Writer Guidelines
Would you like to write for us?
What we’re looking for:
Lodging Articles
Experienced writers who’ve stayed or plan to stay in a unique cottage or vacation rental property in a European destination. We are open to also include unique boutique hotels, inns, and bed and breakfasts. But each of these venues should fit the region. Perusing our website, articles, and photos will illustrate exactly what we mean.
Destination Articles
In addition, we may request a destination side piece covering what to see, and where to play and dine in the area. Readers love personal “must-do” recommendations. Again, you can refer to the website for the styling of this article as well.
Showcasing Europe Articles
Submissions however are not limited to lodging. We want to showcase Europe, so, we’re also looking for unique stories about a place, whether it’s a fascinating town, an art museum, winery, castle, park or nature reserve, and more.
Here are some examples of lodging articles:
Hôtel Villa Alexandre: A Luxury Beaujolais Villa
Bonny B&B Rental on Isle of Skye in Scotland
Cozy Up in One of These Gorgeous Cortona Vacation Rentals
Here are some examples of destination and showcasing Europe pieces:
Shoes on the Danube River: A Poignant Budapest Memorial
Durnstein: Fairy Tale Town in Austria Wachau Valley
Art museums in Paris – the Louvre, Orsay, Pompidou and beyond
Spending the Day in Cambridge, England
Mondsee and Salzburg, Austria: The Sound of Music Locations
Pitch First: Please send pitches only via this form and if we feel it’s a good match, we’ll gladly assign the story. Include a link to the rental and any photos if available.
If your pitch is accepted:
Write in First Person: If you include “we” in your story, please describe the “we” (spouse, friend, children). Writing in first person makes the story more personal, and personal content is what we’re looking for. We want you to take the readers on the journey with you!
Word Count: We’re pretty flexible on this. But we’re not looking for long pieces. Articles typically run between 600-800 words each for property pieces and destination pieces. Bring your story to life with vivid descriptions, quotes, and storytelling that makes the reader want to “go there” and “do that.” Be thorough. Paint the picture of the property or destination filling in where photos do not cover.
Article Submission: Please prepare the story in Microsoft Word. Then upload your story and photos in Dropbox and share the link with us via the email we used to accept your pitch. Title your article and add your name under the title. Just know that the title may change after editing for SEO purposes. Use subtitles in the article and a link to the property if applicable.
Photos: Submit at least 5-8 high-resolution photos (do not resize for web, we will handle that) for both the vacation rental pieces and destination pieces. Horizontal images work the best for layout. Please caption your photos and provide photography credits. You should also obtain permission to utilize photos from the rental property owner/manager or venue if you need to augment your own personal photos.
Videos: If you can create a video, we’d love it!
Payment: In lieu of a set payment amount for articles, Book Cottages is doing something different. Each month, authors of the three top three traffic-generating articles across Rovology, Travel by Vacation Rental and Book Cottages will receive a monetary bonus payment of $100 for most clicks that month, $75 for second and $50 for third. Articles are eligible for the bonus for a period of 6 months after publication but can only receive each individual story’s bonus payment one time.
Sharing on social media: In today’s fast-paced travel world, sharing on social media is not an option, it’s a requirement and it’s expected by your host destination and venues. In addition, as we have already shared, it will drive traffic to your story and further increase your remuneration opportunity.
Publication Rights: We publish first, worldwide, and digital rights. We also exercise the right to continue to use, share, and promote the article at any time in the future.
