, you'll
introduce yourself briefly, summarize your travelogue and state why it
would interest the magazine's readership. (Here's where it pays off to
research potential markets, rather than sending stuff out willy-nilly
-- it takes more time initially, but your chances for acceptance will
be higher.) If you've examined the publication in depth, you might
suggest a section of the publication for which your piece would be
appropriate. Finally, you'll mention a few publication credits, if you
have them, or simply close the letter politely if you do not.
Remember, you're selling your story -- make your pitch lively and
intriguing.

Here are a few query writing resources:

Advice on Writing Query Letters:
<http://www.writersdigest.com/articles/tips/the_nonfiction_query.asp>

Suggestions for writing successful query letters
<http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art630.asp>

Once you've sent your queries, your fate is in the editor's hands. If
she's interested, she'll typically suggest a word count and deadline.
It's possible she may ask you to send it "on spec" -- that is, with no
guarantee that she'll publish it. If she's not interested at all,
query elsewhere!

Since your piece is quite long, you may wish to pitch it to your local
newspaper, since newspapers generally have more available space than
magazines. Since newspaper turnaround times are fast, many newspaper
editors prefer that you give a quick call to pitch your idea rather
than pitching by mail or email. You get an on-the-spot answer and
valuable pitching practice.

As far as pay rates go, they vary widely -- some high-circulation
glossies pay up to $1.00 per word, while other publications pay a few
cents a word or only in copies. You can usually find this information
under "writer's guidelines" on a publication's website, or in
resources like the annually updated Writer's Market. These resources
also usually provide the appropriate editorial contacts and average
response time.

There are dozens, if not hundreds of travel writing markets, from
in-flight magazines to regional publications to travel-related
websites. The following sites provide travel writing markets and
advice:

The Insider Secrets of Freelance Travel Writing
<http://www.freelancetravelwriter.com/index.html>

Do's and Don'ts of Travel Writing
<http://www.writing-world.com/international/travel.shtml>

Journeywoman's Top Ten Travel Writing Tips
<http://www.journeywoman.com/traveltales/topten.html>

Google Travel Writing Directory
<http://directory.google.com/Top/Arts/Writers_Resources/Non-Fiction/Travel_Writing/>

Travelwriters.com
<http://main.travelwriters.com/index.asp?ref=google>

Finally, here's an extensive list of Jewish publications who may be
interested in your account:

Jewish Publications Worldwide
<http://www.haruth.com/WWJewishPubs.html>

All the best -- happy trails!

Emjay-ga

Forgot to mention that editors often pay extra for photos -- if you
have any good ones, mention this in your query letter!

You should read what this guy has to say about publishing books. He
had a couple of technical books published and he wanted to publish his
own travelogue but never succeeded.
http://philip.greenspun.com/

There's also www.writersweekly.com who regularly publish news about
writers' markets and advice for people wanting to freelance.