Edited by Lori Appling in Las Vegas, NV.

"A goal properly set is halfway reached." -- Abraham Lincoln

TODAY:

• 600 Travel Articles and 3,000 Photographs--- B. Howard Travels in Style: He Hasn't Paid for a Hotel Room in Florida in Over 10 Years--- and He's Going to Tell Us How He Does It
• Robert Ringer's Advice on These First Five Months of the Year and What They Could Mean for Your Travel-Writing Career
• Create a Second Income by Writing Steamy Love Novels
• This Week's Featured Travel Publication: Go World Travel Magazine
• More Opportunities and Resources for Writers

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Dear Reader,

Travel Writing really is the best job in the world. I just got off the phone with freelance travel writer, B. Howard, but not before he told me how nice it is to be a travel writer---

"I travel in luxury, stay at the very best hotels, and eat at the finest restaurants--- almost always for free. I get paid to go on vacation several times a year. I haven't paid for a hotel room in Florida for more than 10 years. I have traveled to Bermuda and the Bahamas almost every year for the last 10 years -- always at the local government's expense. My last three visits to Nassau I stayed at the world famous Atlantis Resort in rooms that cost more than $600 per night -- free. I get treated like royalty wherever I go."

B. Howard has written 13 travel guide books (some have gone to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions) and another on photography. He's also sold over 600 articles and 3,000 photographs to publications as famed as Petersen's PHOTOgraphic Magazine, Delta's Sky Magazine, Golf Illustrated Magazine, The Daily Mail Sunday Edition (The Mail on Sunday is Great Britain's most popular tabloid newspaper), Tours & Resorts Magazine, British Heritage Magazine, Writer's Digest Magazine, TWA Ambassador Magazine, American Geographic, Thoroughbred Times, The Boston Herald, The Detroit Free-Press, The Anchorage Times, and many more.

"After 20 years of traveling and writing, I've got this business down to a science," he added. "I can call an editor and land an assignment in a single phone call. It's not that hard if you know what you're doing."

So we've asked B. Howard to teach some of you how he does it. He's agreed to become our first-ever, official AWAI travel-writing coach.

Now, we're hoping to add a few more by the end of the year. But for now, this program is on a first-come-first-served basis, available to all our students and readers. (I'll send you more details next week.)

In the meantime, I'm including (below) an article from Robert Ringer. Those of you that are familiar with Michael Masterson's Early to Rise Program have seen Robert's name at least a dozen times on advice about goal setting, time management, business management--- the works.

But this particular article caught my eye last week, so I thought to share it with you here. It applies directly to your travel-writing career (or any career, for that matter). And he raises some very good arguments about what the months of January through May really mean for your business.

Take a look today, because what he has to say is time-sensitive. January's already half over, and as you'll read below, it's one of the most crucial months in his plan.

Till next week, have a good weekend. And don't forget to keep me up-to-speed on your travel-writing success. If you have a story to share, send me a quick note at lori@thetravelwriterslife.com.

-- Lori

Lori Appling
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

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The ringing in of the New Year is very special to me. To begin with, I met my wife on New Year's Eve. In addition, her birthday is December 31.

But the New Year also signals the start of a five-month period that I think of as the Window-of-Opportunity Sprint. If you're serious about accomplishing your objectives, you had better come out of the starting gate fast on Monday, January 3 -- and keep going at full speed through at least the end of May.

If you don't make major strides toward achieving your goals from January through May, you're going to be playing catch-up the remainder of the year. Once June arrives and the kids are out of school, most people go into their summer swoon.

That's when it seems as though everyone you need to talk to has left for Great Britain, France, or a Caribbean cruise for two or three weeks. It can be maddening to those who love the deal-making game enough to play it year round.

Much of my experience with this problem is in the book-publishing world. I've long said that if I'm reincarnated, I would like to come back as a high-level publishing executive.

These guys have lunch and dinner at the finest restaurants -- five days a week -- with agents, important authors, and other publishers. It goes without saying that the tabs for their "business" lunches and dinners are picked up by their companies.

Then there are those sales conferences two-to-four times a year in such work-conducive environments as Las Vegas, Hawaii, Fort Lauderdale, and Puerto Rico. Throw in the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany, and the package of travel perks is pretty appealing.

But summer is the biggest perk of all. Beginning in early June, higher-ups at the major publishing houses tend to work from their "weekend homes" in The Hamptons -- between trips to Europe, of course. Even rank-and-file book-publishing employees head for their Westchester County and Long Island homes at noon on Friday.

I mean, literally, if you call someone at 12:01 p.m. on a Friday in June, July, or August, you're too late. Forget about it until Monday. Unless, of course, the person you need to speak with decides to take another one of those long weekends that publishing executives are so addicted to.

Given these realities, if you're planning on doing business with a publisher, particularly one that is located in Manhattan, you'd better make sure that it happens before the temperature hits 75 degrees in New York City. Otherwise, get in line with everyone else and wait patiently for the return of The Hamptonians in the Fall.

But regardless of what industry you're in, if you miss the opening in the Window-of-Opportunity Sprint from the first workday following January 1 through May 31, don't make the mistake of joining others in a long summer's nap. Instead, use the period of June-to-August to plant seeds for Fall. It's a great time to strategize, plan, and create new products.

Fall is the second-best time to do business, but it's a window of opportunity that closes much more quickly. It begins the day after Labor Day and comes to a gradual halt a few days before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, when most people return to work the Monday after Thanksgiving, their colons are so bloated with overdoses of mashed potatoes, giblet gravy, and pumpkin pie that they aren't in much of a mood to make decisions.

Instead, they focus on clever methods for stalling their way to the mid-December slowdown for Christmas shopping. Once they reach that point, they can easily bluff their way to Christmas without having to do any meaningful work.

After that, everything comes to a halt again until the first workday after January. So you can forget about doing business with anyone until then. It's amazing to me how many people live for the slowdown periods and don't take advantage of the January-to-May and Labor Day-to-Thanksgiving windows of opportunity.

It's worth repeating: If you're serious about making major success strides in 2005, I strongly advise you to be prepared to come out of the starting gate fast on January 3. Then, other than a slight pause for Easter, maintain your forward progress at a relentless pace and be prepared to turn on the afterburners around the first of May.

I've been operating this way for years, and I can tell you from firsthand experience that it pays huge dividends. So, my New Year's wish to you is that you set a new personal record in the Window-of-Opportunity Sprint beginning January 3 and that you never look back.

Enough said. It's time to get down in the starting blocks and get on with it. On your mark . . . get set . . . GO!

[EDITORIAL NOTE: In a live breakthrough three-part teleconference series coming this January, Robert Ringer will guide you through the specific strategies for achieving all your goals in the coming New Year. Robert has agreed to reveal his most essential strategies for creating positive change in your life in this one-time only teleconference series. He'll show you how to reach new levels of success in the New Year. Robert has inspired millions through his books and speeches. Now it's your turn to put his secrets and strategies to work for you.

We are accepting registration for this unique event for a limited time only. When you sign-up before January 1st, 2005 you'll get a $52 off the regular price of $149 - the entire series will be yours for only $97!

The first 300 registrants will also get a pre-publication manuscript copy of Robert Ringer's newly revised and updated best-selling book "Looking Out For #1"! The original version of this book was a #1 New York Times Best-Seller. This manuscript will not be made available to the public again at any price. But, you'll receive it F*R*E*E if you're among the first 300. http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/700SRRTC/W700F117/]

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THIS WEEK'S FEATURED TRAVEL PUBLICATION

Go World Travel Magazine is a monthly publication that covers destinations worldwide. Written from an international perspective, Go World Travel Magazine wants stories that will entertain and inform and that go deeper into the culture and uniqueness of a destination. They prefer to review completed manuscripts from writers writing for them for the first time, but you can send a query accompanied by clips instead, if you choose. Submissions and queries should be sent to submissions@goworldtravel.com. View the complete writer's guidelines at http://www.goworldtravel.com/writersguidelines.htm.

OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:

• WHAT'S STOPPING YOU? 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/
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• RETIRE---AND GET PAID TO TRAVEL -- Get the Details and Your Free report at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/kp/tw4
• EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF WRITING
  Learn how to find the best story ideas and places to publish them---how and when to follow up with an editor---what you need to know about buying rights, contracts, and agreements---how to use syndication to increase your exposure and boost your earnings---and more. You'll find The Business of Writing Guide: A Practical Guide for Travel Writers (and Other Freelancers) Ready to Turn Words into Profits here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/biz/tw4
• BIG BUCKS FOR SNAPSHOTS
  Photos can be a remarkably strong sales tool when you're approaching an editor with a story. They can significantly increase your chances of getting published (and earning extra income) -- that is, if you know how to take the kinds of photos editors like. Find out the simplest and best camera to take with you (you don't want to be lugging a trunk full of equipment)... how to use time of day... create a mood... how to photograph people versus landscapes and wildlife... and more. You'll find Big Bucks for Snapshots: 53 Can't Miss Techniques for Becoming a Money-Making Freelance Photographer here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/photos/tw4

  NOTE: Big Bucks for Snap Shots comes free when you enroll in Passport to Romance: The Ultimate Travel Writer's Course at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/kp/tw4

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

© 2005 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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