Meet a MatadorU Success Story: Natasha Amar

Natasha Amar is a current student enrolled in the Fundamentals of Travel Writing and the Advanced Travel Writing courses. Apart from writing on her own blog TheBohoChica.com, she works on blogging and writing assignments for other clients on a freelance basis. She also works on influencer campaigns with brands and tourism boards on her blog and Instagram channel. This year she is looking to break into bigger publications and write stories that explore cultures on a deeper level.

She’s very proud of Why The Feminist in Me Loves Iceland, which she describes as “my most honest piece of writing” and was re-published by The Coffeelicious on Medium here.

What travel media projects and/or jobs do you have on the go at the moment?

I write full-time for my own blog and I’m a regular contributor for a few other online publications such as GoOverseas. Over the past six months, I’ve had the chance to go on several press trips, a roadtrip through Jordan in the camel tracks of Lawrence of Arabia, the BlogVille 2016 project in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region, a lifestyle glamping experience in Slovenia, a few different trips with tourism boards in Sweden, and, finally, exploring Austria and Serbia along the Cultural Routes of Europe with the Council of Europe and Institute of Cultural Routes.

I’m also currently working on a campaign with Hilton Hotels to create content for their online magazine.

What accomplishment (inside or outside of the U) since joining MatadorU are you proud of most?

I’m proud of all of the press trips and jobs because I believe I was offered these opportunities for my style of content more than anything else. It reinforces the fact that if you invest in your craft, it pays off in the long run. I like to look at success as a series of small wins and being happy doing what you love. I like what I spend most of my day doing — every single day — and that is the accomplishment I’m most proud of.

How did MatadorU prepare you for those?

What I’ve learnt at MatadorU has made it easier for me to put myself out there, pitch aggressively, and apply for writing positions. I’ve learnt a lot about both the writing and pitching processes and this helps me to be focused when I’m trying to pitch a new assignment, client, or publication. Being a part of the community also gives me access to tons of opportunities in Marketplace, something I truly value.

What was the most important takeaway from your experience at MatadorU?

You have to be proactive if you want to make a career in travel media. Create opportunities or go to them when they don’t come to you.

What did you enjoy most about your MatadorU experience?

The courses have helped me find my own voice as a writer and though this is still a work in progress, it makes me enjoy writing even more and I am positive now that choosing this career was the right decision. That is a good feeling.

What was the biggest benefit of joining the MatadorU community?

There are two mainly: One, the excellent feedback from the faculty that helps us as students to look within and ask ourselves some tough questions, that ultimately helps us better our craft. Two, the sense of community is invaluable with fellow students sharing advice, tips and resources, and lending an ear to the occasional rant.

What would you say to anyone considering getting into travel media as a career, for supplemental income, or even as a hobby?

This is something you have to really love to do, because it’s only when you find happiness in the creation of the content, whether it’s an article or video, more than the income it brings you, that you’ll do your best and most inspired work. You have to invest time in learning the craft and being the best that you can be and that should be your biggest motivation. Also, try to attend as many conferences as you can because you can learn a lot from your peers and build relationships with them and prospective clients.