Here at gap-year.com, we know our readers are amongst the most adventurous, open-minded and creative out there – which is why we thought it a good idea to give you a platform to show off your rich talents.

If you have ever fancied a career in travel journalism, here is a golden chance to give yourself a huge kick-start.

Our first-ever Readers’ Competitions – in Travel Writing and Travel Photography – will see two winners get their work published on both gap-year.com and in the 2011 edition of the gap-year guidebook.

And thanks to the kind generosity of some of our favourite travel partners, we also have some excellent prizes on offer for runners-up in each category.

We are inviting writers to submit pieces of no more than 800 words with the theme: ‘How My Gap- changed my life’, and photographers to submit a single image with a strong gap- or travel theme.

The competition is open worldwide to anyone over 18 years-of-age, and is open to anyone whether previously published or not.