Edited by Lori Appling in Washington, DC

" A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." -- Winston Churchill

Today:

• Where to Find Your Next Article Idea
• Congratulations: Bert Brun, Holly Anderson, and Arlene Choin
• Tax Savings Every Freelancer Should Take
• 15 More Profit-Boosting Photography Tips For Travel Writers
• This Week's Featured Travel Publication: Mexico Connect
• More Opportunities and Resources for Writers

* Highly Recommended*

"I have taken numerous photography courses, but B. Howard's experience as a photojournalist and his sharing of experiences, advice, and techniques was something I have never encountered in another photo class" (Robert Horacek, Weymouth, MA).  

This November 2-5, 2005 in the Tropical, Color-Splashed Bahamas, You Can...   Learn from professional photographers the techniques they use to shoot pictures that sell for $400, $600 -- and even higher.   PLUS -- Learn all the ins-and-outs of researching and writing travel guidebooks -- including hands-on experience interviewing executives and writing critiques of some of the most famous resorts in the Bahamas.  

For details visit: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/bahamas or call the Agora Travel office at (800) 926-6575 or (561) 243-6276. Spaces are limited.

Dear Reader,

I'm heading out to the Library of Congress and the National Archives today. Not because I have a story idea in mind, but rather because I just finished reading a good article about these places.  

Freelance travel writer and author of our Ultimate Travel Writer's Course, Jennifer Stevens, always says that to be a good travel writer you must read good travel articles regularly.  

I agree. I subscribe to Budget Travel (because I feel as if I'm the target audience), Travel + Leisure (because I like the types of articles the editors run - lots of round-ups and short essays), and National Geographic Traveler (because I like the writing).  

I also pick up the in-flight magazine on every flight I take. And here in Washington D.C., I pick up a free copy of Washington Flyer each month it comes out.  

Not only do I enjoy reading those publications, but sometimes they give me article ideas. Budget Travel, for instance, features its "40 Best" travel deals in every issue of the magazine. But in September, the editor drew special attention to it by featuring it on the cover with the teaser: "Hot Deals This Fall: Our 40 Best Getaways."  

That title gave me a couple of ideas...  

I could easily write something similar for one of my local magazines. Maybe not 40 getaways... but I could certainly write up "Seven Best Getaways for Delaware Locals." I could also, then, turn around and write a similar article for one of my neighboring cities. Washington D.C for example. I could do "Seven Best Getaways for Washington D.C Locals" and my hometown could be one of the seven.  

Now, those titles aren't perfect -- I'd probably revise them once I 'd done my research. But lucky for me, I'd likely need to do the bulk of that foot work only once as the content for both articles would surely overlap.  

Not only that, but while I'm visiting these places I could take lots of pictures and sell those as well. I'd check my target publications' Writer's and Photographer's Guidelines and be sure they accept the kinds of pictures my camera is capable of producing. Then I'd simply carry it along when I was investigating the destinations I'd decided to profile.  

If you'd like to do the sort of thing I've just talked about, here's what I suggest...  

• Read through our e-letter archives here www.thetravelwriterslife.com (it's free) and see what you can find about taking the kinds of pictures that sell best to editors... and how to write the kinds of articles that'll help you get a foot in the door. I'd start with issue #45 on the easiest and fastest way to get a byline and a check and issues # 28, 29, and 65 on submitting photos with your articles.  
• Check out our new travel photography course, Turn Your Pictures into Cash (http://www.thephotographerslife.com/ph2/website). Not only does it take you step-by-step through the art of taking a saleable photograph, but it also includes marketing information to help you break into no less than twelve paying markets -- like newspapers, magazines, online publications, galleries, stock agencies, and more.  
• Consider meeting us in the Bahamas for our travel photography and guidebook writing workshop. Not only will you learn to take better, more saleable photographs, but you'll learn how to write your own travel guidebook and at least three students will get their pictures (and possibly their writing) published in B. Howard's new edition of his Bahamas guidebook, The Adventure Guide to the Bahamas. For more details visit: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/bahamas  
• Read today's article from Jennifer Deng-Pickett. Jennifer was with us here in D.C at our photo workshop last week. She came to learn how to add photos to her travel articles, and I asked her to write you up a list of the tips she picked up that suit travel writers best. You'll find her first 10 tips archived in last week's e-letter, issue #81 and her last 15 tips below.  

By the way, I should mention, our Bahamas workshop is filling up faster than any other workshop we've mentioned here. We're already over half full, and we just started marketing this program last week. I've never seen seats go so fast. So if you're planning to join us, I encourage you to act fast. Call the Agora Travel office on Monday and ask for Michelle or Terri -- (800) 926-6575 or (561) 243-6276. They'll get you registered.  

And, as always, remember to keep me up-to-speed on your success. If you have good news to share, send me a quick note at lori@thetravelwriterslife.com.  

Travel Writing and Photography course student Bert Brun did. He just wrote to say that both his article and his photos were accepted for publication by the Salisbury, MD Daily Times. This'll be his second byline with them.  

And Holly Anderson wrote in to say that she's so excited she "can hardly stand it!!" Holly attended our live travel writing workshop in San Diego last year. She sent her article to an editor for publication... but never heard back. She didn't give up, though. As she put it, "bolstered by the support of friends and family who have read some of my pieces and re-reading the workbook from the San Diego workshop, I took another chance and VOILA! It sold. My piece, entitled 'A Taste of Heaven In Bruges, Belgium: Dumon Chocolatier' has been accepted for the 'actualities' portion of the IL Newsletter! I just received notification this morning and have faxed my contract back to Ireland this afternoon. Thank you for the excellent job you did at the workshop and for all the online updates and encouragement."  

Arlene Choin also wrote in last week to say, "I am a recent student of your travel writing program. I just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying it. And I am about to have my first article published, and I haven't even finished my first homework assignment." Shame, shame Arlene for not finishing your homework. But kudos for taking the initiative to get out there and get started. Looks like your jump-start paid off.  

I should say, too, that that's one of the wonderful things about our travel writing course (http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/sh/website) -- you can start getting bylines (and even earning checks) before you're even through the first installment of the program. In fact, many students have sent in their homework assignments and then submitted that same article to an editor.  

I hope you 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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Tax Savings Every Freelancer Should Take

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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... To get answers to hundreds of tax questions along with practical worksheets you can use to make sure you're paying as little as possible to Uncle Sam, click here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tax/website

15 MORE PROFIT BOOSTING PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR TRAVEL WRITERS
By freelance travel writer, Jennifer Deng-Pickett

Last week I attended AWAI's Ultimate Travel Photographer's Workshop where I picked up innumerable tips to help me add photos to the articles I already publish.  

If you missed my ten tips from last week, you'll find them archived here: www.thetravelwriterslife.com  

Today, I'm offering up 15 more...

• The best night shots are not taken at night at all. More often than not, they are taken at twilight (the 20 or so minutes after sunset before the sun is completely down). I got some great pictures of Union Station, the Capitol Building, and the Washington Memorial. Luckily the Iwo Jima Memorial was well lit, otherwise it would have been too dark when we got there. Scope out where you want to take your night shots and try, instead, shooting at twilight.  
• When using a higher film speed or ISO, you may encounter more digital "noise" in your photograph. Check out Neat Image, a Photoshop product that will help clean up that noise.  
• Tripods do not guarantee focused photographs. Just the wobble in your finger when depressing the shutter button can make your shot blurry. Consider putting your camera on a timer to ensure minimal camera shake.  
• Get people in your pictures. Not only are they easier to sell, but they spice up an otherwise average shot. One attendee took a picture of kids crossing the street with the Washington Memorial in the background. What a great shot!  
• If it is hazy out, consider using a UV Haze Filter. It will help eliminate the spots that show up in your photos on those hazy days.  
• Look for patterns. One of my fellow snappers shot all sorts of patterns - watches for sale at Eastern Market, the grates around the trees in Chinatown, Maryland blue crabs steamed and ready for sale. These all made great fine art shots.  
• Look for patterns interrupted - at the Fish Wharf here in D.C. one of the attendees shot a display of gray scaled fish with one red fish thrown into the bunch.  
• When shooting reflections, be sure not to get your own reflection in the picture!  
• 100% of professional digital photographers use Photoshop. If you don't know how to use it, you should learn. It's worth the investment.  
• Be simple with what you do in Photoshop. It is easy to turn a pretty good shot into a disaster if you over manipulate the photograph.  
• Don't rely on photo-editing software to fix all your photo problems. Try to get the best picture possible with your camera first. Cropping and adjusting can cost you picture quality and time.  
• Your best way into the photography market is your local newspaper, even if you have to offer your photos there for free. It helps you establish your track record for getting more of your photographs published.  
• The best way to package great photographs is in a Photo Essay (also known as a round-up article). There isn't a whole lot of writing involved, and this is a sure-fire way to get your foot in the door as editors love round-ups.  
• Look for the Editorial Calendars of a variety of publications. These will give you plenty of advance warning about what pictures editors want and when.  
• Most importantly, CREATE THE NEED! It does you no good to have a beautiful photo that no one needs. Research photography guidelines, dialogue with editors, offer ideas, listen and ask questions. If you know what pictures people want to pay for, you're more than halfway to turning your pictures into cash!  

[EDITORS NOTE: For details about how you can join professional photographers Rich Wagner and B. Howard, as well as travel writer Jen Stevens to learn how you can add professional-quality photography to your bag of travel-writer tricks, join us in The Bahamas November 2-5, 2005. Simply click here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/bahamas for more details or call the Agora Travel office today and ask for Michelle or Terri -- (800) 926-6575 or (561) 243-6276. Seats are filling up fast.]

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THIS WEEK'S FEATURED TRAVEL PUBLICATION

Mexico Connect is an Internet Publication that features articles on Mexico living, travel, and business. They run articles between 500 and 2500 words depending on your topic. They encourage writers to submit articles that include photos, even video clips. They accept email submissions as Word or WordPerfect attachments. Please send submissions and queries to mexwrite@mexconnect.com. View the complete guidelines at: http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/writing.html

OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:

CHECK OUT: http://www.fwointl.com/ -- A free site that hosts thousands of writing resources and writing links in a massive online database. 40+ genres, funds for writers, job listings, education, news, submission calls, research library. Publishers of Inkwell Newswatch (IN) Writers ezine. All forms of writing resources available. Professional writing resources and writing links for editors, journalists and writers of all mediums.

RETIRE OVERSEAS! Live better...for less, travel farther, have more fun, and maybe make a lot of money...when you expand your world beyond U.S. shores. Read International Living's FREE daily e-letter. http://www.agoraimages.com/opt/tw/

LIVING ON MEXICO TIME:You'd be amazed if we told you all Mexico has to offer...from a laid-back, down-to-earth lifestyle to luxury resort-style mansion living... And that's just what we'd like to do. We'd like to present you with an almost unbelievable chance to gain direct access to Mexico's most timely and attractive lifestyle and investment opportunities right now. Find out more here: http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/MPI/WMPIF2TW

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

RETIRE…AND GET PAID TO TRAVEL -- Get the Details and Your Free report at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/kp/website

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/website

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.

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/website

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 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

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