This weeks interview is with the conscientious Abbie Mood. Abbie is an ambitious travel writer who lives in Southern California and loves sipping green tea! She also teaches preschool Special Ed. and writes about the impact she has and the contribution she can give to the world to inspire others to do the same. Check out her blog at http://matadornetwork.com/author/abbie-mood/
1. What is your motivation behind wanting to become a successful travel writer?
I recently realized that two things I love to do are travel and write, so it was kind of obvious for me to put the two together and become a travel writer. Luckily I’ve always received positive feedback about my writing, so I have a lot of support, too.
2. What is the biggest learning you have made in your journey so far? Is there any advice you would like to share with others?
I’ve learned to just put myself out there 100%. Some people like my writing, some people don’t, but once I decided to go for it and put myself out there, things have really started rolling for my writing career.
3. What is your greatest success that you have achieved with your travel writing to date?
I would have to say my that I have two great successes. The first being chosen to be an intern for the Matador Network (http://www.matadornetwork.com), the world’s largest independent magazine, and the second being hired as the Orange County contributor for PlanetEye Traveler online magazine (http://www.planeteyetraveler.com).
4. Describe your current location and what has taken you there?
I currently live in Anaheim, California. I was born and raised in Delaware, but once I graduated college, my boyfriend and I wanted something different, so we moved out to California 4 1/2 years ago. Moving across the country definitely kick-started my desire to see more of the United States, and more of the world.
5. What experiences have brought you the most joy in your life?
I’m learning to appreciate every experience because whether it is good or bad, there is always something you can learn.
6. What was your day like and what were you most grateful for?
Since I’m off from school right now (I’m a teacher and we’re on a 3 week break), my dogs woke me up around 8 a.m. After breakfast and a little Saved By the Bell (comes on everyday at 8 & 8:30 in case you were wondering), I checked my email and Google Reader. Then I drove to Santa Monica to meet a friend for lunch and wandered around Venice Beach for a bit while trying not to spend money. After I came home, the dogs were going crazy so I took them for a walk, got a snack, and sat down to check blogs again. When my boyfriend gets home we’ll probably go for a run and have dinner!
Today I was really present to loving my time off, loving the beautiful SoCal weather, and loving my two dogs. I’m also grateful that I have some really amazing people in my life.
7. When do you feel that you would be confident in calling yourself a professional travel writer?
When I get to the point that I can make a living as a writer, I will consider myself a pro.
8. What is your greatest ambition?
My greatest writing ambition is that I have been published in National Geographic by 2019.
9. Where does your passion for travel come from?
My passion comes from the realization that experiences are something that no one can take away, and that experiences, not material things, make you who you are. I also have a passion for learning, and I want to learn about other places and other countries firsthand. There is so much more to the world than our hometowns, our states, our countries – I want to see it all!
10. What travel writers do you admire?
I really admire Julie Schwietert Collazo, one of the Editors at the Matador Network, because she has always answered any and every question I’ve had about travel writing (even before I was an intern). She has truly contributed to my development as a writer in a major way.
I also admire travel writers who are out there making a living out of what they love to do.
11. What is the craziest situation you have been in while travelling?
I have been pretty lucky in my travels that I haven’t gotten into anything too crazy… hmm… one of the days when I was in Cambodia, the other girls and I had to get to the school we were volunteering at, but our tuk-tuk was out with someone else. One of the guys who worked at the guest house offered to take me and one of the other girls (Kristen) on his motorbike, so we hopped on. I was hanging on to Kristen with one arm and hanging onto the back of the bike with the other hand, hoping we didn’t hit a big bump. Traffic in Siem Reap is crazy – bikes, motorbikes, tuk-tuks, cars, and people walking everywhere, so I guess that would be a pretty crazy situation 🙂
12. What is your favourite drink and where would you like to have it?
I really like green tea, and I like to hang out and people watch, so probably in a square or on a street somewhere in Europe.
NEXT WEEK
Check out next Wednesdays New Travel Writer Interview with Nancy Harder.She is a 24 year old vegan freelance writer, musician, and photographer who has traveled to over 20 different countries. To find out more why not take a glimpse at her wonderful blog here http://nancythegnomette.com