Edited by Lori Appling in Harpers Ferry, WV
" In America there are two classes of travel - first class, and with children." -- Robert Benchley
Today:
- Seven-Figure Income in Seven Years: Where to Start
- Learn to Tango in Argentina this November
- Part 3, Where to Find Your Next Paycheck: How (Practically Speaking) to Get Paid
- This Week's Featured Travel Publication: Alaska Airlines Magazine
- More Opportunities And Resources For Writers
* Highly Recommended *
"When I was 22 years old, I traveled all across Asia for six months. I dined with the Privy Counsel to the King of Thailand... met the late Mother Teresa... shook hands with the Dalai Lama. I took a week-long, four-wheel-drive journey across Tibet... went trout fishing in a pristine mountain stream in Bumburet, a hidden valley in the Hindu Kush...and I got to see secret religious ceremonies rarely witnessed by outsiders.
"When I returned home I was contacted by a text book company that offered me $6,000 for the pictures I took along the way. What's more, a few years later, the publisher offered to pay me AGAIN when it went to second edition." -- David Morgan, freelance photographer and travel writer
Now, you too can take pictures that look good enough appear in a magazine... pictures your neighbor will drool over.
This might surprise you, but even if the only photo equipment you have is a point-and-shoot digital camera, there's an adventure just waiting for you in Washington D.C. next month.
Join us in D.C. for three days of fun and expert instruction. You'll walk away with photos so incredible, they could wind up on the pages of top travel publications and newspapers.
For details visit: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/washington or call 1-866-879-2924 or 561-278-5557 and ask for Barb or Scott. Spaces are limited.
Dear Reader,
People ask me all the time how much they can expect to make as a freelance travel writer. My answer is always: It depends.
How much do you want to travel? How fast can you write? How good are you? Are you easy to work with and readily available? Are you really going to read our course materials or are you going to put the program on your bookshelf and continue to dream about it?
The truth is, everybody's different. B. Howard freelances pretty much full-time, and he earned $12,600 selling the stories and photos he generated on a single four-day trip to England. Other freelancers I know write on the side, using travel-writing as an excuse to explore the world more affordably than they might otherwise, and to travel in a way a typical tourist does not.
I bring this up because today's article is the last in a three-part series on Writer's Guidelines. If you missed the past two issues on Where to Find Writer's Guidelines and How to Read Them, you'll find both archived on our website at http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com
Today's feature article describes how, specifically, you get paid as a freelance travel writer and what you can do to boost your income.
Speaking of boosting your income... my personal mentor (and friend), Michael Masterson, is holding a teleconference next week that will focus on the fundamentals he explores in his new book - Automatic Wealth. It's only $20 to listen into the call, and he's going to talk about making seven figures in seven years.
You'll find out more here: http://www.earlytorise.com/OutPro/TWriter.htm
Basically, the idea is that while investments that rely on compound interest are certainly worthwhile, to really accumulate substantial wealth that way, you need a lot of years. And that's something some people just don't have. There's a faster alternative, though. In fact, most of the millionaires Michael knows (he included), made their millions in three to seven years. And they did so in remarkably similar ways, as it turns out, by sticking to a handful of fundamental behaviors. These are all points Michael addresses in his book. I encourage you to listen to this call. A conversation with him is always rewarding, and I'm sure this one will be as well. I know I'm looking forward to it.
As always, don't forget to keep me up-to-speed on your success. If you have a success story to share, send me a quick note at lori@thetravelwriterslife.com.
And if you want to join us in D.C. for our next Ultimate Travel Photographer's Workshop, call Barb or Scott today at 561-278-5557 or toll-free at 866-879-2924.
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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"We immersed ourselves in the rhythm of Buenos Aires, a city that smells of roses, delighting in the French and Spanish architecture. We challenged our taste buds with the Argentine herbs in churros and empanadas, staples in a land where beef is king. And always we listened to the cacophony of happy Porteños, natives of Buenos Aires, talking around us. All week, we felt alive with the warm touch of a people generous with their hugs and kisses." -- Olivia Skory, Travel Writer & Participant in our Tango Tour 2004
Learn to Tango in Argentina
November 5-13, 2005
http://www.agoratravel.com/tango/
UNDERSTANDING WRITER'S GUIDELINES: HOW (PRACTICALLY SPEAKING) TRAVEL WRITERS GET PAID By Lori Appling, Director, AWAI Travel Division
Can you make a full-time living as a travel writer?
Yes, you can. Some established travel writers we know log annual earnings of $50,000 or more working full time.
Can you get super-rich working strictly as a freelance travel writer? Probably not. This kind of writing is more about the lifestyle, the freedom, the travel opportunities...
Travel writing is also a career ideally suited as a sideline - a way to travel better than you might ordinarily, a way to make your travel pay for itself, a way to potentially write off on your taxes the travel you do.
How Much Do Publications Pay for Articles and Photos?
As a freelance travel writer, you're paid according to your level of experience and the budget of the publication for which you're writing. In most cases, you'll have to accept what the publication offers. Particularly when you're just starting out, it's not a good idea to try to negotiate with an editor. You'll be perceived as difficult to work with.
The range in article payment is significant. Some publications pay $.25 or $.50 or $1 per published word. Others pay a flat fee that's anywhere from $50 to $1,200 or more per article.
What about photos? That, too, depends. As with articles, the money you can earn from your photos falls into a wide range and depends on both the quality of your photos and the budget of the publication. Payment for photos lands anywhere from $50 to $1,300 or more per picture. (Note: Join us in Washington D.C next month and learn first hand from master photographers Rich Wagner and B. Howard how to take better pictures and sell them for cash. For details, visit: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/washington)
If you're providing a publication a full copy and photos package, that publication may work out a "package" fee with you. Or your earnings may be itemized, x for the article and y for the three photos they use, for example. This simply depends upon the way the publication is set up to do business.
Some Real-Life Examples of Pay Scales at Travel Publications
Here are a few examples of what publications pay:
- Coast to Coast Magazine pays $75 - $1,000 for articles between 800 and 2,500 words. The magazine pays upon acceptance. They publish articles an average of four months after acceptance.
- The European travel magazine Wanderlust pays approximately $187.50 per 1,000 published words. Like at many other publications, the fee is based on published, not submitted words. Upon publication Wanderlust sends an invoice request along with a copy of the magazine. Payment is made within 30 days of receipt of an invoice.
- Transitions Abroad pays upon publication. The fee is normally $2 per column inch - and there are about 50 to 55 words per inch. However, if you're a repeat contributor, the fee is negotiable. Writers receive an additional $10 per published photo.
Where to Find Payment Information
To find a publication's payment information, check the Writer's Guidelines. You'll also learn there when you'll get paid - whether it's upon acceptance or publication of your article.
In that same section, the guidelines will also usually include information about whether the publication pays a "kill fee" or not. A kill fee is the amount - typically 25% to 50% of the agreed-upon assignment fee - that a publication will pay you if your assigned article doesn't, in fact, ever run. You are only eligible for a kill fee if you're working "on assignment."
If you're working "on spec," no kill fee is due you. In other words, if the editor has told you, "Go ahead and write that piece and send it to me. If I like it, I'll publish it," then you are Working on spec. If the editor chooses to publish your article once she sees it, great. If not, then you'll simply have to shop it around elsewhere.
On occasion, a publication will list only a wide payment range or perhaps no payment information at all. Don't be deterred. If you're interested in writing for that publication, go ahead and submit your query to the editor and make no mention of payment.
Hook the editor on your article idea. Once she's interested, then you can start talking money. Once it comes up, don't haggle if you're just starting out. Take what's offered. Early in the game, a by-line should be more important to you than the money you're earning. It's those clips - whether you were paid well for them or not - that will get you more and higher paying work in the future. Once you're established, you'll have more negotiating power.
How to Earn Extra Fees for Each Assignment
Travel writers can earn extra money on an assignment in a variety of ways, for example:
- If you're targeting a print publication, provide photos or illustrations.
- If you're writing for the Internet, you can offer not only photos and illustrations, but also audio clips. For example, if you're writing about a local festival in Honduras you might include audio clips of people singing Honduran folk songs.
- Like photos and illustrations, audio clips can be packaged as sidebar resources warranting supplemental fees. However, it's important to check the Writer's Guidelines for your target publication. Don't simply assume the editor will be thrilled to get (and pay you for) all of these extras.
- Restrict the duration of the rights you grant for online publication. Many Internet sites want to have access to your articles forever. But this can be a negotiable point. Writer's Market suggests you offer a limited time period for use of your article - anywhere from three months to six months to one year. Then you provide the site with the option to renew each subsequent time period at a lower price than your original fee. For example, some writers charge half their original fee for the renewal.
- If you sell only limited rights to any given article, then you're free to shop that same article around in a different market and get paid for it again - with no extra work for you.
- Or, you can take the same pile of research you've already done, rework your article for a different audience, and then sell the different version of it. You haven't had to reinvent the wheel - yet you're getting paid more than once for what is essentially the same information, just delivered with a slightly different twist.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information on how to handle payment in foreign currencies... how and when to negotiate your fees... how to set your personal fee range... and 10 ways to make a six-figure income as a freelance writer... check out our Business of Writing Guide.You'll find a complete table of contents at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/biz/tw4]
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THIS WEEK'S FEATURED TRAVEL PUBLICATION
Alaska Airlines Magazine publishes articles for affluent travelers, especially business travelers. Articles run anywhere from 100 to 2,500 words, and pay averages between 20 and 50 cents a word. Query first. Send written queries (include published clips) to Alaska Airlines Magazine, 2701 1st Avenue, Suite 250, Seattle, WA 98121.
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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