How to Become a Successful Outdoor Writer
Sometimes it seems that no one wants to be an outdoor writer anymore. It doesn’t pay worth a damn. YouTube is cooler. Newspapers are going belly up every day. It’s too much work to get started.
That’s the conventional wisdom. In some respects it may be true. Fewer people read today. The written word may be on the way out in favor of other media and forms of communication. Nevertheless, writing about fishing (and occasionally about other topics) has been the most rewarding experience of my life. It has allowed me to do things that your average angler will never do: It has enabled me to fish with people like Kevin VanDam and Aaron Martens; I’ve fished at many of the best locations in the U.S. and around the world, often for discounted rates or even for free; I have more tackle in my garage than I can ever use; and this part-time job has paid for all of my tow vehicles, boats, tackle and travel for well over a decade.
By all means, keep avoiding it. I’ll take the scraps of work that you leave over. Because the number of committed writers keeps on shrinking, I have more opportunities to write than ever before. Some of those could likely be yours if you take it seriously and make a concerted effort.
Why Should You Become an Outdoor Writer?
I have mixed feelings about the notion of “side hustle nation.” As someone whose side-hustle has made his life substantially better, I can’t knock it. Yet at the same time I feel like the celebration of side gigs is often the corporate world’s way of justifying paying subpar wages and benefits. If your current salary is sufficient and your job is intellectually stimulating, then there’s no reason to engage in a second job, but for many of us that’s not the case. If you live in an expensive area, or want to pay for costly toys with cash, this is a good compromise.
So why is writing in particular a good side gig to take up? Because it has ZERO barriers to entry. You don’t need to go to a costly training or licensing school. You don’t need to buy boxes full of leggings or makeup that you might never sell. If you have a pen and a brain, you have everything you need. A computer helps, of course, but in 2021 most of us have those. If you don’t, you can even peck stuff out on your smartphone. Just as everyone who owns an iPhone is not a professional photographer, just scribbling down some words doesn’t make you a professional or talented writer, but it’s a prerequisite for the gig, so get started. There’s nothing at all to lose.
What is the Number One Rule for Becoming an Outdoor Writer?
The number one rule is to WRITE EVERY DAMN DAY. It doesn’t have to be for a famous website or magazine. It doesn’t have to be for public consumption. It doesn’t have to be a full-length book. It could even be something as short as a well-constructed and well-considered Tweet. Just write. Otherwise you’ll never get better and you’ll never see what you have to offer that others don’t.
By writing every day, you will build stamina and muscle memory. When I started writing for a friend’s website in 2001, it was a struggle to conduct one interview and finish one article a month for the project. Now, that’s not even a good evening. You have to be able to hit word counts. You have to be able to write when you don’t feel like writing. You have to be able to figure out a path forward on assignments when you don’t know anything about the topic. By writing every day you’ll get there sooner than you could have ever thought possible.
If you’re not ready to write for “real” publications, then start a blog or a journal. Again, it doesn’t have to be for public consumption if you’re afraid of negative feedback. I had a blog at Gary Yamamoto’s Inside Line for well over a decade and I almost never contributed fewer than two entries per week (usually once a year or less). I was more likely to produce three or four. Having that space allowed me to experiment with topics and forms and opinions. Ultimately, though, it couldn’t contain me. Thus the birth of Half Past First Cast, my second dedicated blog in addition to all of my other writing assignments.
Other Rules
“Write every day” is the non-negotiable rule, but there are some other things that you need to know as you embark on this process:
Read Every Day
With the democratization of the written word—first through the printing press and more recently through the internet—there’s an unending supply of things to read. First and foremost, read about your chosen topic, in this case fishing. You want to know what’s out there not only to see what’s marketable, but also to ensure that you tread your own ground. Find out what’s not being written about and then determine if that’s because no one truly cares about it or because no one has tried to tackle it yet. If it’s the latter, you have your angle. Early in my writing career, my “schtick” was that I was writing from the fan’s point of view, considering tournament bass fishing as a “real” sport, replete with the issues and controversies that any sport generates. I unabashedly stole that concept from Bill Simmons, the “Boston Sports Guy,” who has since built a multi-million dollar media empire based on the cornerstone of talking about AC Green’s wedding night. That goes to my second point. Many of the best writers are (surprise) not in the world of outdoor journalism, so read about other things you’re interested in and even some that don’t interest you. That will spur on ideas and keep your brain fertile.
Solicit and Accept Feedback
Even if you don’t initially write for an audience, as you start to get serious about writing eventually you’ll want to share your work as a means of improving it. Find someone whose opinion you trust—regardless of whether they know anything about fishing—and ask for their constructive criticism. I have no journalism training, and didn’t even know what AP Style was early in my writing career, but after an early series of assignments for BassFan the editors gave me detailed notes on what needed to be changed or improved. I internalized those lessons (kind of like the high school English teacher who warned me never to use the word “interesting”). Then, I took them to an assignment for Wired2Fish and got shredded for them. I was writing in a news-oriented style when they wanted informal personality. That led me to an “a-ha” moment, realizing that each article was written for a specific audience and that I needed to tailor my wording and my style to that audience’s needs. I still welcome constructive criticism.
One more note on this: I know that I am a terrible self-editor. You’ve probably noticed several typos in this piece already. If you can find editors who are good at their craft and who consistently provide constructive criticism, remember that they are worth their weight in gold. Keep them happy with gifts and praise.
Be Narrow, Be Broad
The best way to build a reputation and an expertise is to go as narrow as you can. For example, you could focus on tournament fishing in Nebraska or glide baits or best gear for panfish. Become the expert on something like that and you’ll be surprised at how many outlets will need your expertise. That gives you the opportunity to branch out and will also provide opportunities you had never envisioned. Because of my presumed bass expertise, I’ve been published in Goat Rancher magazine and Texas Monthly, among others. When I first pitched Texas Monthly on the idea of a profile about Keith Combs, they were dubious of my ability to meet their needs because my portfolio lacked anything in a generalist publication. Eventually, however, I was able to convince them that I had the broad skills to take it on. I would’ve written the article on spec to get published in such a prestigious magazine, but I didn’t have to do so.
Use the Perfect Number of Words
Words are free. Take as many as you want, splatter them across the page. No, that’s wrong. Words are precious, and each one should have a purpose. When an article leaves out valuable information, or has too much fluff, it’s distracting, bordering on lazy. Don’t be lazy. Don’t use a single word more than necessary. That varies depending on who you are and how you write. Hemingway’s style wouldn’t have worked for Dickens and vice versa, so find your niche and always strive to use the perfect number of words.
Do the Things You Don’t Like to Do
Any job is defined primarily by the things you do well, but also by the things you don’t do well. If you’re a great home run hitter, but you can’t be trusted to put the ball into play when that’s what’s needed, your value is diminished. I believe I write reasonably well, and I know that I do it fairly quickly. I have a great network and an ability to come up with novel ideas. What do I do poorly? Well, in addition to being a terrible self-editor, I hate to talk on the phone. In fact, my number one goal at the start of every telephone conversation is to get off the line as soon as possible. That hurts me sometimes: I may miss a critical instruction from an editor or fail to ask an interviewee a follow-up question. I’ve worked hard to better myself in this area. I’m no longer quite as abrupt or quite as impatient. My interviewing skills have gotten better and bolder and so has my output.
Get on the Road, Get on the Water
If you want to be an outdoor writer, you need to get outdoors (duh!). Actually, if you want to write about anything, you need to get out of the house and into the mix of where things are happening. So many of my stories and assignments have come as the result of semi-random encounters. My first national magazine story was about the lures Aaron Martens used in the 2004 Bassmaster Classic. I was only there because I was tired of writing exclusively for my friend’s website for free and therefore sought out a media pass. I stumbled onto a major topic of intrigue. I met the owner of Anglers Inn International when he approached me in the airport in Manaus, Brazil. A few years ago I learned that B.A.S.S. was having their meetings for the new Elite Series pros at a time when I was already going to be in Alabama on a fishing trip. I somehow weaseled my way not only into the venue, but also into the position of giving the anglers a brief talk about how to work with the media. If you’re not in the stadium, you don’t get a chance to bat. All of those examples came because I spent money out of my own pocket (the first five Classics I attended were all on my own dime) and those expenditures were subsequently paid back multiple times over.
Stay Open to New Directions
I’ve written hundreds of thousands of words about bass fishing, and I’m sure I’ll write hundreds of thousands more before I croak. I still get excited when there’s good topic or angle to address. Nevertheless, as I’ve been exposed to more types of fishing–fly fishing, saltwater fishing—and more people, I’ve realized that the list of things I’d like to write about is far broader than the narrow box that I live in. This blog is the perfect example of that. No one had a publication or website that fit our precise vision, so Hanna and I invented it. Now we define our own terms and we can write about food or art or clothing or anything that relates even tangentially to fishing. I’m 100 percent confident that will lead to even more opportunities, but if it doesn’t that’s OK because we’re having fun along the way.
Treat it Like a Job
Writing is fun at times and the research can be extremely enjoyable but that doesn’t mean it’s a hobby or a lark. Editors won’t hesitate to delete your contact information or stop returning your calls if you burn them. That means return all calls and emails within 24 hours. Never miss a deadline. Don’t be sloppy. Your job is to make everyone else’s job easier. The best compliment I can get from an editor is another unsolicited assignment and that won’t happen if my efforts force them to do extra work.
Don’t Overestimate or Underestimate Your Value
Now that everyone can be an armchair outdoor writer, many paying markets have depressed their rates substantially. I’m fortunate at this point that I have a full-time salary plus as much writing as I can reasonably handle, so I can turn down underpaying work. Only you can decide what a fair rate might be, but if you do something for nothing or next to nothing that should be paying, remember that you are reducing the rates for those who make a living at this–including, possibly, yourself in the future. That said, there are a number of other reasons to take a job besides just monetary payment. It might give you access to a person or place you wouldn’t otherwise know. It might just be fun (like this blog, which pays nothing). It might give you an opportunity to broaden your skill set or knowledge base. Each individual assignment has its own calculus as it relates to your needs. I recently turned down a dreadfully boring assignment that would have paid $5,000 over three months because I felt like it might take longer than expected and not be worthwhile on an hourly basis. Meanwhile, I continue to contribute a monthly column to a regional newsletter for $50 a pop. The editor took a chance on me early on, gives me wide latitude to work with various anglers, which helps out anglers who need it, and it doesn’t take a hell of a lot of time. The rate is below what I’d accept today, but since 2006 it has totaled nearly $10k, a not-insubstantial amount.
WHY AM I WRITING ABOUT THIS?
Robbins, you’ve got the best gig going. People pay you to write about fishing, to go fishing, and to talk about fishing. It’s a relatively uncrowded space, too. If I’d been passionate about baseball or economics or national defense I’m sure I could’ve written about any of those topics, but there are plenty of really good writers already inhabiting and dominating that world. It would have been more of an uphill climb. Meanwhile, I entered outdoor writing just as many of the leaders in the field either started to slow down or retire. It was a perfect storm of opportunity.
Nearly twenty years into this gig, I’m not afraid of losing my opportunities or my positions. I feel like I’ve established myself enough that I’ll always have a comfortable amount of work. While I don’t want other, younger writers taking my assignments, I also realize that a further professionalization of fishing writing would be to my benefit. In the bass fishing world in particular, we don’t yet have a seminal work like “A River Runs Through It” or an author who is famous for fishing, but also for more generalist writing, like Hemingway. If we attract more good writers, that will attract more good readers, and that will help us all.
So many people, including other writers, have helped me along the way. Early on they included Alan Clemons and Terry Battisti, who are still close friends today. I frequently text and email with the boys at BassFan. Editors including Thomas Allen and Joe Cermele have become both friends and trusted confidantes. I feel the need to pay all of their kindness forward, and the best way I know how to do that is with words.
