When I started working in the higher education sector in India, it turned out to be a real eye opener for me. When I was studying, I either went to better places or our generation was a bit more tractable. When I started teaching, I found the first two places completely impossible. This period of gloom lasted around two years. But I will write about that some other day. I will write about one good thing that came out of it, writing for Gonomad.
My husband and I have always been fond of traveling but before I was really thrown into bad jobs, traveling for me was a nice change. But now it has become a religion. In between the breaks both my husband and I, dream about the vacations we are going to take later!
It also happened that during my bad jobs I had zero opportunity to do research. I used to feel very restless then. It was then I started trying to write either in magazines or for websites. I started with the Indian ones and most of the time I never even got replies for my queries or unsolicited manuscripts. If I sent them by post after 2 to 3 months I would get a reject card! Even with the foreign publications it usually was no reply.
Then one day when I was browsing the net, somewhere I saw a bunch of travel websites. One of them was Gonomad.
If you take a look at my post on Amsterdam Red Light District, it is a watered down version of what I sent to GoNOMAD.com. And to my surprise I got a reply from them within three hours! Of course they rejected it. But getting a reply that fast itself was so reassuring, after all someone was reading whatever I was trying to write.
That got me hooked, and sometime later I sent them another story (on Goa) and this time I did not get an immediate reply. That raised my hopes. I thought, if they had to reject it they would have done it immediately. Later, I got a mail where they asked me for photographs related to the story. That raised my hopes still higher. Finally, that story came on their website after nearly three months and the check came one month later after the publication. In India the foreign currency checks take more than 15 days to get cashed, and I have still not seen the money in my account. But, it has turned out to be such a thrilling experience. The trekking story on Goa can be found at the website now.
After this, I tried searching for other sites that pay, and though I found a few that do, but so many that do not. I tried very hard to find another website where I could send my other two stories but after my initial search proving so fruitless, I got lazy. I again sent them my two stories and they again have asked for the photos after a long time!
I may continue writing travel stories and looking for avenues to publish them or I may get busy with my job, but either way I am going to remember GoNOMAD for giving me the first avenue for my stories.
I am glad you write about your travel – I love travelling too, and your pieces give me new ideas of what to see. BTW, I heard the changes to the IIT reforms have been put off by an year. I am sure this is good news for your nephew since now he can take the exam in 2006. All the very best to him.
What a great post. I have recently been thinking that I want to write in the travel genre, but I haven’t known really how to get started. When I started blogging, I knew writing about Alaska would be good, because I was writing to an audience. This has really given me a good place to start and a desire to send something off to gonomad.com. Thanks!
Really nice that you get paid for writing about travelling. You’re a good writer so I bet you’ll get more opportunities like this. If I see any other sites like GoNomad where can get paid for writing, I’ll let you know …Good luck! and good luck to your nephew, I hope he gets in to IIT after all …
see…tell ur nephew to cherish this opportunity and gun for gold 🙂
It is wonderful to read your happiness about being published. We want more writers with your enthusiasm and talent!Max HartshorneEditor GoNOMAD.com
travelling is such a rush for me!! I am a biker!! who does software for a living!!!
A big part of why I started my blog was share my upcoming trip to India with family and friends. Mridula, I know I’ve told you before how glad I was to find your site. I hope you continue to have success publishing stories and that you’ll keep sharing your travels with us.
Emma, IIT reforms have been put off by a year and it is such a relief.TT, all the very best.Ine, thanks a lot for your kind words, and thanks for the offer to pass on information about other sites. Another site that I know of is Transitions Abroad but I hvae not tried my luck there.Poison thank you once again for your wishes.Max, thank you so much for the encouragement.Rajat, even my husband and I are keen on trying to bike sometime but we have yet not taken the plunge.Lily, thank you and I hope to read all your stories from your visit to India.
nice one again,Mridula…I love travelling…And whenever I come to your blog I feel like….. my travelling desires are fulfilled to some extent..You are introducing us beautifully so many good places and all…I think in some way, to travel is gonna be part of the fun, of the adventure, I´ll ought to open to others and to make friends in the route…
wow!!! it looks soooo difficult to get published… both photos and stories!? congratulations mridula~(^o^)// Soooo Envy!!!!!
Google just launched their blog search engine, and I think this will open up a whole new world because now it’s possible to search specifically for blogs. I think you have a really great “India Travel Blog” and it makes me want to vaction there. It’s great that you can get paid for writing about it too!
Ganga, I too love interacting with people along the route but the desire to escape is more prominent for me I guess.Niki, thank you. You know it is more difficult to get published again! And that is what I desire. Thank you for your kind words.Crystal, I searched a lot of sites and amazingly many of them do not pay! And the people who make their living out of freelance travel writing, say it is so difficult. But the kick from getting published occassionaly and getting paid for it is certainly worth trying it.
Congrats Mridula…. hope u’ll get more avenues to publish ur great travel stories… best of luck…
Mridula,I love your travel tales a lot. I think you do an excellent job of putting into words what you experience. Keep posting !
Mridula,Isnt it thrilling when your work gets recognized? Especially the first time.I hope you find a lot more avenues for your travelogues. Perhaps you should think about writing a book. I’d love to get an autographed copy. 🙂
read your story! lovely post. isn’t it such a great feeling when your work is recognized and published!
Avik, Pooja and Deepak, thank you. Deepak I have asked this before who is going to play the publisher?Brood mode, thanks for reading the stiry and your kind words. Your profile picture is stunning.
hey..phew ur blog jus took my breath away..its only my cup of hot chai that almost burnt my fingers tht managed to get me back to reality..u’ve done an awesome job of compiling ur travails..and u’re so articulate and immaculate in ur descriptions..u remind me of my sister who’s in germany..she’s fond of travelling..probably reads as much as u do..and is a linguist..(12 languages..read write,speak..!!)Great going..i wanna see more..and who knows..i migt have my ladakh trip pics on my blog soon..;-)Parasonix
Parasonix, you made my day with your lovely comment. Thank you. I am fond of reading but can deal with only two languages Hindi and English 🙂 It sounds incredible to me that your sis can speak, read and write 12. That is amazing. I would love to see your Ladakh pics, the place is amazing!
hey mrids..trying to take time off work..but might not be that lucky soon enuf..hey wats the best time to get there..and where’s the best place to stay..i mean i wanna go there as i’m a getaway freak..just get away from the noise..i know there r a zillion sites tellin me where all to go and how but none better thn ppl who’ve actually been there..FIRST HANDcheersPara Parablogs
Para, I guess peak season in Ladakh is from June to September. It can still be visited in October but one has to check if the routes are open, Manali-Leh or Srinagar-Leh. By air it is accessable year round but it is supposed to get very cold in December and most of the shops migrate to Goa after September! I went in June this year and I simply love Ladakh. The people there are great. There are more foreign tourists than Indian in Ladakh probably because reaching Ladakh by road is pretty tiring.Our main aim was to trek but I had to give up mid way. We stayed in a budget hotel, so if you want one stay out of the main market and Fort road and you get rooms for Rs 200. If you want more upscale places stay in the main market or Fort Road. I guess a place called ‘Laser Mo’ is upscale and people like it.If you want to see the lakes it takes one whole day to reach Pangong Lake and come back. To see Tso Mo Riri lake it takes more than a day, you cannot get back the same day. I hope this helps. I have written about this tirp here. have a look if you have time. Let me know if you want more information. Do go to Ladakh, you will enjoy it.There is an excellent guide to Ladakh on a website called gonomad.com. Just search for Ladakh there and it will give you every detail you care for and more.
Great help..see what i was sayin abt FIRST HAND info..i was actually scheduled for a Ladakh trip way back in 98..with a SKI-CAMP at Himachal..plans got canned ..and sadly have never been able to get them together…so far..but hope to be there..pretty soon..cheers..Paras
Para, I am glad you find information of help. I am grateful that you find my blog of interest and gave it a mention at yours. I have published only once at GoNomad but yes, another story and this one is about Ladakh is in the pipeline. Thank you so much for giving me a mention.
hey any time…and keep posting…wat ur blog keeps on doing when i see it us re-inforces my Belief…that on the web….CONTENT IS KING…and that explains the number of hits u ghet and the kind of visitors you see..Cheers..Para
I sent Gonomad a story ages ago and got SQUAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous, I do not understand SQUAT! Doe that mean no?