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# Lindsey Danis

Queer travel writer

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://lindseydanis.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [POSTS](https://lindseydanis.com/posts-2/)
- [Book Club Guide: (Out) On The Road: The Radical Joy of Queer Travel](https://lindseydanis.com/book-club-guide-out-on-the-road/) - Part travel guide, part memoir, part pep talk for queer travelers who crave big adventures and want to bring their full selves along for the ride. Get book discussion questions, themes, topics and more.
- [New Book Empowers LGBTQ+ Travelers to Explore the World on Their Own Terms](https://lindseydanis.com/new-book-empowers-lgbtq-travelers/) - (Out) On the Road blends personal storytelling, data, and practical strategy to help queer travelers claim space and travel with joy.
- [What if Writers Didn't Have to Dread Book Marketing?](https://lindseydanis.com/creative-book-marketing/) - Do you dread book marketing? This one question helped me shift from dread to curiosity and excitement.
- [A Packing List for Writing Retreats](https://lindseydanis.com/a-packing-list-for-writing-retreats/) - This writer's residency packing list will make sure you don't forget a thing for your next writing retreat.
- [LGBTQ Inclusive Language for diversifying media representation](https://lindseydanis.com/lgbtq-inclusive-style-guide/) - How to be inclusive of LGBTQ sources, links to inclusive style guides and the language I use to help sources feel comfortable.
- [My Favorite Goal Setting Tip For Writing Resolutions](https://lindseydanis.com/goals/) - When we shift our focus to what we can control, we are set free from the frustration that comes alongside chasing a goal we cannot fully control.
- [So You Got an Agent Offer. What Next?](https://lindseydanis.com/so-you-got-an-agent-offer-what-next/) - It’s every querying author’s dream: after weeks/months/years of putting your artistic heart out there, you get the yes you’ve been waiting for. This is one of the rare times in the publishing process when writers have power. How do you make the most of it? By making sure that the agent you choose is the best person to represent you, ideally not just for the project but for your writer career.
- [How I Got My Agent +  Querying Stats and Timeline](https://lindseydanis.com/how-i-got-my-agent-querying-stats-and-timeline/) - A how I got my agent story for a nonfiction book that sold on proposal, with querying stats and timeline.
- [My Favorite Querying Resources](https://lindseydanis.com/my-favorite-querying-resources/) - This list of favorite resources for querying agents includes writing podcasts, book proposal guides, templates for the call, offer advice and so much more.
- [How Much Should I Write in a Day? Hint: Less is More](https://lindseydanis.com/how-much-should-i-write-in-a-day/) - If you’re planning writing goals, consider what’s sustainable for you. You just might find like I did that less is more.
- [What Editors Wish You Knew About Submitting to Literary Magazines](https://lindseydanis.com/what-literary-magazine-editors-wish-you-knew-about-submitting/) - No one ever teaches writers the ins and outs of submitting to literary magazines and journals. We have to figure it out on our own, and we make a lot of mistakes. Here are the top mistakes I see writers make when submitting to literary magazines, and what to do instead.
- [What The Mass Exodus From X Tells Us About The Limits of Legacy Social For Writers](https://lindseydanis.com/what-the-mass-exodus-from-x-tells-us-about-the-limits-of-legacy-social-for-book-sales/) - We gave Twitter too much power, now that it’s gone we get our power back
- [My favorite querying resources for writers](https://lindseydanis.com/querying-resources/) - Querying a book? Here's a big list of podcasts, query-specific resources, free resources, and industry experts that helped me find an agent!
- [Novel Revision Tips: 5 Ways to Fix Your Opening Pages](https://lindseydanis.com/novel-revision-tips-5-ways-to-fix-your-opening-pages/) - When I'm revising a full novel, I always start by rereading it and making comprehensive change notes. But for those "almost there" projects that might be getting close passes from agents, a full revision may not be necessary. Here are 5 things to try when you want to tighten up those first pages...or first fifty, like I did!
- [Grants for Writers: 3 Ways I Make Applying Easier](https://lindseydanis.com/top-3-grant-tips/) - Raise your hand if you’ve ever devoted countless hours to applying for grants and fellowship opportunities, only to face rejection after rejection – and that’s IF you even hear back from the organization. Time and time again, we jump through hoops, invest precious hours answering big creative questions in 500-word blocks, compile portfolios, and triple-check we formatted everything per requirements. I don't want to minimize the potential life-changing impact of grant money or a writing residency. But all the time writers spend applying for financial support of our art distracts us from our true purpose: creating art. The trick to making grants apps work for you as much as possible is to streamline the repetitive stuff as much as possible. So keep reading for my top tips on how to simplify grant applications (this works for writers' residencies too) and reclaim your creative time.
- [Can you afford a writers residency?](https://lindseydanis.com/can-you-afford-a-writers-residency/) - Uninterrupted time to write is so precious that you can't put a price tag on it. But writers are historically underpaid for our work and the truth is, writers residencies can be surprisingly expensive. My post about how to apply for writers residencies is one of my most popular so today I thought I'd break
- [Stuck in Revision Purgatory: 5 Steps to Get Your Novel Rolling Again](https://lindseydanis.com/stuck-in-revision-purgatory-editing-tips/) - You've finished that marathon draft of your work in progress. Now comes the editing slog. These 5 tips will help you edit your novel without overthinking.
- [My 6 favorite writing craft books for fiction and nonfiction authors 📚](https://lindseydanis.com/my-6-favorite-writing-craft-books-for-fiction-and-nonfiction-authors-📚/) - Everywhere, it seems like someone is telling you how to write better/faster/more. In a crowded marketplace, how do you know which craft book is the one you need? IMO, it’s the one that is going to solve your particular writing problem. I've rounded up 6 of my favorite craft books and who I think they’re helpful for.
- [Energy Management for writers](https://lindseydanis.com/energy-management-for-writers/) - It's always hard for me to get back into the flow of work after time away As I've been pausing more for breaks I've been unpacking the things that I do to "rest" and to what degree they're actually restful and restorative.
- [3 ways to get more out of writing conferences](https://lindseydanis.com/3-ways-to-get-more-out-of-writing-conferences/) - Writing conferences can be enormously helpful. To get the most out of it you need to plan in advance. Click to read three tips I learned the hard way.
- [Top 7 Mistakes Writers Make When Pitching Literary Agents](https://lindseydanis.com/top-7-mistakes-writers-make-when-pitching-literary-agents/) - I’ve been fortunate to meet agents at writers’ conferences and through workshops. I’ve also been through the query trenches, from cold querying agents to participating in Twitter contests and responding to manuscript requests. I’m still in the query trenches, but I’ve learned a few things along the way.Here are the top mistakes I’ve seen writers make when pitching literary agents. These are either things I’ve witnessed myself in conferences, heard agents complain about, or heard writers admit in online forums.
- [This is For You If You Dread the Holiday Season](https://lindseydanis.com/this-is-for-you-if-you-dread-the-holiday-season/) - If you struggle with this time of year – and many of us do – please know you aren’t alone.I’ve struggled with the holiday season for as long as I can remember.For me it’s a mix of divorced family baggage, not connecting at all to the religious overtones of the season, stress over gift giving, and feeling drained by mounting obligations.
- [Editing Tip: Fix That Boring Scene With the Sandbox Technique](https://lindseydanis.com/writing-tip-fix-that-boring-scene-with-that-sandbox-technique/) - Having my opening pages critiqued by a literary agent showed me where my work was landing flat. Here's one technique that helped me punch up scenes.
- [How to Cope With the Stress of Being in the Closet](https://lindseydanis.com/how-to-cope-with-the-stress-of-being-in-the-closet/) - The harsh truth is, even in an age of increased acceptance, it isn't always safe to come out as LGBTQ. If you need to stay closeted to protect yourself, these self-care tips can help manage the stress and anxiety.
- [How to Ditch Filler Words and Make Your Manuscript Shine](https://lindseydanis.com/how-to-ditch-filler-words-and-make-your-manuscript-shine/) - While I’d heard other writers suggest going through their manuscript for filler words that make the writing weak, I had never done it. That was advice for adverb junkies or writers who declaim, shout, grunt, and groan. I didn’t have that many filler words, did I? Spoiler alert: I did.
- [Writer's Residencies: Myths + Tips to Apply](https://lindseydanis.com/writers-residency-myths-and-tips-how-to-apply-for-writing-residencies/) - I’ve headed out for a one-month writers residency in Alaska, where I’ll have my own cabin and uninterrupted time to write. It’s an honor to be chosen, and a longterm dream of mine — one I only recently gave myself permission to pursue. Residencies sound very mystical—something for the privileged few who can afford application fees—but that’s a myth. There are thousands of writers residencies all over the world, and many have no application fee. Learn why I thought a residency was out of reach, what changed my mind, and my best tips on how to apply for writing residencies.
- [What I Learned on Writer's Residency](https://lindseydanis.com/what-i-learned-on-writers-residency/) - My summer writer's residency in Alaska changed my writing process in a few fundamental ways. A couple months out from my writer's residency, here's what sticks with me most.
- [5 Quick Fixes for Bad Dialogue](https://lindseydanis.com/2019-1-25-why-your-dialogue-sucks-amp-5-ways-to-fix-bad-dialogue/) - Dialogue is one of those elements that can make or break your story. It’s also one of those things that it’s really hard to get right….in part because many writers don’t know (or won’t hear) they are getting it wrong.
- [Pride Guide: Here's How You Be an LGBTQ+ Ally for Pride](https://lindseydanis.com/pride-guide-heres-how-you-be-an-lgbtq-ally-for-pride/) - While we're happy to have allies standing up for gay rights, we ask you to respect our culture and understand why we are fighting, where we've come from, and how we are still at risk.
- [My Favorite Podcasts for Writers](https://lindseydanis.com/my-favorite-podcasts-for-writers/) - Living in the country, I don’t get many chances to attend readings, mingle with other writers, or take part in a writer’s group …. all things I took for granted when I lived in Boston. Fortunately, the explosion in podcasts has brought a ton of great audio content that lets me learn about craft, find books to read, and cultivate a connection to the writer’s community.Listening to writing podcasts has helped me better understand the publishing industry, feel less alone in my journey, and get a new perspective on aspects of the writing craft and process.
- [How to Be an Ally: Seven Steps to Stand Up for Marginalized Communities](https://lindseydanis.com/how-to-be-an-ally-seven-steps-to-stand-up-for-marginalized-communities/) - When someone goes to you with a complaint, they want to be heard. They also want to know how things will change, but being heard comes first. So let them know you heard them. This can be as simple as thanking them for bringing the incident to your attention. You can say, "I hear you. Thanks for letting me know."
- [Stop Stressing About Writer's Block and Do This Instead](https://lindseydanis.com/2019-5-10-stop-stressing-about-writers-block-and-do-this-instead/) - She started telling me how she was going to sit down this summer and bang out her novel. Just go somewhere for six weeks and write it. Hearing the strain in her voice, I said, Make sure you do some other things, too. You can't write all day.
- [Five Ways to Beat Writer’s Block](https://lindseydanis.com/how-poets-can-beat-writers-block/) - Five things to try when you’ve hit a wall in your writing. (p.s. you don’t have to be a poet to find these tips helpful to beat writers’ block!)
- [5 Things The Artist's Way Taught Me About Writing](https://lindseydanis.com/5-things-the-artists-way-taught-me-about-writing/) - Working through the exercises and keeping “artist’s dates” with myself gave me a rope ladder to pull myself back up and invest in my creativity while also helping me nurture myself during what was otherwise an overwhelming and anxiety-ridden year.
- [Conference Networking for Introverts - 5 Ways I Cope](https://lindseydanis.com/2019-5-10-conference-networking-for-introverts-5-ways-i-cope/) - certain level of enthusiasm until the real deal takes over, because I've gotten over the dread that accompanies small talk with strangers and am enjoying the experience (at least, as much as I can - it's never going to be my favorite thing and that's totally fine). Here are five of the ways I cope with conference networking as an introvert.
- [How a Hobby Helps You Become a Better Writer](https://lindseydanis.com/2019-5-8-how-a-hobby-helps-you-become-a-better-writer/) - lessons in where and how you spend your time that inform how you show up for the page. Your writing will thank you for it.
- [How to Deal With a Bad Writing Day](https://lindseydanis.com/how-to-deal-with-a-bad-writing-day/) - When you're going through a bad day, the trick is not to internalize all the crap that comes up. Recognize it, acknowledge it, and then keep going until you've hit your goal. Here are a few ways I do that.
- [Start Where You Are This Holiday Season](https://lindseydanis.com/start-where-you-are-this-holiday-season/) - For a long time, I tried to act as if–but swallowing my true feelings and putting on a happy face wasn’t fooling anyone and it wasn’t allowing me to connect to my friends and family and start something new. I stopped faking the Christmas spirit and decide instead to start where I was, setting up boundaries that protected my needs and honoring my feelings.
- [Self Care For a Busy Schedule](https://lindseydanis.com/self-care-for-a-busy-schedule/) - This summer is shaping up to be an extra busy one, and while I want to keep everything running per usual, I'm wary of running around with my hands in too many pots. How can I simplify?
- [50 Gender Neutral Character Names for Writers](https://lindseydanis.com/2019-2-11-gender-neutral-character-names/) - Whether you’re writing queer characters or just want a name that conveys the perfect amount of spunk for a tomboy or femmey guy, here are 50 names to consider.
- [Self Care for Writers: 25 Ways to Avoid Burnout](https://lindseydanis.com/25-self-care-strategies-for-writers/) - Burnout reduces creativity. It leads to tiredness, dread, and poor performance. When it comes to creative work, you're the one harmed by burnout–not some boss or company. Self care can help you manage stress before it gets to the point of burnout.
- [Photo Post: On Writers Residency in Alaska](https://lindseydanis.com/photo-post-on-writers-residency-in-alaska/) - I’m back from my writers residency in Alaska. Right now I’m getting back to speed: the bags are unpacked and I’m over the jetlag, and working on implementing the lessons I learned from my residency into a new workflow that will allow me to be as productive as possible on the important work.I’ll share my insights on productivity and process in another blog post. Today I thought I would share a little of the factual information about my writers residency—where I went, what it was like, and some photos from southeast Alaska because it is BEAUTIFUL.
- [Can Morning Pages Help You Overcome Writers Block?](https://lindseydanis.com/can-morning-pages-help-you-overcome-writers-block/) - In the last post I shared a little bit about that stuck feeling and tricks to overcome it. But one of my favorite ways to overcome writers’ block is through morning pages, a tool from The Artist’s Way.I don’t do morning pages any longer, but I did them daily when I was working through the Artist’s Way after writer’s block, a health crisis, depression, and getting married (no wonder I couldn’t write with all that shit going on).
- [7 Lessons for Writers From Steal Like an Artist](https://lindseydanis.com/2019-2-4-7-things-i-learned-from-steal-like-an-artist/) - Yes, it's great to get poems published, or have your manuscript requested by an agent, or receive praise from peers in your writing workshop. That recognition can keep you going through the tough times. But as long as you look for validation from external sources, you're never going to fully trust your creativity. Do your work because you value it.
- [How to Bounce Back From Twitter Pitch Contest Rejections](https://lindseydanis.com/how-to-bounce-back-from-twitter-pitch-contest-rejections/) - A few voices chime in that no one liked their pitch. They got a like, but it was from a vanity publisher, not from an agent. They tried PitchWars and didn’t get in, they tried Nightmare on Query Street and didn’t get in, they tried DVPit and didn’t get in – and now they’re thinking their flavor of book is not marketable. And they say in a small voice, maybe they won’t query after all. Maybe they will put their work back on the shelf.
- [How I Stay on Track With Big Writing Goals](https://lindseydanis.com/2018-12-26-how-i-stay-on-track-with-big-writing-goals/) - Making a new year’s resolution for a big writing goal? Maybe you want to write a novel, or finally finish that draft of the screenplay you’ve been “working on” since summer. Here are the 7 ways I stay on track with big writing goals.
- [How to Beat Overwhelm & Get Back on Track With Writing Goals](https://lindseydanis.com/2019-4-26-how-to-beat-overwhelm-amp-get-back-on-track-with-goals/) - Setbacks rise up for all kinds of reasons (illness, injury, travel delays, difficult people). Plans derailed, its easy to switch into a reactive mode where you're trying your best to respond to what happened with your goals and schedule sidelined indefinitely.
- [How to Celebrate After Finishing a Draft of Your Novel](https://lindseydanis.com/how-to-celebrate-after-finishing-a-draft-of-your-novel/) - So I usually don't talk too much about works in progress while I'm writing them (how can I share with you where something is going when some days I'm not even 100 percent sure myself?) but I've just finished a draft of a novel I started some time ago. ??? Reaching the end of a draft is

## Pages

- [HOME](https://lindseydanis.com/) - Hi, I’m Lindsey! I'm a queer travel writer, food writer and fiction writer. I write about money and the things I like to spend it on–food and travel–from a perspective that centers LGBTQ voices. My LGBTQ travel writing and fiction highlight queer joy and liberation.
- [SELECTED WRITING](https://lindseydanis.com/writing/) - LGBTQ travel essays, queer fiction, and more.
- [(Out) On the Road: The Radical Joy of Queer Travel](https://lindseydanis.com/outontheroad/) - My queer travel handbook, (Out) On the Road, empowers LGBTQ+ travelers to face their fears, expand their comfort zones, find community, and thrive!
- [CONTACT](https://lindseydanis.com/contact/) - Start a conversation Hi, thanks for reaching out! I strive to respond to relevant messages within 1-3 days. I do not accept guest posts or post third-party resources on this site. What's likely to get a response from me: Reader mail — thoughts on the book, how a chapter hit you, where you traveled after
- [Press Kit](https://lindseydanis.com/press-kit/) - If you're a blogger, podcaster, journalist, PR rep or DMO team member curious about my and my writing, here's some info! If you don't see what you need here, please reach out. I am represented by Trinity McFadden of The Bindery. Please contact Trinity for anything rights-related. Contact me for anything related to books or
- [BOOKS](https://lindseydanis.com/books/) - (Out) On the Road: The Radical Joy of Queer Travel teaches LGBTQ+ travelers how to navigate the joys and challenges of travel in a shifting global landscape. Blending personal insights with practical strategies, this book helps readers step beyond their comfort zones, plan transformative adventures, and travel with increased confidence, joy, and personal power. Learn
- [On Queer Homesteading](https://lindseydanis.com/onqueerhomesteading/) - ready to reimagine what home, belonging, and queer community can look like? Queer people are everywhere. But our stories don’t always venture beyond the city limits. Get Your Copy Now! In On Queer Homesteading, memoir, history, and homesteading practices intertwine to show how tending the land and tending each other can open new pathways for
- [Free book proposal worksheet for writers](https://lindseydanis.com/bookproposaltips/) - Your book idea deserves more than a blank page. You've been dreaming of writing a book for ages—but when it comes to shaping the idea, pitching it, or proving to a literary agent that your book is marketable, you're not sure where to start. That's exactly what this book proposal worksheet is for. These prompts
- [RESOURCES FOR WRITERS](https://lindseydanis.com/resources/) - I Can Help You Tell Your Story How to Get Media Attention For Your Art - a Workbook for Marginalized Creatives: Get more attention for your art by using podcasts and journalists. This workbook is packed with templates you can borrow to pitch your writing and your story to podcast hosts, journalists, bloggers and via
- [ABOUT LINDSEY](https://lindseydanis.com/bio/) - LGBTQ travel writer bio, podcast appearances, book information, and how to contact me
- [Special projects](https://lindseydanis.com/writing/special-projects/) - Miscellaneous writing-related projects: Over more than a decade of freelance writing, I've worn a few hats—travel writer, creative nonfiction editor, workshop leader, queer archivist, researcher, advocate. This page brings together a few of my miscellaneous projects, the things that reflect my interests and passions. Resources range from a press guide for creatives to an oral
- [Coming out as LGBTQ](https://lindseydanis.com/resources/lgbtq-experience-content-hub/coming-out/) - LGBTQ Coming Out: Data and Stories This resource covers: The history of the term coming out of the closet when people come out Americans’ sexuality and gender identities, including across generations FAQ about coming out as LGBT, including coming out at work and how to respond if someone comes out to you Coming out in
- [LGBTQ Content Hub](https://lindseydanis.com/resources/lgbtq-experience-content-hub/) - LGBTQ Experiences: a Resource and Data Content Hub for Writers Welcome! This is a resource library designed to help those writing about the LGBTQ community better understand this audience. What you'll find here: Data and statistics that reflect LGBTQ experiences Quotes from LGBTQ individuals about their identity and experiences LGBTQ style guides and other resources
- [Journalism](https://lindseydanis.com/writing/journalism-clips/) - Queer travel writer covering the intersection of travel with LGBTQ identity, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and nature, based in the Hudson Valley.

## Categories

- [LGBTQ](https://lindseydanis.com/category/lgbtq/)
- [writing](https://lindseydanis.com/category/writing/)
- [writing tips](https://lindseydanis.com/category/writing-tips/)
- [tips for getting published](https://lindseydanis.com/category/tips-for-getting-published/)
- [the business of writing](https://lindseydanis.com/category/the-business-of-writing/)
- [self care for writers](https://lindseydanis.com/category/self-care-for-writers/)

## Tags

- [self care](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/self-care/)
- [LGBTQ](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/lgbtq/)
- [travel](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/travel/)
- [writing advice](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/writing-advice/)
- [writing conferences](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/writing-conferences/)
- [stress](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/stress/)
- [productivity](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/productivity/)
- [writers residencies](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/writers-residencies/)
- [writers block](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/writers-block/)
- [literary magazines](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/literary-magazines/)
- [query trenches](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/query-trenches/)
- [tips for getting published](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/tips-for-getting-published/)
- [literary agents](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/literary-agents/)
- [submission strategy](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/submission-strategy/)
- [goal setting](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/goal-setting/)
- [book summary](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/book-summary/)
- [mindset shifts](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/mindset-shifts/)
- [editing](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/editing/)
- [avoiding burnout](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/avoiding-burnout/)
- [stress management](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/stress-management/)
- [allyship](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/allyship/)
- [building community](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/building-community/)
- [inner critic](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/inner-critic/)
- [energy management](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/energy-management/)
- [craft books](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/craft-books/)
- [grants](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/grants/)
- [querying](https://lindseydanis.com/tag/querying/)