I didn't make up those letters. I couldn't. They are real examples which Ihave received from people who would like to become travel writers. And who wouldn't? But there are ways and ways, and the aim of this article is to help you get a lot further than the people above did.

As the editor of Traveller magazine, I receive proposals for articles from travel writers of all kinds - Fleet Street journalists, published authors, commercial publicists, compulsive travellers and enthusiastic beginners. And it's clear that there are just as many versions of what travel writing is: the factual report on a popular destination, the sensitive literary impression of a distant culture, the free 'plug', the backpacker's tale of glory, the raw talent that needs a little technical guidance. Which is where you come in. So let's start at the beginning. What kind of writer do you want to be - and why?

Let me be Devil's Advocate here and put the case against becoming a travel writer. Contrary to popular belief, it won't pay your way around the world. A handful of newspaper and magazine journalists make a regular living and take a lot of trips, but the rest don't. The rest are either travelling anyway, or do something else for a living. And even the successful journalists tend to get short trips that include a lot of factual research (best hotels, cheapest fares, etc.). If you want to spend time savouring a foreign culture, it will usually be at your own expense.

Also contrary to popular belief, the reading public is not waiting breathlessly to hear your - or anyone else's - personal views on the world and all that is in it. Readers want information that is useful or interesting in itself: they don't want deeply personal musings on experiences they are unlikely ever to share.

On the other hand, travel writing might just make you famous. In the wake of Bill Bryson's global success, the market for travel books seems to expand inexhaustibly. Since there's almost nowhere on the planet that's not been written about already, book-publishers are hungry for new angles on old journeys. Hence some current titles that are weird but popular - travelling round Ireland carrying a fridge, for example, or travelling round the globe touching only deserts. And remember that Bryson's bestsellers are actually based on places most of us can visit (Europe, Australia, America), but described in his own inimitable style.

Other would-be travel writers do it not for the fame or the money, sensibly enough. They do it because they genuinely love to write, or because they have been somewhere that fires them up. In my experience, these are the ones worth watching. A writer who combines talent and passion can go a long way, eventually.

So how do you get your writing published? If you're a total beginner, then the classic route is to slowly build up a reputation through journalistic articles (see below). Having a portfolio of articles in print can help even if you're aiming at book-publishing, because it gives you credibility and something solid to show publishers. It gets your name out there, and establishes your area of expertise.

If your ultimate goal is books rather than articles, you should know that many book- publishers rely largely on literary agents for new talent, so you might do best to approach the agents. There are lists of them in the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook, or you may have personal contacts who can help. The classic approach is to send in a one-page summary of your book idea, giving the overall theme and a breakdown of the chapters, plus a sample chapter in full - perhaps the opening chapter, so they can see whether you can grab the audience. You should anticipate quite a long haul as you do the round of the agents.

But before that, for most writers, comes the stage of trying to sell your work to newspaper or magazine editors. The rules here are fairly simple:

If you compare these rules of thumb with the letters quoted at the start of this article, you can see where they went wrong. The first letter - apart from its off-putting rudeness - doesn't convey the proposal at all (rule 3). The second letter doesn't suggest an angle (rule 2) and would have most editors scared of a deluge of material. The third letter does have a strong angle but, as the author says, it is unsuitable (rule 1). Interestingly, all three letters break rule 4 in their own delightful ways. Unfortunately, none of them got far enough to test rule 5.

Much better than these is a straightforward letter like this, which just arrived:

Doesn't it sound intriguing? Wouldn't you want to know more? The writer has got lots of things right here - for starters, the name of the editor. He's told us the angle, the location, and his own credentials for writing about this. It's clear that he's looked at the magazine and tailored his material to fit one of the sections. He's also made it easy for the busy editor, by enclosing the pictures and a reply envelope. Crucially, he's explained that this article would be a UK'first': editors love to publish something before their rivals. And all of that is conveyed in 66 words.

Now we've got a grip on how not to sell a story, let's consider what not to submit to an editor. He or she won't want unedited chunks of your travel diaries, since they won't suit the publication's style. Nor postcard- style reminiscences of happy holidays, which are too personal to interest the general reader. Nor thinly disguised 'plugs' for hotels/tour agents/resorts/airlines or anyone else who's obviously done the author some favour or other. Nor, sadly, reminiscences of the travels of ten, 20 or even 30 years ago: no matter how much they mean to the author, they won't be topical enough for the editor.

What the editor does want to receive is material that suits his or her publication, is entertainingly written, and tells the reader something worth knowing. It must be up- to-date and accurate. It should be written in 'house style'. It could be topical. And it helps if the story can be easily illustrated with photographs. Getting of all that right will get you in print.

So, having passed the test and got your proposal or article accepted, what happens next? My best advice is to regard the publication of your article as a beginning rather than an end. Regard that magazine or newspaper as your prime target, on the assumption that if they liked your material once, they will do again. Try to work out why that particular article got published, and offer them the same 'formula' a second or third time. Try to build some contacts there: perhaps get known for some area of expertise on which they might call you. Crucially, start a contact book in which to note any useful names and addresses, and keep careful track of your submissions and conversations.

With this combination of professionalism and patience, you might find that first article in print is a door opening into your future.