Whenever you’re pitching a potential story to an editor — whether we’re talking about a magazine or an online publication — you’ll be asked about your clips. Editors want to see the quality of your writing before agreeing to give you money and, honestly, I don’t blame them. But if you’re just starting out in your travel writing efforts, you may not have a collection of bought-and-paid-for articles you can show off. That doesn’t mean you’re out of luck when it comes to clips, though.

1. Write an article without a market: Just because an editor hasn’t agreed to purchase any of your work yet doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be writing. If you’ve got a great idea, do the research and get it written up. You’ll be able to submit it on spec, or at least use it as a writing sample. While editors do tend to prefer writers who have already earned another editor’s trust (i.e. have been paid), they’re really concerned about how well you write. Even an unpublished sample can help you out.
2. Blog: I suggest blogging cautiously. If you’re blogging with the intention of using your efforts as writing samples, your blog needs to be absolutely professional. I’m of the opinion that you really ought to have your own domain and a theme that every other blogger under the sun isn’t using. But as long as you keep your work top-notch whether or not you’re getting paid for it, your blog can help you out.
3. Use social media: There are tons of sites, like Squidoo or Hubpages that allow you to write articles and post them as you like. You get the benefit of publishing your work on a site other than your own, and you may even make a few dollars off of your writing.
4. Submit guest posts: Do you know how many travel blogs are out there? The number is literally in the millions — and most of them are hungry for extra content. They may not be hungry enough to pay you for your efforts, but you can get yourself published on an established site that covers travel.

Photo — Tranquilo Traveler