Edited by Lori Appling in Bethany Beach, DE
"My son, observe the potage stamp! Its usefulness depends upon its ability to stick to one thing until it gets there." -- Josh Billings
Today:
- How …and When… to Follow Up with an Editor, Plus…
- Malaysia, Mexico, Europe, Tennessee: What Some of Your Fellow Readers Are Up To
- Nine Ways to Keep Track of Your Article Submissions, and More…
- Where to Find Your Next Paycheck: 853,000 Places to Get Published
- This Week's Featured Travel Publication: Latitudes and Attitudes
- More Opportunities And Resources For Writers
* Highly Recommended*
This just in…
"I entered a photo in an online photography contest and they chose my picture for the "asymmetric composition and the light used." So the picture will be in their next book, which sells for $70 as a collection of great photography. And as a finalist, I'm eligible for the $5000 draw!! This is my very first publication. Is this a great kick start or what? Bonjour et merci Lori pour ton inspiration à Canmore, Alberta, dans les montagnes rocheuses canadiennes!" -- Hugo Daigle
Can You Take A Simple Photograph?
If yes, you could make $800 - $2,000 a week taking snap shots in your own backyard… on your family vacations… or anywhere in the world you care to travel. Here's everything you need to know about this fun and lucrative business: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/tw4
Note: Hugo has only received the first installment of this course.
Dear Reader,
A student writes this week…
"I know it's been only a week, but having gotten up the courage to send my article into an editor, I wonder -- when should I hope to get a reply, or will I get one at all if the answer is negative? And, is it appropriate for me to follow up with her and ask directly whether it's something she wants to publish? Finally, when sending out something like this should I also market it elsewhere or should I wait to hear back first?"
Good questions. Here's my answer…
Well, for starters, consider these three guidelines. They apply to all publications…
1. If you're thinking about dropping the editor a note, first check your publication's Writer's Guidelines, where most list a typical response time. You'll usually find the Writer's Guidelines on the publication's website or in Writer's Digest's Writer's Market book (see below for discount details). The time you can expect to wait before you hear back can vary from as little as one month to as long as six months. You should ALWAYS wait until the response period has passed before you follow up with an editor, even if your patience runs out well before then.
2. The best way to follow-up is via email or mail. Don't call. Your follow-up email or letter should be short and to the point. It should describe the original query sent and the date you sent it. Remember to remain professional and polite in your follow-up.
3. Always remember to include your contact information and your full name on all of your correspondence, whether it's being delivered by post or email. In other words, make it easy for your editor to get in touch with you. If you sign your note "Tom," under that should appear your full name, phone number, email address, street address, etc.
And as for reselling your article before you hear back from the first editor you approached -- check our e-letter archives at www.thetravelwriterslife.com for:
- Issue # 72 - The Right Way to Use "Rights" -- So You Can Sell Your Article Again and Again
- Issue # 71 - When (And How) To Sell and Resell Your Specialty Story
- And issues # 65-76 on The Secret to Selling and Reselling Your Articles
In all likelihood, you will find the answers to all of these questions in a publication's Writer's Guidelines.
A publication's guidelines are an invaluable resource -- in many ways, they hold the keys you need to get a foot in the door. That's why today's feature article is Part 1 of a three-part series on guidelines we'll run over the next few weeks -- Where to Find Them, How to Read Them, and How to Get Paid.
But before you scroll down, check out what some of your fellow readers are up to…
Hugo Daigle is taking our new home-study course on photography (http://www.thephotographerslife.com/tw4), which includes a section on submitting your pictures to photo contests for cash prizes while you practice your craft. After reading that section, he submitted his first photo to a contest AND WON!! His picture will appear in their next book, which sells for $70 as a collection of great photography.
Another reader wrote in with photo success too. Chuck Belitz just sold two photos and an article to the Anniston Star about a trip he took to Iraq back in 2004.
(Note: If you're interested in writing about a previous travel experience, see our article titled " How to Turn Your Previous Travel Experiences into Checks" in issue #34 in our e-letter archives at www.thetravelwriterslife.com.)
And workshop attendee Elaine Johnston just got her first gig within two weeks of returning home from our most recent program in New York. She writes, "I met with the editor of our local newspaper (The Glade Sun) this past week and will be doing a monthly article on places to go from our neck of the woods -- one- or two-day trips. Tennessee and surrounding Georgia has lots to offer, not to mention Virginia and West Virginia! Thanks to the workshop in New York -- it gave me inspiration and put my wheels in motion."
Speaking of workshop attendees…
Sandra Kennedy is on the road again. Sandra joined us in Argentina for the Ultimate Travel Writer's Workshop this past March. I've already told you about her four-day press trip to a spa resort in the Bahamas. Now she's arranged for some more perk-filled trips. (And she'll be meeting some fellow workshop attendees while she's at it.)
She writes, "I have another press trip in January. It is to a small town in Washington called Cascade. It was in dire straits after Boise-Cascade pulled out of town. Consequently, instead of letting their town die, a few townspeople worked together to build a resort. The General Manager I spoke with used to work in the saw mills. What a great story!
"I will be comped for four days. He is arranging with the ski resorts nearby for me to visit them. Also, the mayor wants to talk and give me information for my article!
"Then, when my husband, Bill, and I go to Riviera Maya in Mexico, they are going to comp a "renewal of vows" ceremony for us!!! It will be a Mayan Ceremony with a Spanish Translator.
"My next two articles will be published in December and January.
"I am working on query letters to magazines for a show of interest for visiting Riviera Maya (am querying bridal magazines, also).
" Bill and I will also be visiting San Miguel de Allende for two weeks. We will be staying at Las Terrazas, where Murray Friedman is one of the owners. We coincidentally read about each other in your newsletters. We got in touch. I am so excited to get articles from that visit, too. The running of the bulls will be happening, Mexico's Independence Day, and San Miguel's Patron Day.
"Wow! I hadn't intended to go on about all this but so wanted to share with you the lucky breaks so far. So glad for the workshop in Buenos Aires!"
Another course student, Leah Cano, writes, "Just thought I would drop you a line and let you know that my first travel article has been published on-line. I took a trip for 6 months through Europe last year and have been working on a few. This one is on the EIL (Experiment in International Living) website! Who hooooo!!!! Thanks for your encouragement and helpful critiquing!!! I am loving this course!"
And congratulations, too, to freelance travel writer and photographer Francis Caldwell. Highways Magazine has accepted another article and more photos from him. This one's titled, "How one RVing couple avoid 'Pain at the Pump.'" It's the fourth article Highways Magazine has published over the years from him, including one cover.
And the big story this week comes from Travel Writing Course student Hayley Clarke in West Australia. She writes, "I completed The Ultimate Travel Writers course last year and I wrote to you 6 or so months ago and let you know I had my first clip published.
"I have just returned from an 8-day, all-expenses-paid, 5-star trip to Malaysia taking in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, courtesy of Tourism Malaysia. I went on behalf of that same magazine that published my first article. Seemingly they were so impressed with my style and professionalism that when this trip came up, my name simply popped into the Senior Editor's head! I am now in the middle of writing my 4th article for them.
"I just wanted to say thank you for producing this fantastic course because without it I would've just melted into the crowd of freelancers that bombard editors' inboxes around the globe every day! In fact, the Senior Editor of the magazine I have been writing for said that she gets hundreds of submissions a week -- but thanks to the Ultimate Travel Writer's Course, my "sales" letter stood head and shoulders above the rest! So thanks once again for everything!"
So how's that for a list of success stories? A photo-contest win, pictures of Iraq, visits to Tennessee, Mexico, Washington, Europe, Malaysia… I think a few shameless plugs would not be out of line:
To start your travel writing adventure today, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/sh/tw4
To learn more about photography and how you can make a living (a good living) by taking simple photographs, visit: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/tw4
Or to meet us in Washington D.C. this September to learn directly from master photographers Rich Wagner and B. Howard, visit: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/washington
And don't forget to keep me up-to-speed on your success. If you have a story to share, send me a quick note at lori@thetravelwriterslife.com.
Have a great weekend,
-- 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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Nine Ways to Keep Track of Your Article Submissions, and More.
Here's 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
WHERE TO FIND YOUR NEXT PAYCHECK: 853,000 PLACES TO GET PUBLISHED
By Freelance Writer, Roy Barnes
The first step to getting an article published -- and the most important one -- is to find the publications best-suited for your story. If you get your audience right at the start, chances are you'll have a much easier time landing assignments and getting paid.
So that's what we'll talk about this week: How to find the audience you're looking for. Really, to be more precise: How to find the Writer's Guidelines that will tell you if you've got the audience right, or not.
Part 1: HOW TO FIND WRITER'S GUIDELINES
- The Internet
The Worldwide Web, with its countless travel-themed sites, is a great place to get published for pay and to build up your portfolio. Travel articles published online can generate for you a large and sustained reading audience, especially since most travel websites archive their content indefinitely.
One of the best ways to find travel publications is to go to writing sites full of market listings. Some places to start are:
http://www.freelancewriting.com/guidelines/pages/index.html
http://www.writerswrite.com/guidelines/browse.htm
These links contain market databases sorted by category, such as travel. You should also try:
http://www.world-newspapers.com
These give comprehensive listings of newspapers and/or other travel publications around the world that are internet-accessible.
To find the online guidelines for a particular publication, look for a link at the publication's homepage that says: “Write Articles,” “Editorial Guidelines,” or “About Us.” Such links will usually lead directly or indirectly to the Writer's Guidelines.
If you can't find a Writer's Guideline link,go to the “Contact Us” or "Menu" link to look for the travel editor's name and email address. If it's not there, then send an email to the general-information address and ask for the travel editor's name and email address as well as a copy of the Writer's Guidelines.
For newspapers that don't have the staff listed online, do the same thing. Send an email to the general-information address. Usually an online-staff representative will respond within a couple of days. If you're looking for the correct contact at a smaller paper that doesn't have a dedicated Travel Editor, then you'll want to deal with the Features Editor.
- Libraries and Magazine Racks
Browse through the magazine racks at your local library or book store. You will be astounded by the many titles you'd never have even imagined existed. Any of them could be a target for your articles. You'll g enerally find a publication’s masthead (the staff listing) within the first 10 pages. And there it is likely to tell you if the publication has an online site and, if so, where it is. Armed with that info, you can then check there for the Writer's Guidelines.
An advantage to searching out publications and actually flipping through them is that you'll get a very concrete feel for the type of article the editors prefer. You gain insights into length, attitude, style, and so on that it's harder to glean from the Guidelines alone. Because of that, in fact, many Writer's Guidelines advise you to study current and back issues before submitting queries or stories.
- Market Directories
Another good place to find the names of publications you might write for is Writer's Digest's Writer’s Market -- a catalog of over 8,000 publications. In each publication's listing you'll find a paragraph or two that gives you a quick snapshot of what the editors are after. This isn't a substitute for reading the full Writer's Guidelines, but it's a great way to target potential outlets for you’re your articles. The book is divided up by category: Travel, Women's, Regional, Retirement, etc. You can buy a copy of this book online or check your local library. Many of the listings include the publication's website and advise you to look there for the most up-to-date information about submitting articles and so on.
Note: As a reader of this e-letter, you can get a discounted copy of Writer's Market at: http://www.writersdigest.com/store/booksdisplay.asp?id=10851
- “Google” It
If you search for "Writer's Guidelines" on Google, you'll be rewarded with 853,000 responses. To narrow this down, you'll have to be more specific. Try searching for "retirement magazine writer's guidelines" or "budget travel writer's guidelines" or even "women travel writer's guidelines." Just pick your niche and search for guidelines that way.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information on finding the best places to publish your articles… how specifically to send them to an editor… more ways to make twice as much money doing less work… check out our Business of Writing Guide. You'll find a complete table of contents at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/biz/tw4]
* Advertisement *
At 4:20 on May 17, 2001 - a sunny afternoon in Baltimore - I was sitting on the front stoop of our little brick row home, my seven-week-old baby on my lap, when my husband came home and told me he'd just lost his job.
Instead of panicking, we went out for sushi.
Were we in denial? No. Just lucky enough to have a recession-proof contingency plan that will earn me close to $100,000 this year, working from home.
Mine is not an extraordinary story. My colleagues and I are just everyday folks like you - some with college degrees, some not. Yet we enjoy careers with a level of job security and income most people only dream about.
I'd like to invite you to join us:
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THIS WEEK'S FEATURED TRAVEL PUBLICATION
Latitudes and Attitudes, a popular publication for sailors and cruisers, has a monthly department that features a write up on a specific harbor or anchorage. The piece should include photos and a sketch chart. There feature article each month can also be travel oriented. Send submissions to Editor, Latitudes & Attitudes, PO Box 668, Redondo Beach, CA 90277. View the complete guidelines at: http://www.latsandatts.net/Writers_Info.htm.
OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:
RETIRE…AND GET PAID TO TRAVEL -- Get the Details and Your Free report at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/kp/tw4
TAX SAVINGS EVERY FREELANCER SHOULD TAKE -- Find out where you can save... what the IRS really needs to know... how to make the most of those deductions for travel, meals, entertainment, home office, and more including practical worksheets you can use to make sure you're paying as little as possible to Uncle Sam. You'll find The Writer's Tax Guide: A Money-Saving Manual for Travel Writers and Other Freelancers here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tax/tw4
CAN YOU WRITE A SIMPLE LETTER? -- If 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/ph/tw89
MAKE MONEY AND SAVE THE WORLD -- What if something you wrote could... Help 3 million people in 29 countries get access to clean drinking water... Provide safe, secure housing for 5,400 families in the U.S. ... Protect 160,000 acres of timberland in Tennessee and Oregon... Put 23 new computers in the elementary school down the street... http://www.thewriterslife.com/fundraising/tw89
THE AWAI FORUM FOR TRAVEL WRITERS -- You'll find this excellent online resource at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/forums . 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.
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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