Edited by Lori Appling in Bethany Beach, DE

"Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose."
-- Zora Neale Hurston

TODAY:

• Montreal-Bound… and Well-Prepared
• How to Get More Articles Out of Every Trip: 5 Tips for Smart Digging
• The Smartest Way to Write for the Lucrative Health Market
• This Week's Featured Travel Publication: Renaissance Magazine
• Opportunities and Resources for Writers

Advertisement

Everything You Need to Build and Grow Your Successful Writing Business

Starting and running a successful writing business is a strategic, methodical, big-picture undertaking. You’re no longer an employee... you’re the boss. Are you running your business the right way - by maximizing your efficiency and profits and minimizing your stress and mistakes?

Get the answers to the hundreds of questions and concerns commonly asked in specific, step-by-step details by clicking here: http://www.awaionline.com/bib/tw891/

Dear Reader,

I called Jen Stevens last week just before she left for Montreal and learned that before every trip she spends some time researching the destination so she doesn't lose time on the ground.

"We're off to see my brother in Vermont for a couple of days," she said. "And so we figured we'd make the two-hour drive up to Montreal and stay for a two nights. I need a vacation, writing about it will make my plane ticket tax-deductible, and I've always wanted to go. I'm doing a little bit of pre-trip research -- Did you know that more snow typically falls in Montreal over a winter than in Moscow?"

Since I'd called, in fact, to ask if she'd write an article for me… this seemed an apt topic.

Research -- fact-finding -- is important because it helps you add depth to your understanding of a place and to flesh out what you find during your travels with even more concrete details, background, history, and bits of local "color."

But more importantly, it ensures that you're able to pursue more story leads while you're on the ground. And more stories means more money in your pocket.

Doing research used to entail sitting in a library painstakingly slogging through books, magazines, and microfilmed periodicals. And to a certain extent, that can still prove useful. However, the Internet has made in-depth research much quicker and less expensive.

Of course, when you're researching online, make sure you bring along a healthy ration of skepticism. Anybody with a computer and a modem can upload information. Be very careful not to confuse some crackpot's opinion with fact. Make sure you're getting your facts from a valid source.

Below you'll find Jen's ever-practical instructions for the best way to do pre-trip research to ensure your time on the ground in any destination is spent as efficiently as possible.

Before you scroll down, I want to take a moment to congratulate, once again, course graduate Brian Norris. He wrote to say The Traveler would be publishing a general article he wrote on his home country, Australia, titled "The Lowdown on the Downunder," followed by a state-by-state series.

And I heard, too, from student Mike Slagle (not yet a graduate, in fact) who has also had good luck with his queries to The Traveler.

He writes: "Just thought I'd share my excitement -- received word this weekend that The Traveler will publish my article, 'Accidental Pilgrims at the Abbey of Sant' Antimo,' in August. Incidentally, this piece started out as one of the sketches I did for the Passport to Romance course. Thanks to AWAI for providing the seeds to grow journal entries into publishable stories. Guess now I should get around to completing my final assignment for the Travel Writing Course!"

For more information about AWAI's Passport to Romance: The Ultimate Travel Writer's Course: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/sh/tw4

To see The Traveler for yourself, visit: http://www.touristtravel.com/index.htm (By the way, Tom Schueneman, the publisher, is also a graduate of AWAI's travel writer program -- such a group of achievers you all are!)

Let me know if you have a success story to share. Send me a quick note at lori@thetravelwriterslife.com if you've been published after taking our course or attending a live workshop.

Have a great weekend,

Lori
Director, AWAI's Travel Writer Program

P.S. Know a friend or two who'd enjoy the freedom and independence of a writer's life? They, too, can sign up to receive this free e-letter weekly at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/eletter

EDITOR'S NOTE:

We've extended the Early-Bird Discount for our upcoming Paris Travel Writer Workshop for another two weeks. That means if you sign up by April 15, you'll save. In addition, I wanted to let students and graduates of AWAI's Passport to Romance: The Ultimate Travel Writer's Course know that you're entitled to a special, additional discount of $50 off when you sign up for the Paris program.

Just let the Agora Travel staff know you qualify when you call to register (800) 926-6575. Follow this link for details: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/workshop/bb

5 TIPS FOR SMART DIGGING:
HOW TO DO ARTICLE RESEARCH BEFORE YOU LEAVE TOWN, By Jennifer Stevens in Montreal, Canada :

No matter where you're headed -- whether you're bound for a tourist attraction just a few miles from your home or an exotic locale halfway around the globe, familiarize yourself with your destination before you pack your bags.

Even if it's a place you've been to before, don't skip this step. Things change. And you want to be sure you'll be using your time in the destination as wisely as possible. You don't need to spend weeks doing this, but make some effort to familiarize yourself with the place you're headed. You'll save yourself headaches and plan a more efficient trip.

Whether you already have a specific article idea (or ideas) in mind or you're simply planning to seek some out while you're in your destination, these five steps will serve you well:

*** Step 1: Contact a Tourism Office

A good place to start is with a city, state, or national tourist office -- whatever you think will be most relevant to your story. You'll find several online directories for these offices, among them, for example:

* Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory: www.towd.com
* Assn. of National Tourist Offices in the UK: www.tourist-offices.org.uk/
* 123 World: www.123world.com/usstates/

Another way to track down the right source is simply by going to Google.com and searching, for example, for "Bahamas Tourist Board" or "Bahamas Office of Tourism." Most such sites have a "Press Room" or at least list a media contact. That's what you want.

Request a "Media Kit" or "Press Kit," which is simply a packet of information about a place that usually includes press releases, historical information, facts and figures, and so on. (Some tourist boards post their full press kit online, which means you don't have to ask for one.) If it's not online, get in touch with the media contact and ask him or her to drop one in the mail to you.

Tourism offices are also useful when it comes to photos. Usually they maintain an extensive library of professional photos of their destination, which they will lend to publications at no charge as long as the photo gets proper credit in print. Even if you're not sure you'll need these, make a note as to whether they are available. You can always let an editor know that you can supply them with your story -- saves the editor tracking them down and makes you look efficient and professional.

*** Step 2: Visit a Library and a Bookstore

It's also a good idea to visit the public library. You might want to take out a book about the history of your destination or even a novel set there or written by somebody from there. The idea is simply to gain a richer understanding of this place you're about to visit. It's a way to prime yourself so that, from the get-go, you're traveling not as a typical tourist. Don't feel you have to read an 800-page book about the history of France, but you might take the time to read the introduction.

[continued below]

Advertisement

THE SMARTEST WAY TO WRITE FOR THE LUCRATIVE HEALTH MARKET

This burgeoning industry routinely pays $8,000 and up (with generous royalties) for a single report … and marketers are desperate for qualified writers.

AWAI brings you the most comprehensive program imaginable to have you writing successfully, and soon, for this $200 billion market. We give you invaluable resources like 10 websites that will, in less than an hour, give you virtually all the information you need to write for any health client, individual writing critiques, 10 winning controls from Target Marketing’s Who’s Mailing What! archives, even a list of over 342 industry contacts in need of well-trained writers.

For more details visit: http://www.thewriterslife.com/health/tw4

In addition, stop at a bookstore to pick up a guidebook about this place you're headed. (An online bookstore is fine.) By perusing the shelves (be they virtual or real) you'll also get a feel for what (and how much) has been written about your destination.

*** Step 3: Do an Article Search to See What Else Has Been Written

Some publications let you access their travel content online for free, and so at those sites it's easy to do a search for past articles. You may want to start with one of the larger newspapers, like:

* The New York Times Travel Section: www.nytimes.com/travel/
* The Los Angeles Times Travel Section: www.latimes.com/travel/
* The Chicago Tribune Travel Section: www.chicagotribune.com/travel/

If you subscribe to your own local paper, even if the online content is fee-based for visitors, as a subscriber to the print edition you may also get access to the online archives at no charge.

Many, many online publications and e-zines dedicated to travel offer free archives. Here are a few places you might start:

* Boots n All: www.bootsnall.com/travelguides
* Travel Mag: www.travelmag.co.uk
* Travel Lady Magazine: www.travellady.com
* Travel Insights: www.travelinsights.org
* Specialty Travel: www.specialtytravel.com
* Escape Artist: www.escapeartist.com
* International Living: www.internationalliving.com

Then, of course, it behooves you to look at back issues of print magazines, too. Perhaps you've kept around the house a few back issues of those to which you subscribe. Or, if you've been tearing out articles from them about destinations that interest you, then you've already got any relevant articles handy.

*** Step 4: Talk to People Who Have Already Traveled to the Place You're Headed

If possible, talk to people who have traveled -- or even lived -- in the destination where you're headed. These folks are great sources for hints about what to visit and where to stay or eat. Find out, if you can, about a little-known or maybe off-beat thing to do. Ask around in your circle of contacts -- you may well find a connection that will prove helpful.

Also, check online at traveler's bulletin boards where people post their thoughts about a place. Reading through a few of those notes can give you some insights, too. A few places you might start:

* Trip Advisor: www.tripadvisor.com
* I Go U Go: www.igougo.com
* Epinions: www.epinions.com

*** Step 5: Set Up Any Interviews You Know in Advance You'll Want to Conduct

Let's say, for example, that you already know where you'll be staying. You might want to get in touch with the general manager or owner of the hotel and ask if, while you're there, he might show you around and give you some background about the place. This has the benefit of priming him about your arrival (a writer will be in the house) and showing your seriousness of intent. And if, in advance, you have any questions about the facilities or about the destination in general, you can ask. Hoteliers are great resources. Make use of them.

If you're focusing your story on a particular specialty -- let's say it's diving in Belize or maybe handicrafts in Ecuador -- then you might want to find a contact who can give you some background information about that particular interest. It might be a dive master or the owner of a dive shop in Belize or maybe an expatriate who owns an art shop or handicraft import/export business in Ecuador.

Even if all you do in advance is introduce yourself and ask if you might have 15 minutes or half-an-hour of a person's time while you're in the country -- you've made a contact ahead of time who will be expecting you. I've never once set up such a meeting and not been met with tremendous hospitality.

And, since you'll be getting in touch ahead of time -- go ahead and ask a few questions (you can do this by email). Any suggestions the dive master can offer as to a dive itinerary for you -- the one thing you absolutely shouldn't miss? Anything the handicraft woman wishes people "outside" knew about? Something special Ecuador's artisans produce beautifully that almost nobody knows about?

In other words: Use these early forays to help shape your article and give more focus to the research you'll do once you're in your destination.

[About the Author: Long a writer for and the past editor of International Living, Jennifer Stevens has spent the balance of the last seven years gallivanting through Latin America and the Caribbean -- to Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize and beyond reporting on and writing about the best locales for overseas travel, retirement, and investment. She is the past editor of Island Properties Report and was a writer and editor for several years at Trade & Culture magazine, a bi-monthly devoted to international trade issues. Jennifer is the principal architect and writer of Passport to Romance: The Ultimate Travel Writer's Course, published by the American Writers & Artists Institute: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/sh/tw4

You can meet Jen in person -- along with freelancers John Forde, Steenie Harvey, Rose Burke, and a whole host of well-known guest speakers -- when they gather in Paris this May for our next live Travel Writing Workshop. Reserve your seat before April 15, and you can save with the Early Sign Up Discount. For more details visit: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/workshop/bb]

Advertisement

For These Proprietors, Success Means Grossing $1 Million a Year…

Last December, Michael Masterson lead a small group of ambitious AWAI students through a pilot program designed to turn them into savvy direct-response entrepreneurs. The goal? To gross $1 million or more a year. It’s working. And now the program is open to all AWAI students.

Visit: http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/700SCBMO/W700E130 for details.

CAN YOU WRITE A SIMPLE LETTER?:

If you answer yes, you could be in big demand, earning big money, writing just a few hours a day from anywhere in the world you choose to be. Here's how you can learn the secrets of this little-known, lucrative business: http://www.thewriterslife.com/bb/tw4

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED TRAVEL PUBLICATION: RENAISSANCE MAGAZINE

Renaissance Magazine is a publication dedicated to the Renaissance and Middle Ages. They accept travel article and travel-related queries that tie in with their main theme. You may email queries or manuscripts (text files only) to editor@renaissancemagazine.com. Visit http://www.renaissancemagazine.com/subguide.html to learn more about what they are looking for.

OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:

• The difference between great success and mediocrity is so often a matter of the small things... just a little extra here... a little more there. If you’re falling short of achieving your most important personal goals, get more details about the Early to Rise Goal Setting Check-up Program at: http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/700SDDGC/W700E132/
• THE AWAI FORUM FOR TRAVEL WRITERS -- You'll find this excellent online resource at: http://www.awaionline.com/forum/. It's a place to get answers to your questions, discuss your story ideas, find readers to review your articles, and stay connected to a community of writers.
• You could make $100,000 a Year as a Graphic Designer -- Best of all, there's no daily commute... no boss breathing down your neck…and you don’t even have to be able to draw a straight line (the computer does everything for you). In fact, what used to be a very complicated profession can now be done on a standard computer -- even if you have little or no “artistic” ability at all. Lori H. makes a six-figure income while raising three children at home! And…if you decide this career suits you. We might even give you your first job. Here's how Lori did it: http://www.thedesignerslife.com/lh/tw4 CAN YOU WRITE A SIMPLE LETTER? If you answer yes, you could be in big demand, earning big money, writing just a few hours a day from anywhere in the world you choose to be. Here's how you can learn the secrets of this little-known, lucrative business: http://www.thewriterslife.com/bb/tw4
• Recommended Reading: "Too Lazy to Work, to Nervous to Steal: How to Have a Great Life as a Freelance Writer" by John Clausen: http://tinyurl.com/2k2cw
• Recommended Reading: "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser: http://tinyurl.com/2fgv4

The Write Way to Travel is a FREE weekly newsletter from the American Writers & Artists Institute, available to AWAI students and friends.

© 2004 American Writers & Artists Institute

To ADVERTISE in The Write Way to Travel or to send comments, news, research, or story ideas, e-mail Lori Appling at lappling@awaionline.com.

NOTE: If URLs do not appear as live links in your e-mail program, please cut and paste the full URL into the location or address field of your browser.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS? E-mail us at memberservices@awaionline.com with both your old AND new information in the body of the message.