Jen Murphy is a freelance journalist who splits her time between Boulder, Colorado and Maui. She was previously the travel editor at Food & Wine magazine, the deputy editor at AFAR, and the executive editor at Sunset. She is a regular contributor to Outside, Conde Nast Travel, Travel & Leisure, the Knot, Robb Report, and Town & Country and oversees the editorial content for Faherty fashion brand’s magazine. A certified personal trainer and avid snowboarder and surfer, her writing tends to focus on wellness, fitness, and adventure travel. She is the author of the Yoga (Man)ual and editor of the Wildsam Field Guide to New England, Denver, and Hawaii.
1. What got you into travel journalism?
I always loved to write and originally went to college thinking I’d pursue a career in political journalism, specializing in Russian politics. A contributing editor at Conde Nast Traveler visited my class one day as a guest speaker and spoke about how she traveled the world writing about food, golf, and skiing. I had no idea that type of job even existed. She became my mentor, giving me research projects and small writing gigs the year I studied abroad in Australia. The year abroad opened my eyes to the thrill of travel and my mentor helped show me how to turn that passion into a career.
2. What’s the most challenging part of being a travel journalist?
Never having a routine and always being on call for my editors. When you freelance, you are constantly juggling deadlines. I’ve woken up at midnight in Madagascar to phone in calls with editors and in Jordan walked 25 minutes into the desert by headlamp to find a hotspot to file edits. Many of my assignments are quite physical and after a day of heli skiing or trekking I have to still have energy to write. You’re always on. I am obnoxiously disciplined about my workouts and diet on the road. Keeping healthy is the only way I can stay on the top of my game.
3. What is the most rewarding aspect of travel journalism?
There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing something you wrote made a difference. When I worked at Food & Wine we’d regularly highlight budding talent, from chefs and artisans to farmers and winemakers. Many still reach out today – 20 years later – and tell me that something I wrote changed the trajectory of their business.
4. What is something you wish people knew about travel journalism?
So many people think travel journalism is just about the travel. They think as a travel journalist, you’re on a never-ending free holiday. We work so hard. Reporting a good story takes a ton of research on the front end and on-the-ground. In a world of social media and big PR firms, finding an original story really requires you to be in a destination interviewing locals and talking to real people. You can’t deliver that kind of storytelling via Google or AI. Then comes the writing and rounds of edits. Reporting one travel feature can take months of work and rarely does the paycheck cover all of your time and expenses.
5. How have your cross-cultural experiences shaped your point of view of the world?
It’s easy to feel a lot of doom and gloom when you turn on the news but travel gives me so much hope. No matter the culture, I have always felt welcomed. I am always touched by strangers’ willingness to open their door, host me for a meal, give me a ride, offer advice, take me out surfing or biking. At the end of the day, there is a lot of good in this world. I also marvel at how simple things like nature, food, and sport can bring people together.
6. What have you enjoyed most about being a NATJA member?
I love the community and members’ willingness to share contacts and offer mentorship and advice. We’re all in this together and can help each other learn and grow.
