Hello!
I’m Richard Franks, an award-winning freelance travel writer and journalist specialising in Scotland, Birmingham and the West Midlands, adventure travel and music. I write stories for National Geographic Traveller, BBC Travel, The Telegraph, The Independent and others, and work on guidebooks for publishers like Rough Guides, DK Eyewitness and Lonely Planet.
Services
Travel Writing
I write travel and music stories for publications like BBC, National Geographic, The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent, The Guardian, The Times & Sunday Times, The Evening Standard, the i, Adventure.com, JRNY Magazine and many others. I’m available for quick turnaround stories.
Guidebooks
Recent guidebook work includes a full update of Rough Guides’ North Coast 500 guidebook; contributing 18 USA entries to Unforgettable Journeys – The Americas by DK Eyewitness; and writing a chapter on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, for Lonely Planet’s Gourmet Trails of Europe hardcover book.
Mentoring
Getting noticed is one of the hardest things to do when you’re first starting out in travel writing. How do you catch an editor’s eye with your pitches? How long is the ideal pitch? When should you follow up? I offer 90-minute mentoring sessions over Zoom to answer all of these questions and more. I’ll also provide constructive feedback on your pitches and offer tips on what to do after landing a commission. Get in touch to book your slot.
Photography & Drone Footage
I’ve built up an extensive catalogue of Scotland photographs from my years of travelling around my favourite country in the world, so if you’re seeking specific Scotland photographs I may already have them! I’m a registered drone operator and I’m also available for hospitality and property shoots anywhere in the UK. A photography page is coming soon, but many of my photos from Scotland and beyond are on my Instagram. Get in touch for rates.