A Conversation with Kara Williams

Kara Williams travel writerKara Williams is one of the first people I interviewed in this blog, way back in 2010, and we spent time together at multiple conferences. She has written for me at two publications and has a storied career as a writer both travel and otherwise. See her full bio at the bottom, but here's her story! 

How did you "break in to travel writing" and what was your first big byline?

In the early 2000s, I was the editor of my local parenting magazine that covered Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley, where I still live. The valley is anchored by two popular tourist towns — Aspen and Glenwood Springs — and I loved sharing my tips for family-friendly activities in the area, not only for locals but also visitors who would pick up the free magazine. After my family returned from a stellar trip to Kauai in 2007, I assigned myself a story, "10 Things to Do in Kauai with Kids." I enjoyed writing that piece so much, I decided I wanted to focus my freelance writing on travel topics.

I took an online travel-writing class from Amanda Castleman called "From Press Trips to Punctured Tires" and started pitching everywhere. I'd say my first big(gish) byline was in the Dallas Morning News, when then-editor Larry Bleiberg bought my story about a new hotel spa in Beaver Creek, Colorado. I'd been published plenty in print before (I started my editorial career after college on staff at Working Mother). Still, it was thrilling to land an article in a Sunday newspaper travel section.

Another exciting initial travel byline was in the now-defunct, Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine, about road-tripping to Colorado hot springs.

You started a group travel blog with two other women and eventually sold it. What was that experience like?

Creating The Vacation Gals with two smart women, Beth Blair and Jen Miner, was a highlight of my career, for sure. We launched it in 2009 as travel blogging was taking off, so everyone at that time was figuring out the best ways to earn money from owning websites. We learned as we went, and we had a ball meeting other bloggers at conferences like TBEX. We rode the wave of sponsored travel and lucrative content campaigns, enjoying some fabulous travels and experiences with our young children, all thanks to our well-read blog. 

As our kids grew older and our interests evolved, running The Vacation Gals felt more like stressful work than lighthearted fun. As website owners know, keeping up with Google algorithm changes is tough! So in early 2018, we sold the website to a blogger we knew who now runs it as part of her larger portfolio.

It was a bittersweet sale, but at the time, it felt good to move on with only happy memories from owning a successful website with my good friends.

I sold a site too last decade that you worked on with me and now we've come full circle with you doing lodging reviews for Hotel Scoop. What do you consider your specialties in terms of what you cover?

I started my travel-writing career covering attractions in Colorado, and 15 years later I continue to regularly write about my home state. Lately I'm finding that editors appreciate "destination experts" who can write with authority about a certain locale. As much as I love to travel to far-flung places, I'm also always happy to share the scoop on a place I love. 

My husband and I bought a motorhome at the onset of the pandemic so we could travel safely to visit my family in New England. Turns out I love RV travel! So, in the last few years, I’ve written a bit about our road trips, not only for editorial publications but as a content creator for Harvest Hosts, an RV membership club. 

Colorado camping Kara Williams

I’ve visited 35 of our 63 national parks, and I enjoy writing about camping and hiking in these treasured spots. Increasingly, I’m covering fabulous accommodations – from retro motels to upscale resorts — not only for Hotel Scoop, but also Travel + Leisure, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, TravelAge West, and TravelAwaits. Finally, destination spas, hot springs, and tropical locations are other favorite topics. 

Your writing career has taken a few turns as your family situation changed. What have you been doing over the past five or six years?

In 2018, after selling the blog I co-owned, I took a full-time job working as a remote copy editor for Healthline. At the time, my daughter had just graduated from high school and my son had just gotten his driver’s license. I felt like I didn't need to be “on hand” for them so much anymore. Prior to that, working from home as a freelance writer was ideal — I was able to volunteer in their classrooms regularly and shuttle them to after-school activities. But I was eager to earn a regular paycheck again while trying something different.

Working for Healthline was great, namely because I was surrounded by like-minded editors who enjoy having lengthy discussions about commas, em-dashes, and colons! I took a total break from freelancing, and instead, my days were filled with online editing, Zoom meetings, and Slack messages. When the pandemic hit, my job didn’t change at all, which was a blessing when so many others’ work style was upended. (Also, since I wasn’t covering travel, I didn’t have to pivot like many travel writers and blog owners did when worldwide travel came to a standstill.)

Yet, after three years at Healthline, I missed the flexibility of freelancing and being my own boss. So I quit my steady full-time employment to return to writing and editing on my own schedule.

Kara traveling in Scotland

What advice would you give to someone near and dear to you who wanted to become a travel writer or blogger?

Make sure you can commit to the hustle! Whether you’re promoting your blog or your writing services, it’s ongoing work. As a freelance travel writer, I’m constantly pitching story ideas. There’s plenty of rejection (and ghosting) in my world, so you’ve got to have thick skin. 

But if you’re willing to put in the effort, by all means, travel writing and blogging can be rewarding — with plenty of perks (e.g. hosted travel). Start with what you know: Write about where you live and offer advice on how you personally travel, since you know that method best (whether it’s family or romantic, budget or luxury, adventure or historic travel). It worked for me when I started in the field years ago, and I continue to find success with my expert angles today.

Networking is key. Meeting other writers and editors on press trips and at conferences has directly led to paying work for me. Freelancing from home can be a lonely business, so if you have the opportunity to attend press events, say yes. Get on media lists by introducing yourself via email to public relations companies and local tourism entities.

Finally, be the gracious, thoughtful writer who offers genuine thanks to a helpful PR person or savvy editor. And always meet your deadlines!

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In her editorial career spanning more than 30 years, Kara Williams has served as a magazine editor, newspaper reporter, corporate copy editor, and proofreader. Currently, as a freelance writer, Kara focuses on all things travel, from sublime spas and upscale hotels to RV camping and national parks. Kara has won Lowell Thomas, SATW Western Chapter, and NATJA awards for her work. An empty nester, she makes her home in the Colorado mountains with her husband. Learn more about Kara on her website and follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

Interview conducted in August, 2023 by Travel Writing 2.0 author Tim Leffel.

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