Outdoor/Recreation Writing: Explore Your Passion

Outdoor/recreation writing sits inside outdoor literature: adventure, nature, and guide work that reads true only when the writer has actually been in the terrain.

• Why it matters: Editors and readers spot gear advice that never left a desk.
• How it works: Build knowledge in mountains, deserts, islands, and forests before you prescribe kit.
• Case in point: Publish across blogs, print, and gear reviews so a portfolio shows range.
• Zoom in: Trail mishaps and gear failures often become the authentic hooks magazines buy.
• The bottom line: Read the field hard, then chase original stories instead of recycled trail roundups.

Outdoor/Recreation writing is one of the more desired writing jobs, because it allows a writer to get out from behind their desk and get into the field, literally. Much of this writing and reporting entails doing fun, exciting activities in the outdoors, like hiking, climbing, rafting, skiing, snowboarding or any extreme sports or activities that people often love to do in their free time. However, it takes a bit of work and life experience for freelance outdoor/recreation copywriters or journalists to make a living writing about these types of activities.

First, a writer in this field must love the outdoors. Rather than sit inside and play video games or watch movies, for example, an aspiring writer must be in tune with nature and love participating in activities, experiencing as much as they can. They must have traveled to mountains and deserts, islands and forests, so they know what it is like to be in all of those environments and what gear, supplies and clothing may be required. Only after doing this can it translate to knowledgeable writing.

Second, these writers need to write about their experiences out in nature within as many forums as possible. This entails writing for blogs, print publications or doing product reviews for companies that make outdoor gear or supplies. The more these writers complete and publish, the more diverse their portfolio will become, showing a prospective employer their writing style and past experience.

It’s also worth pointing out that outdoor writers tend to become accidental experts on little things—like how to keep your camera dry while canoeing or exactly how many layers are too many when you’re hiking in spring. Sometimes, stories start as simple journal notes jotted down on a grimy backpack or even a phone, later turning into guides or confessionals. Oddly enough, your worst trail blisters or an embarrassing gear failure might end up being the hook that lands your byline in a major magazine. It’s not a given, but readers seem to enjoy that sense of authenticity—the real stuff that doesn’t sound like marketing copy.

Connections with the outdoor community help, too. Those small conversations around a campfire or at the foot of a mountain often spark fresh ideas or lead to interviews you’d never arrange through email. Occasionally, you get a story handed to you by a stranger with a wild experience or a local’s hidden spot. Of course, you can’t always chase every tip, but letting your curiosity wander usually pays off (eventually, anyway).

Lastly, these copywriters and journalists need to read about this field of writing on a regular basis. Whether it is through an esteemed journalism publication like Outdoor Magazine or a book about the founder of Patagonia clothing company, the more a writer reads about outdoor/recreation writing, the better they will be able to structure and conceive their own stories on these natural subjects. This will only help their writing when crafting pieces for themselves, as well as for editors or publications who are paying them for assignments.

Most writers have at least once, in their career, considered writing about the natural environment around them. What’s challenging is developing original stories that intrigue and entice readers. This is why so many of these stories are written about extreme sports, trails or outdoor adventures, as it adds some excitement to the writing itself. The better a writer in this field becomes at finding these unique stories, the more successful they will be.