Travel Guidebook Writing 101
Happy Tuesday, crew! Every week I write an in-depth 101 post about the travel industry. Today we’re talking guidebooks.
So, you want to write travel guidebooks?
You’re not alone. It’s one of the most romanticized gigs in the travel writing world. You have a passport, a deadline, and the chance to become a temporary expert in a far-off place. Honestly? It is as cool as it sounds...
But it’s also work. Real, unglamorous, deadline-driven work. Still, for the right kind of writer who is organized, curious, deadline-reliable, it can be a dream.
This is your guide to the world of guidebooks: who publishes them, how to break in, what to expect, and why it still matters in the digital age.
📚 The Big Guidebook Publishers
There are a handful of established brands that dominate the travel guidebook space. Most hire freelance writers—though not all are actively expanding these days. Here’s a rundown:
Lonely Planet
Still the biggest name in the game.
Known for backpacker-friendly, comprehensive guides.
Hires freelancers for country, regional, and city guides.
You usually need previous experience, but strong clips and destination familiarity can get you in.
Moon Travel Guides (Avalon Travel)
Focuses on North American destinations with some Latin America, Europe, and Asia.
Many of their authors are also the only author on a title, which means control, and a lot of work.
Authors are often paid advances and royalties, not just flat fees.
If you’re a regional expert, pitch them directly with a proposal for a new or updated edition.
Fodor’s Travel
Known for high-end, aspirational travel.
Traditionally hired editors to commission content and freelancers to contribute sections.
Less frequent updates in recent years, but they still publish destination guides.
They also publish online travel stories and city guides, which can be a good in.
Frommer’s
Legacy name in travel writing, founded in the 1950s.
Still family-run!
Often assigns updates to previous contributors.
Guides skew practical and family-friendly.
Not a bad idea to start by writing travel stories for their website.
Bradt Travel Guides
UK-based and known for off-the-beaten-path destinations.
Think: Suriname, Sierra Leone, and Madagascar, not just London and Paris.
Very writer-driven. Many Bradt authors are specialists who propose their own guides and updates.
Small team = a more personal process.
DK Eyewitness
Known for stunning visual design like infographics, cutaway diagrams, and full-color maps.
Focuses on major cities and cultural destinations like Rome, Paris, Tokyo, and London.
Guides are packed with historical context, architecture highlights, and museum details.
Less reliant on freelancers than others, but they do hire contractors and specialists for fact-checking, research, and updates.
Based in the UK and part of Penguin Random House; having experience in educational or reference publishing can help.
How to Break In as a Freelance Writer
There’s no one-size-fits-all path to writing guidebooks, but the most common route is through travel journalism. Before someone hands you the keys to a 300-page destination guide, they want to know you can research thoroughly, write clearly, and stick to a deadline. That usually means starting with shorter travel articles, either online or in print, and building a portfolio of published work. For more on this, check out my Travel Pitching 101 article.
Having on-the-ground expertise is just as important as writing chops. Editors want writers who know the destination. That might mean you’ve lived there, traveled extensively, or visited recently enough that your knowledge is fresh. Many guidebook assignments are actually updates rather than first editions, so your job will be to fact-check and refresh an existing book, not write it from scratch.
Pitching a publisher directly can work, especially with Moon or Bradt. Both are open to new guide proposals if you’re an expert on a specific location or region. In your pitch, you’ll need to explain why the destination matters, what your unique take is, and why you should write the book.
Other publishers, like Lonely Planet and Frommer’s, tend to work from contributor pools. That said, editors often post calls for writers on Twitter or LinkedIn, especially when planning a major update. Following their editorial teams and staying active in travel communities and boards (like this one!) can help you spot opportunities early.
What’s It Really Like?
Guidebook writing is not a paid vacation. It’s early mornings and late nights. It’s calling the same hotel three times to verify their rates and realizing your favorite restaurant closed a month ago. You’ll need to document everything you see with precision because most of what you’re writing will be used by people who trust that you got it right.
Pay varies widely. Some publishers pay a flat rate by the day, others offer a lump sum per section or chapter. If you're doing a full-author guide, you might get an advance and royalties but the advance will likely be in the low five figures, and the royalties can take years to pay out.
So why do it?
Because you’ll know a place more intimately than most travelers ever will. Because having your name on a guidebook gives you lasting credibility as a travel writer. And because it opens doors: editors, tourism boards, and media outlets recognize guidebook work as a badge of skill, hustle, and endurance.
The Bottom Line
Guidebook writing can help you build long-term industry relationships and take your freelance career to the next level.
To sum it up:
Guidebook writing is still alive and yes, freelancers are still hired.
You’ll need strong clips and deep destination knowledge.
Be ready to research, verify, and hustle, not just sip cocktails.
The credibility is major.
As always, drop any questions in the comments (I answer them all) and feel free to make suggestions for a future 101 post!