10 Ways to Make a Six-Figure Income as a Freelance Writer: Part One
By Bob Bly Part One I started freelancing full-time in 1982, and except for that year and the next, I have earned more than $100,000 a year as a freelance writer for 20 consecutive years. Last year, I grossed $500,000, as I did the year before that. I tell you this not to brag, but [...]
Seven Habits of a Truley Observant Traveler
One important trait the most accomplished travel writers share has nothing to do with their writing abilities. The best travel writers are, simply put, observant travelers. They've trained themselves to notice things. You can, too. In fact, it's a critical habit to foster. Because the more you notice -- the more specific, interesting details you [...]
How to Trash the "Travel Speak" and Write Descriptions that Sell
The descriptions that editors like -- the ones they pay for -- are those that paint pictures so vivid, readers see and feel and taste right along with the writer. How do you make sure your descriptions do that? The short answer is: "Show don't tell" -- a maxim of good writing you'll come across [...]
Advice on Dealing With Lunactics... and How to Get Paid if You're Using a Pen Name
Sorry, AWAI's whip-crackers say this isn't the place to share my new-found gambling knowledge. Don't know why. After the Vegas travel writers' gig finished, I returned to Treasure Island's blackjack tables... and left $175 to the good. One question that surfaced during our recent workshop was about pen-names. Well, I'd better ‘fess up here too: [...]
How to Get Out Of the Way When You're Telling Your Own Story
Too much "I" and "we" -- the most common mistake I see in articles by new travel writers. It's not that you shouldn't tell your own story from your point of view. Successful travel writers do that regularly. In last Sunday's Travel section of the New York Times, for instance, six of the seven feature [...]
