On Assignment in Black Forest, Germany

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of a recent assignment of mine to Black Forest, Germany, documenting the craftsmen and women of the region. I share a behind-the-scenes look at the process of pitching and landing this sponsored trip with the Southwest Germany Tourism Board and pitching my story to National Geographic Traveller Magazine. This episode takes on a somewhat experimental format. I share a collection of audio recordings where you’ll hear my thoughts on the pitching and planning process leading up to the trip. You’ll hear about my interest in the Black Forest and how I approached the tourism board at the IMM conference with my story idea. I shed light on the tension between freelancers and tourism boards regarding having confirmed publications for your story and share my approach to handling these inevitable questions from tourism boards. You’ll also hear about the pitch I sent to an editor with whom I already have an established relationship. The outcome was a positive jump forward for my story idea on its journey to getting published. If you’re curious about what it’s like to go on a travel assignment like this one, this episode is for you, and if you enjoy this behind-the-scenes look, be sure to check out our other On-Assignment episodes in San Luis Obispo and Austria.