Edited by Lori Appling in Bethany Beach, DE

"Report. Writers are less interesting than they think. Fortunately, the rest of the world is more interesting. Interview people. Look at things. Don't just sit at the computer." -- Jeffrey Toobin

Today:

• Anyone Can Do this, Just Wear Sunscreen
• A Writing Gig that Will Land Her Close to $100,000 this Year
• Free Lodging and Lobster: How Travel Writing Course Student, Jeanine Buckley Landed Her First Byline and Press Trip
• Introducing - AWAI's New E-Letter for Photographers: Photos for Profit
• This Week's Featured Travel Publication: The Heart of New England
• More Opportunities and Resources for Writers

* Highly Recommended*

"Good news, I sold three photos -- 1 from Paris (an art print) and two others for other trips I made to Italy and New England!" - Katherine Pendill, New York, NY (after taking our recent photo workshop in Paris)

Katherine's not doing anything you can't learn to do.

Join us in The Bahamas for four 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. And in fact, three attendees will get their pictures (and possibly their writing) published in B. Howard's new edition of The Adventure Guide to the Bahamas.

"It's easy to be enthusiastic and supportive of something you believe in, and I had a REALLY positive experience in Paris. I'll never forget it and will never stop appreciating it. Attending this particular workshop was one of the best decisions I've ever made for myself. It's turning out to be truly life-changing!" -- Sue Wright, Carmel Valley, CA.

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

To learn more about AWAI's new home-study photography course: Turn Your Pictures into Cash visit: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/ph2/website

Dear Reader,

As a travel writer, I make it my mission each year to get through the winter with a tan (by spending time outdoors in sun-splashed locales -- preferably on somebody else's dime, I should say.) Here's how I plan to do it this year:

Step 1 for a Winter Tan: Next week I'm heading down to Florida for AWAI's copywriting bootcamp (http://www.awaionline.com/tw/copybootcamp). If you're signed up to be there, make sure you introduce yourself to me.

We won't have much time for tanning, in fact -- these workshops, which start at 7:00 a.m. and end at 9:30 p.m. most days, are intense. I am, of course, planning to catch a few rays while lunching by the pool. But really I'll be down there to hand out copywriting and graphic design jobs to conference attendees. I've found that I have the best luck hiring copywriters who are also students of our travel writing course and readers of this e-letter. So search me out and let me put a face to your name -- it might pay off for you in the weeks and months to come.

Step 2 for a Winter Tan: Since I won't be tanning much in Florida, I plan to make up for that by spending the following weekend following outside near my home on Delaware's Eastern Shore. It's Fall Festival season here -- and, most likely, in your neck of the woods, too -- which means rich ground for sowing stories.

Check your local Chamber of Commerce website for a festival schedule. You might be surprised by what you find. I skimmed through the list of upcoming events here... I'll miss the "Tiny Tykes Hike," but I'll make the "Cane Poles & Fishing Holes." That's where kids make cane poles and learn everything they need to know about fishing, like how to recognize a good fishing hole... and what they can do to help keep our local fishing spots fish-friendly.

Sounds like a great article for my local paper or for a parent-focused magazine. (Plus I don't have to get on a plane to get there... and I'm bound to get a bit of sun.)

Step 3 for a Winter Tan: Bright skies are guaranteed in The Bahamas. So that's where I'll be headed next.

I'm going down two or three weeks before our November workshop there to scout out a few things. You see, our attendees are going to review 10-15 local businesses for the updated edition of B. Howard's Adventure Guide to the Bahamas.

I'm going to set up all the appointments ahead of time -- but it's the attendees who are going to do the grunt work. And how arduous it will be too... checking to see if the hotel beds are soft... sampling the pool-side margaritas...

These poor slaves... I mean, souls... have no idea what they're in for.

Nevertheless, if you'd care to join them... please be my guest: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/bahamas. At least three attendees will have their pictures published in B. Howard's new guide, and several more will get their articles published there, too.

Step 4 for a Winter Tan: November 2-5 I'll be headed back down to The Bahamas for our workshop... some island hopping... and lots of sun. We'll start on Paradise Island, where we'll host the first day's photography lessons, then on Friday we're off to the pink sands of Harbour Island. Our attendees with be off "working," but you'll find me lounging beach-side.

Step 5 for a Winter Tan: Plan another trip to someplace sunny. That's the key, really, to staying perfectly bronzed in the dark of winter. Of course, it's always best to identify ways you can make your trips pay for themselves. And that means identifying publications where you can sell your stories and photos of those sunny places you're headed.

Our archives is a smart place to start that search. Check out these articles at www.thetravelwriterslife.com:

• Issue #77: Where to Find Your Next Paycheck: 853,000 Places to Get Published
• Issue #32: How to Find the Best Places to Publish Your Articles
• Issue #45: The #1 Easiest and Fastest Way to Get A By-Line and A Check

Now, all that said, if you haven't yet signed up to join us in The Bahamas, consider this: It's the ideal place to jump-start your career. You can learn all the ins-and-outs you need to know in just four power-packed days. Plus, of course, you can't overestimate the appeal of the sun overhead... the sandy beaches... and those pool-side margaritas...

You'll find more details here, including the deadline for the Early Bird discount: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/bahamas

Sue Wright attended one of our workshops earlier this year and has now more than paid for her trip. So far she's earned more than $1,500 selling her photographs.

Katherine Pendill is on her way too. She attended our workshop in Paris, and so far she's sold three pictures for a total of $450.

And I forgot to tell you about Olga Peters. Olga was in Paris with us, too. When she returned home, the company she works for asked to use her pictures on their website. She agreed, and she also offered them up to a local non-profit, which they gladly accepted. Olga's not charging these outfits for her photos, but she's certainly making a name for herself. She now has two websites where she can show off her photographs to prospective clients.

That's not all. In fact, success stories have been pouring in this summer...

Sarah McDowell sent us this note: "A couple weeks ago I sent a piece on Valentia Island in Ireland to GoNOMAD.com, along with several photos. Not only did the editor like the piece, but he accepted one of my pictures as well! This is my first published travel piece, and I am thrilled to finally have a clip in my portfolio. Thanks so much for your links to online markets -- they led me to possibilities I would have never found on my own. I love your newsletter and can't wait to get it every week."

Bobbie Hamilton wrote in this week, too, to say: "Looking forward to the Bahamas workshop! I sold a golfing article to the Florida Golf magazine. It will be published in November. They are still considering which of the pictures they will use. How about that!" Bobbie was with us in Paris and she's already signed up to join us again in The Bahamas.

You know, I can't say enough good things about these live events. We've even had attendees write in and say that they have been "truly life changing." Not only do you learn a new career (in just four days, mind you) but you make friends too. In fact, ten past attendees have already registered for The Bahamas program -- it's going to be quite a reunion at the first night's cocktail.

And sometimes it's more than friends. I've joked that we could be running a dating service here. You see, a few couples have found each other at our events too. And why not? You throw a group of people with similar interests into the same room, and it's bound to happen.

Anyway, the bottom line is: If you're thinking about coming, I urge you to act fast. We always sell out. Visit: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/bahamas for details.

In the meantime, scroll down below for this week's feature article - an interview with travel writing success Jeanine Buckley. Jeanine is a perfect example of how one byline leads to two... then three... then a free lobster dinner...

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.

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

* 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: http://www.thewriterslife.com/js/tw4

FREE LODGING AND LOBSTER DINNERS:
AN INTERVIEW WITH TRAVEL WRITER JEANINE BUCKLEY

TWWTT: Before we get started, Jeanine, why don't you tell us a little bit about your background and what made you decide to turn to travel writing.

JEANINE: My background is in international marketing. While studying a semester in Paris, I fell in love with France and wanted a career that involved dealing with other cultures. When I came back from Paris, I enrolled at the Monterey Institute for International Studies where I received an international MBA.

I started my own company as an international marketing consultant. By working on my own I figured I'd have more vacation time. But as my business grew, I was spending so much time working on client projects that I had hardly any time to travel on my own. After 8 years, I found it very grueling and unrewarding.

That's when I decided to pursue a career as a freelance writer. I figured I could add this ability to my portfolio of marketing skills. One night while searching the web, I came across travelwriters.com and signed up. Once I started receiving their press releases about the FAM trips available, I was hooked on becoming a travel writer.

TWWTT: Early on you published a couple of articles and got a taste of the free travel that lured you to travel writing. How did the Ultimate Travel Writer's Course accelerate those successes?

JEANINE: I didn't quite know how to get started as a travel writer - how to query editors, how to find the right markets for my articles - the practical ins and outs of becoming a professional. The course helped immensely with these things.

Also, you don't have to get very far into the course to start applying the techniques it teaches to come up with a marketable article. I was able to place both my first full-length article assignment and my interview assignment with Travel Lady before I completed the course.

Of course, because you're progressively learning new skills, you have more confidence in your writing as you work through the assignments.

My first article took quite a while to write. I remember working with my travel writing buddy and sending her a very rough draft. At that point I was struggling with what information to include and how to organize it. I finally just forced myself to sit down and finish it.

The interview article was so much easier to write. When I submitted this article to Travel Lady, the editor commented that I was a really good writer and told me she would show my articles to her travel colleagues. That was a great boost to my ego.

It also motivated me to write and submit additional articles to Travel Lady - I wanted to publish a total of six articles with them to meet their requirement for an assignment on a press trip.

At this stage, I was confident enough with my travel writing skills - knowing where to look for article ideas, the importance of using all of the senses to describe a place, how to organize different types of travel pieces, and the other techniques I'd picked up from the course at that point - that writing those remaining articles was actually fun.

Travel Lady accepted all of them and assigned me a press trip to York, Maine.

TWWTT: That's encouraging to our students, many of whom, like you, were drawn to travel writing because of the opportunities for free travel that are out there for qualified travel writers. You've shown you don't need years of experience behind you to get invited on press trips. It's also an excellent testimonial for the skills the Ultimate Travel Writer's Course and our workshops teach.

What kind of experience can students expect when they're invited on a press trip as a working travel writer? Tantalize us a bit.

JEANINE: In my case in York, Maine - three days of idyllic leisure at no charge! As an international marketing consultant I was rarely invited to stay in such luxurious accommodations. It was a real treat to stay in a room with an ocean view, a Jacuzzi tub, fireplace and even wireless Internet access.

The first night, after dinner - chilled lobster salad served in a fresh avocado - I sat in my fireside chair with my laptop computer and actually worked on several of my course lessons. The next night I feasted on Boiled Maine Lobster, accompanied by a chilled Chardonnay and an exquisite view of the ocean.

Plus, I came away with enough information for four or five articles. And, the best part is, when I checked out, the bill was zero!

TWWTT: Since you're quickly becoming a seasoned pro yourself, what advice can you give other students who share your travel writing ambitions?

JEANINE: Even if you're still a student, start thinking and acting like a professional travel writer. Get business cards with your name and "travel writer" as a title. For example, the Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau gave me free passes when I presented my travel writer's card.

Attend a professional conference for the networking opportunities. I went to the North American Travel Journalists Association Conference in Newport, Rhode Island, and met other travel writers who gave me valuable advice on breaking in to the profession. While there, I also obtained a ton of information on New England, which happens to be my back yard!

When you've landed an assignment, make sure you understand clearly the type of article the editor is expecting, whether or not she's expecting photos along with it and, most importantly, when she's expecting to receive the article.

And show your professionalism by always meeting that deadline!

[Jeanine Buckley is a freelance travel writer based in Massachustetts. We think her advice about networking and establishing yourself as a professional is right on-target. To give your own career a jump-start, join us in The Bahamas November 2-5, 2005 and learn everything you need to know to get your career off the ground. 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.]

* Advertisement *

"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

Tell them Travel Writer sent you.

INTRODUCING - AWAI'S NEW E-LETTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS...

Everyday more than 20,000 photographs are published in the US alone. More than 80% of them are shot by freelance photographers, many of them amateurs. You don't need fancy equipment. And you don't need to know a thing about photography to get started. Sign up now for AWAI's new FREE, monthly e-letter and learn how: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/travelwriteroffer

As a special gift, you'll also receive David Morgan's Shoot to Sell in 3 Days. This FREE mini-course includes tips you can put into practice immediately to jump-start your new career.

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED TRAVEL PUBLICATION

The Heart of New England is a weekly online magazine centered around culture and destinations in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. It regularly works with freelancer writers and regularly publishes travel pieces about the area that have been written by people living in or traveling to northern New England. You must query first. Send your query to editor@theheartofnewengland.com. Include your contact information, a brief bio and a short paragraph about your story idea. View the full guidelines at http://www.theheartofnewengland.com/writersguidelines.html.

OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:

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

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.

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.internationalliving.com/opt/tw/index.html

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

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

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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