A Day In The Life Of… Shafik Meghji, Travel Journalist and Author

Since the release of his first book, Crossed off the Map: Travels in Bolivia, which hit shelves in 2022, Shafik Meghji has established himself as one of the leading journalists in travel.

We caught up with Shafik at the Student Publication Association National Conference 2024 to talk a day in the life of a travel journalist, starting a career in freelancing and the importance of diverse voices in the industry.

What does your typical day look like?

I suppose the answer is really that there isn’t a typical day, and that’s one of the great things that appeals to me. If I’m away on a research trip, then I’m multitasking constantly; you’re testing out a tour, looking around the city, visiting hotels, eating out in restaurants, all that kind of stuff. But at the same time, you’ve inevitably got articles that you need to write up from previous trips, you’ve got copy edits that have come to you, and you’re following up pitches for other stories. So, you’re spinning a lot of plates.

I should say an awful lot of my time is spent in transit, at railway stations, bus terminals, and so on and so forth. At home, you’re often more productive as a travel writer, just sitting at your desk and writing. For example, one day this week has been working on a couple of coffee table style books for DK Eyewitness about classic maps and exploration, making suggestions on how to update a guidebook to Argentina, and doing edits on an article I wrote for National Geographic Traveller.

And this as well as all the admin of being a freelancer, such as emails, following up on interviews, chasing up on invoices, keeping in touch with contacts, and so on.

Did you always want to be a journalist?

I always wanted to be a footballer, and then, when it was clear that wasn’t going to work out, I decided to become a sports reporter. I worked on my school newspaper as a sports editor, I did work experience at Sky Sports and the football magazine 90 Minutes, and I co-presented a Channel 4 sports programme. I knew I wanted to be a sports journalist all the way through my politics degree at Warwick, which led to my postgrad diploma at City St George’s, University of London, and subsequently a place on the Evening Standard’s training scheme.

I eventually became a sports reporter, and I really enjoyed it for a while. I worked incredibly hard, particularly covering football matches. I did that for a year, but I perhaps fell a bit out of love with the sports writing, despite having wanted to do it for years. So, at the age of 23, I resigned and went backpacking around India and South America for the best part of a year — and it was the best decision I ever made. I did some freelance journalism out there, including some of my first pieces of travel writing.

What helped you to get the job you have now?

I think I’m persistent and dogged, and I stuck at it. Always hitting your deadlines is important. I’ve never missed a deadline in my career. Editors take note that you’re reliable, good to work with and that you deliver good quality copy on time. The thing that’s certainly helped me is developing my niches, having interesting stories to tell, and approaching travel from slightly different angles.

I’m always interested in context: I want to listen and share the voices of people who are often not heard in our newspapers, tie in social movements and not shy away from difficult or contentious issues.

How do you maintain a good work and life balance?

I don’t have my work emails on my phone, and I try and check my email at set periods throughout the course of the day. Unless I’m expecting an important call, I try and keep my phone out of the room because it’s designed to distract you.

And then I try and organise my time. I have a running file of my deadlines and when things need to be put out. I work better when I have things on the screen in front of me or written down. The logistical side of freelance travel writing is key; scheduling your time, working out what the priorities are and avoiding distractions.

What are you most proud of in your work?

Seeing my first guidebook, the Rough Guide to the Baltic States, for sale in the shop with my name on it. I still get a kick out of that, 45-odd guidebooks later. But more recently, my book Crossed off the Map: Travels in Bolivia came out in 2022, which was a labour of love. I was incredibly proud to get it out into the world, having it resonate with some readers and get some nice reviews.

What was a memorable piece of advice you received early on in your career?

When you first start out as a freelancer, don’t worry if you don’t get any work in the first month. Keep pitching, don’t take rejections personally, stay focused and keep going. Eventually, the commissions will start to come in.

It’s about sticking with it and developing something of a thick skin. No writer gets every story they pitched commissioned, regardless of how it can sometimes seem on social media. There’s an awful lot of rejections, sometimes you just don’t hear back from editors. Try not to take it personally and keep hold of all your old pitches, as they may become more topical or relevant in the future.

What is one thing you would like to see change in the industry?

More diversity of voices, in terms of gender, sexuality, race and so on. And I would like to see more working-class voices, particularly in travel writing and in journalism. This is starting to happen in places and there are some positive schemes, some of which I’m involved with such as the Talking Travel Writing mentoring scheme and Intrepid Travel’s Diversifying Travel Writing initiative. And the Guardian Scott Trust Bursary, which was huge for me in the early stages of my career.

What do you do after work to switch off?

Travel writers are notoriously bad at taking time off and going on holiday, despite writing about the subject for a living. There’s a lot of pressure to say yes to every commission and constantly be in work mode, but you have to push against it. I’m trying to get better at it. I love getting away, taking a break from my phone and social media, and putting the out-of-office on my email.