Write for Wayer

Wayer is the cultural journal of Fernwayer, the marketplace for curated travel experiences that empowers independent travelers to make memories by connecting with local experience makers around the globe.

Our mission at Wayer is to guide and inspire high-end, organize-your-own travelers through content that is authentic, engaging, and insightful. We are always on the lookout for new writers to contribute to our journal by sharing engaging stories that will surprise and fascinate our readers.

Wayer publishes long-form articles that connect readers to destinations by providing in-depth information and a strong sense of place. We especially value local voices, unexpected viewpoints, and first-person accounts.

What we are looking for

We are currently seeking thoughtful, analytical, and descriptive narratives about travel, culture, arts, food, and social impact-focused experiences on the following destinations:

Our articles are both contextual and inspirational, encouraging readers to explore destinations firsthand. We aim to provide insights that deepen their understanding of a place while offering practical information.

We seek authentic, witty, and engaging voices that can captivate travelers, whether they're visiting a destination for the first time or rediscovering it. We aim to deliver narratives that reveal the unexpected and inspire deeper connections with the world.

Wayer is split into three broad sections. In our Rooted In section, we shed light on past chapters of our shared history exploring what material traces from previous eras can tell us about today’s world. The Living Culture section celebrates people and examines how long-standing customs and practices are being kept alive, preserved, and reimagined. The Fresh Ground section builds on our current understanding to offer fresh perspectives on the future ahead.

While we are open to all travel-related ideas that fit the places and sections listed above, we are specifically looking for coverage on the themes below.

Handcrafted in [CITY]

We are looking to cover the places and people who are maintaining or reinventing traditional crafts today. Each article should cover up to five workshops, galleries, stores or personalities that are shaping the city's identity through their skills. Be aware that this should not be a list of your favorite shops. Each article should explain why a specific craft is historically linked to a place, why it is worth preserving and how it has changed over time. We expect to hear from the artisans themselves: How is stuff made? How did they get started? What are their challenges? Let us know who you are planning to interview in your pitch.

Festivals

We want to expand our coverage of cultural festivals in the countries Fernwayer is active in through first-person narratives that frame research-based historical context within a personal experience. We expect evocative stories that bring the reader to the heart of the action, but also connect events to their roots and their contemporary meaning.

Example: Journey to Utrera, the Cradle of Flamenco

Off-Season City Guides

In many major destinations tourism tends to be concentrated within a few months per year. Visiting outside the peak season offers the chance to have more of the place to yourself and can help you avoid the feeling of being part of a pack. Yet, traveling off-season is often not only an opportunity to avoid crowds, but also a chance to see a city from a new perspective. In this series we want to cover experiences available exclusively off-season: we are not just looking for ways to spend a winter day in a coastal city, but also for reasons why visiting off-season can be better.

The history of [CITY] in 5 buildings

What can architecture tell us about a place? This section aims to offer the opportunity to discover a city through the buildings or urban features that show how different historical layers overlapping in urban centers. These articles should be presented as walks that link the structures that have defined the character of a city, either because they represent a specific era or because they have hosted important events. While well-known attractions can be included, we also want to cover locations whose significance a passerby may overlook. We welcome both first-person narratives and interview-based articles where experts (architects, urban planners or tour guides) can offer their perspective.

Guardians of Iconic Dishes (or Drinks)

Every major city or country has its iconic dish, but who are the people upholding culinary traditions? In this series we want to trace the roots of the world's most beloved foods and drinks and present their role in contemporary culture through the stories of chefs, artisans, bartenders and hospitality workers that are recognized as the best of the best.

Example: Arancino or Arancina? Sicily’s Battle Over the Gender of its Rice Ball

Fresh Ground

Fresh Ground is the section of Wayer where we look into the future of travel. We are open for pitches that offer solutions or new perspectives on the challenges of modern tourism. We welcome human-interest narratives that profile people who are modernizing cultural preservation practices or offering innovative ways to experience a place. We also hope to discuss travelers' relationship to technology and how digital tools are changing the way we experience the world around us. While we are open to creative takes on the future of travel, we expect stories to be rooted on facts, not just personal opinion.

What we are NOT looking for

Topics that are too broad and lack specificity, opinion pieces discussing news, marketing or PR pitches, personal travelogues without deep research, lists of top things to do, eat or see.

Terms and conditions

Articles should range between 1500 and 2000 words.

We pay 300-400 USD per article.

If your pitch is accepted we require all rights to the article.

All content should be original. We will not publish stories that have already appeared elsewhere.

How to pitch to Wayer

We are currently only accepting pitches related to the destinations listed above. Pitches referring to other parts of the world will not be considered for publication. We update the list every couple of months.

To pitch, submit your idea to editor@fernwayer.com with a title and an outline of your article, explaining why you think this is suitable for Wayer. Briefly present your relationship to the place you are planning to cover.

Include a short bio and a link to your portfolio in your pitch. If you have original photos to include in your article, share a few examples and if you are planning to interview someone give a brief overview of your potential sources. Local voices are an important part of Wayer, so pitches that include expert interviews will be given particular attention.

Due to the amount of pitches we receive we are unable to respond to all writers. We aim to respond to successful pitches within two weeks.