There are multiple ways of doing this and the way I have chosen is the way I believe have less influence on my travels.
I write for only one magazine and usually I take contact before I go on a trip. From time to time I have written articles without prior agreement and except once it has been published, but it might take some time. It depends on the story..

It’s normal that the magazines don’t like that you write for several magazines. There are ways to work around this issue, but I have found that in total it’s best (for me) to keep it this way. If you write for several Magazines I think it’s important to tell it to your customers.

There are different magazines and different people but most magazines are keen on good pictures. The text can be rewritten when you get back home but that’s more difficult with pictures so you need to get it right. Bad pictures = No story. My articles usually have more then 50% pictures.

So what to do…. Find some of your best pictures; get them printed in big size (at least A4) and arrange a meeting. Tell them about your plans, tell them about prior trips, tell them something nice about the magazine. Be extremely careful and don’t promise them that they will have an article about you drinking tea with the Touaregs on their table in six weeks, because your bike will brake down, or you will have visa-problems or you simply meet a girl…. Don’t make any stupid promises.