Where are you based?

I've lived in great cities, like Chicago and Philadelphia, before eventually buying a bungalow in historic Perrysburg, Ohio. The nearest airport is Detroit (DTW).

What topics and places do you cover?

I live for stories with meaningful and surprising connections, but broadly speaking, I explore everything from global outdoor adventures, wildlife conservation, sustainability, and Indigenous tourism, to expedition cruises, hotels, underrated cities, and cocktail recipes and cocktail bars. I'm interested in places that are doing something refreshing and newsworthy. This next year, I'm interested in emerging global destinations, especially if there is a story connected to the outdoors and conservation. I also do round-ups within these categories.

What you don't write about.

I don't generally write about family-specific travel and theme parks (not sure why I get those, but I do). I love small ship expeditions in the wild, but I'm not interested in large cruises.

What outlets do you usually pitch (and write for)?

You might find me in a variety of places depending on the story depth, like BBC Travel, NatGeo, Travel+Leisure, Insidehook, Virtuoso, Sierra Magazine, Canadian Geographic, Cool Material, etc.. 

The best PR pitches include ...

Brevity (a graph or two, maybe bullet points) and often include a personalized introduction: “Hey Brandon, I know you write about X, and I have a client with a great story that you'll be interested in.” Pitches that say that you know something about the areas I find meaningful are going to get my attention. If you want to include more info after, that's fine with me, but give me the gist of why this story and why now. 

Are you in-house or freelance (or both)?

Freelance.

What is your approach to press trips?

I always appreciate the invites, but I can't travel everywhere, even when I can see the value of your client. I'm also trying to balance homelife and having time to write and pitch, with travel. I prefer places that are emerging and timely. This next year, I'm looking for more surprising international stories. 

Press trips should be fully hosted. I'm leaning toward individual trips more, but I'm open to group trips if there is a chance to have a unique angle. I prefer time to explore. Too much programming may feel like a chance to get the exact story you want, but a story that lives with the reader needs the authenticity of exploration. I need to believe I can sell the story. 

What are your professional pet peeves?

I really appreciate how often I see PR fighting for their clients. I know I would do the same. But demands for confirmed assignments, specific angles, select publications, or targeted deadlines are unrealistic, especially for freelancers. 

Not all publications will allow for press trips, so sometimes I'll do a story from the desk if I think it would be best for a specific story. It doesn't mean that I don't want to visit; it just means that I can't for that story. 

I'm also turned off by repeated follow-ups from press releases. If I don't reply, it could be because I'm usually drowning in emails, but it doesn't mean I won't return to it. I have a folder for those that I want to check into later when I have more time, so you might see me pop back up in your inbox later. 

In your past professional life, you were …

A professor at a local university teaching the history of religion and philosophy. I'm much happier now. 

Where would you like to return to?

I need more of Italy, Kenya (and Africa in general), Antarctica, and the Netherlands.  

What's on your bucket list?

While not emerging destinations, I'm six continents in and haven't yet been to Australia or New Zealand. Give me an adventure and an Indigenous story there, please! Other bucket-listers include Greece (still haven't been there), Chile, a sail through the Northwest Passage, Mongolia, Uganda, and others.  

Where do you travel for fun?

Anywhere I can get outdoors—but take me to Canada or Washington state (hi Spokane) and I'm happy. 

Your funniest (or most harrowing) travel story is …

This is hard to narrow down. One story I think about often that was both funny and harrowing to me was soaking in a hot spring during an approaching forest fire near Albuquerque (I didn't learn about it until I soaked in the spring). Extremely high winds brought trees down around me quickly and encouraged me to call it quits. I was followed by another guy who arrived after me, who was au naturel and frantically getting dressed while running down the trail and dodging another tree that fell. I warned him to remember where he put his clothes.

What advice would you give your younger professional self?

Earning degrees is always good, but you'll be happier if your debt came from being a struggling travel writer than from school loans. Also, don't take everything at face value: always ask questions.

What nugget would you like to add that we haven't touched on?

I know everyone is competing for attention, and it isn't easy in this industry. Editors get all of the same press releases we freelancers get, plus our pitches. It may just take time to get a story recognized, and it may have nothing to do with the value of the story itself. When I believe in a story, I just keep pitching it—sometimes refreshed a bit—until someone sees what I'm seeing. 

How best should people contact you?

Find me here on TravMedia. LinkedIn is less helpful.