Edited by Lori Appling in Bethany Beach, DE
"Much of the success of life depends upon keeping one's mind open to opportunity and seizing it when it comes."
-- Alice Foote MacDougall (1867–1945)
TODAY:
- Practical Questions Answered: Mac or PC? Pen or Keyboard?
- Should You Incorporate Your Freelance Travel Writing Business?
- How a Once Complicated Profession Can Now Be Done on a Standard Computer
- This Week's Featured Travel Publication: The Family Travel Files
- More Opportunities and Resources for Writers
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Last year I was going through a bitter divorce. I needed time to rest, and time to heal. So I only wrote one week each month…I made $105,453.83.
This year I’m feeling better. I’m back to working "full-time" (which for me is about half-time). At the rate I’m going I should comfortably double last year’s income.
Everyday writers like yourself are earning as much money as most doctors, lawyers, or engineers. Here's how I did it: http://www.thewriterslife.com/dm/tw4
Dear Reader,
Students send me questions all the time about how to get themselves "set up" in business -- do they need business cards, must they get a special tax ID number, what about a website? The truth is, starting and running a successful writing business doesn't have to be a daunting task.
In fact, The American Writers & Artists Institute (AWAI) has put together a complete no-stone-unturned package that'll guide you every step of the way -- from setting up your business to helping it grow. (I'll tell you more about this below).
But first, take a look at Will Newman's article in this issue, all about whether or not you should incorporate your freelance writing business.
If you have questions about the "business" of writing -- or anything else writing-related, for that matter -- shoot me an email at: lori@thetravelwriterslife.com and I'll see if I can't provide some answers in future issues of The Write Way to Travel.
On the subject of questions from students: Wendy C. -- who attended our Ultimate Travel Writer's Workshop (http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/workshop/bb) in Las Vegas this past January -- sent these two questions. I asked Jen Stevens, author of our travel writing course (http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/sh/tw4) to weigh in with answers --
Q: When you're working on an article, do you write on the computer first or by hand?
A: I write on the computer. I type much faster than I scribble, and I like being able to move things around easily and change words and go back up and fill in missing details. I take lots of notes while I'm traveling, and for those, naturally, I use a pen and notebook. Sometimes I'll write out a paragraph or two there that will find its way, almost word-for-word into an article. But when I really sit down to write, I do so at my desk with my hands on the keyboard.
Q; I have a Mac. How should I submit articles to editors? Can I use Quark XPress or send a PDF? Or do I need to buy a PC?
A: Many freelance writers use Macs. However, you should get some sort of word processing software -- like Microsoft Word, for example. That is most editors are likely to have. When you send your article to an editor -- who will, most likely, be working on a PC -- always follow the instructions outlined in the publication's Writer's Guidelines. As a rule, though, I'd suggest saving your story in "RTF," which stands for Rich Text Format. Just about every word processing program can read this type of file.
I emailed my writer colleague John Forde (a Mac guy who uses Word). He had this additional tip about sending photos from the Mac world to the PC world: "When sending pictures, JPEGs between Mac and PC are fine. But remember that PCs usually can’t handle what are called "preview icons" sent from other systems. So if you’re sending from the Mac, save the photo file without the preview icon. Also, many email programs -- and some older PCs -- can’t handle long file names. So, better safe than sorry, aim for file names of eight letters or less (not including ".jpg" or ".doc" or ".rtf")."
Have a great weekend! Oh, and don't forget to keep me up-to-speed on your travel-writing success. If you have a success story to share, send me a quick note at lori@thetravelwriterslife.com. I'd love to hear from you.
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:
You can meet Jen Stevens, John Forde, and the rest of our professional faculty at our upcoming Paris Travel Writer Workshop, May 9-12, 2004. Sign up by April 15, and 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
SHOULD YOU INCORPORATE YOUR FREELANCE WRITING BUSINESS? By Freelance Writer, Will Newman in California :
One of the questions students ask most often is: "Do I need to incorporate?" And the answer is: "It depends." When I was faced with making the decision, I chose not to incorporate -- but only after studying the advantages and disadvantages of doing so.
First, let's look at the advantages.
For you, the most important reason to incorporate could be the tax advantages. As an incorporated business, you can offer your employees (you and your spouse, perhaps) tax-deductible benefits. Even if you're the only shareholder and employee, you might qualify to deduct health insurance, life insurance, and travel and entertainment expenses from your taxes. And, as a corporation, you might qualify to provide yourself and your employees with a tax-sheltered retirement plan -- a 401(k) -- that individuals cannot get.
Since I'm a retired teacher and already have a good retirement plan, this wasn't important to me. However, for many people (maybe you?) this benefit alone might be reason enough to incorporate.
A second reason to incorporate is the credibility you gain by having "Inc." or "Corp." at the end of your business name. This can send a powerful message to your clients and business associates about your professionalism and your commitment to the quality of the work that you do. Even if you work out of your back room or on your kitchen table, your business will seem much larger and more established. This is a benefit that I seriously considered.
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Lori Haller makes $100,000 to $150,000 a year as a direct-mail graphic designer. She works from home, sets her own hours, and has plenty of free time to raise her three kids.
A once complicated profession can now be done on a standard computer -- with little or no "artistic" ability at all. http://www.thedesignerslife.com/tw4
The third major reason many businesses incorporate is to avoid personal liability claims. If you're sued as a corporation, your personal assets cannot be touched. Only the money and assets you and your stockholders (if any) have put into the corporation can be used in a settlement. This can be a powerful reason for incorporating. However, for me, as a freelance writer, it's a non-issue, because I feel that the very nature of what I do protects me. First off, there's not much damage that I can do (particularly if I do my research well). All of my writing in this gig is "work for hire." When it's paid for, my client owns it. And I specify in my contracts that by paying for my copy, my clients approve its content and assume all liability for its use.
As for the disadvantages of incorporating, there are only two -- but they're major: the time it takes and the red tape you have to deal with. When you incorporate, you have a lot of paperwork that must be filled out and filed properly with your state and the IRS (along with a filing fee, of course). And while you do not absolutely need the advice of an attorney or accountant to do this, you might feel more comfortable hiring on -- especially if this is your first time.
The bottom line for me was not to incorporate. But only you can make your own decision. Go to your local library or bookstore and pick up one of the very good "do-it-yourself" resources on incorporating, particularly those by Nolo Press. Thoroughly research the subject. Talk to friends in business who've incorporated and those who haven't. Talk to your accountant if you have one. Then YOU make the decision that works best for your business.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: It’s entirely possible that with the writing skills you’ve learned so far, you could spend the next 10, 20, or 30 years just moving from assignment to assignment and never really put a "business" together. And you could still make a decent living. But "doing it right" and setting up your own freelance writing business doesn’t mean working harder. It just means working smarter. And for some it means more tax advantages, more freedom and more flexibility. For more information on starting your own freelance writing business visit: http://www.awaionline.com/bib/tw891]
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THIS WEEK'S FEATURED TRAVEL PUBLICATION: The Family Travel Files
The Family Travel Files, an online travel resource, publishes family-oriented travel articles in their ezine. The audience is culturally diverse with readers from nearly all continents and articles cover family travel with children of varying ages. Articles should be sent to editor@familytravelfiles.com. But first find out more about what they are looking for at http://www.thefamilytravelfiles.com/presswriters.asp.
OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:
- Imagine A SUMMER OF TRAVEL… FREE. What's more, you'll earn a few hundred… maybe even a few thousand… dollars for your trouble. Sound too good to be true? Well, that's exactly how retired television executive Duane Harm and his wife Harlene spent the summer of 2002 -- traveling across the western U.S. All told, they visited 23 different dude ranches in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana over a three-month period, staying for free an average of three days at each ranch. The total value of their summer stays? About $55,000… and they didn't pay anything. Not one cent. What's more, they wrote an article for Steamboat Magazine, a high-end coffee-table publication based in Steamboat Springs, CO that comes out twice a year. And they were paid for their work. Here's more: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/workshop/bb
- 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.
- If you have what it takes to write a powerful "report" that sells vitamins or alternative health therapies you could make very good money in a specialty field that desperately needs you…that will give you as much work as you can handle…and that routinely pays $8,000 and up – with royalties – for each piece you write? Find out more: http://www.thewriterslife.com/health/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: The New York Times Travel Section: http://www.nytimes.com/travel/
- Recommended Reading: The Los Angeles Times Travel Section: http://www.latimes.com/travel/
- Recommended Reading: The Chicago Tribune Travel Section: http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/
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.
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