Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Willden.
Hi Jenny, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have wanted to be a travel writer since I was a child, and I studied Journalism to become a magazine editor. I was a year into a career as the Assistant Editor of Digital Scrapbooking magazine when the 2008 recession hit. Despite a recent redesign and record renewals for our publication, I was laid off in the fallout. Suddenly, I was on the job hunt again and found a job on Craigslist as the editor of a local magazine called Outdoor Sports Guide. I became the editor of this Utah magazine back in 2008 and still serve as its managing editor today.
Working in the outdoor industry boosted my already strong love for the outdoors and made me try new activities like mountain biking and peak summiting. I love sharing these adventures with others and pushing people to go beyond their comfort zone to try something new. My favorite adventures have been ones that pushed me, like climbing my first 14er, running a half marathon, and scaling a via Ferrata along a mountain.
Beyond outdoor activities, I’m passionate about sharing the gear for adventures with others. I can wax poetic about hiking boots and sleeping bags for days and love testing items to find the best items to share with my audience. I appear occasionally on KSL TV and Fox as an outdoor adventure gear expert.
After many years working at Outdoor Sports Guide, I began branching into freelancing and have now written travel stories for over 50 publications. You can read my work in Sensi magazine, Outside Business Journal, Trivago magazine, Matador Network, Marriott Traveler, TripSavvy, and countless other publications. In my free time, I love to mentor new writers and those looking to start a career in journalism.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My husband spent the last decade working as a pilot and active-duty military officer, requiring us to live outside Utah for a while after getting married. It was a challenge to continue working for a Salt Lake City-based magazine while in another state, but it allowed me to return often to my hometown that I loved and missed. I have now relocated back to Salt Lake City and enjoyed being able to live where I work while exploring this beautiful state.
My greatest challenge came in the early days of COVID when my magazine stopped publishing bi-monthly issues, and all travel freelance writing was put on pause. I had to find new clients in other spaces to write for and began writing about running shoes, virtual travel, and even how to make your home feel like a hotel. As restrictions loosened, many of my publications returned and hired me as a freelancer again.
But other publications never came back, leaving a hole in my work schedule that I had to fill with new outlets. It was a huge challenge to try and rebuild my income to its previous level, and I still sometimes struggle with the instability of freelance writing–despite loving the freedom and fun it offers.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known for being an outdoor adventure and travel expert. I’m often invited on press trips (often called FAMs), where I learn about new destinations and write about them. This has ranged from a trip with Coors Light to climb the mountain on its can to mountain biking through southern Switzerland. I am a jack of all trades, a master of none, and I enjoy trying all kinds of outdoor adventures, even if I’m not very good at them. I am proud that I’ve challenged myself to do things I once thought impossible, like run a marathon or climb a peak.
I’m proud of my ability to create a travel writing career out of nothing. I went beyond my magazine job to develop a freelancing career and spent a lot of time cold-pitching publications to get hired. Many pitches were unsuccessful, but I was able to build upon my success to become a successful travel writer in my field.
One thing that sets me apart is going beyond the page to venture into video as well. Few people do both travel writing and gear tv appearances, and this unique skill set has helped me grow while showcasing unique abilities. I love showcasing gear on television to share favorites with a wider audience. I would love more opportunities to grow the TV side of my freelancing business.
What were you like growing up?
I was a playful, energetic kid. I often got in trouble for being too talkative and too social, but despite this, I achieved good grades in school throughout my youth. I began my writing career in elementary school, where I launched a newspaper with her friend. I went on to become an editor for my junior high and high school newspapers after discovering my knack for grammar and news writing. I later studied journalism at Seattle University and interned at the Seattle Post Intelligencer before shifting my focus to magazine writing. I later graduated number one in my journalism class.
As a child, I was not the outdoorsy adventurer I am today. I always loved skiing and participated in the kids’ ski team at Utah’s Alta Ski Area. My family did not camp or hike but loved taking road trips to Utah’s national parks. I always loved animals and grew up with a big black lab called Barkly. I love horses too and used to teach kids to ride horses while riding and competing on them myself. Today, I still love taking horseback rides through Utah’s mountains.
I fell in love with travel in junior high when I first visited Europe and spent many high school summers serving humanitarian missions in Mexico, Russia, and California. I also spent a semester studying French at the University of Grenoble in southern France. This love of travel made me pursue the travel writing career I have today.
Pricing:
- Blog Posts $300-$500
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.jennywillden.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenny.willden
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JennyWilldenAuthor/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennywillden
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennywillden
Image Credits
Kristofer Noel, Rachael Smith, Rachael Smith, and Gaelle Batot
