Edited by Lori Appling in Bethany Beach, DE
"The harder the wind blows, the higher your kite will fly." -- unknown
Today:
- Airline Prices Are Down
- Why Lori Eats Crow to Get Your Guidebook Published
- Do You Have What It Takes to Write for this Market?
- How One Reader Discovered Her True Artistic Passion (and How You Can Too)
- This Week's Featured Travel Publication: Southern Accents
- More Opportunities and Resources for Writers
* Highly Recommended*
"I finally found a way to develop a portable income doing something I love. Best of all, there's no selling... no multi-level marketing... and no boss... just me and my computer. Now I make a six-figure income while raising three children at home!" -- Lori Haller
Lori Haller makes close to $150,000 a year as a direct-mail graphic designer. She works from home, sets her own hours, and has plenty of free time to raise her three kids. You don't need to be a computer whiz or have any great artistic talent to do this kind of work. In fact, a once very complicated profession can now be done on a standard computer -- even if you have little or no artistic ability at all.
Here's how some readers are doing it: http://www.thedesignerslife.com/lh/tw4
Dear Reader,
My flight to the Bahamas next week cost me over $500 when I bought it three weeks ago. Now, you can get on the same plane with me for only $219.
It seems airlines are having a difficult time filling seats with all the recent hurricane scares. That's bad news for them... but good news for anyone that wants to sign up at the last minute for our upcoming Bahamas workshop.
I've got two seats to fill from recent cancels. And I have to say, I just got back from there last week and we had absolutely gorgeous weather. Instead of storms, we found blue skies and clear turquoise water. I went snorkeling every day and fell asleep on the beach twice. (I'm telling you: Three days of snorkeling is enough to wear anybody out.)
In fact, because I was out there helping B. Howard update his guidebook - The Adventure Guide to the Bahamas - I was on boats and underwater most of the weekend. And if you sign up for the Bahamas workshop you can expect a similar schedule...
Some of us will take a Fast Ferry ride to Harbour Island to review the famous pink sand beaches, exclusive hotels, and local food while some will stay on Nassau to take a helicopter tour of the island. Others are scheduled on snorkeling cruises and carriage rides around town. Somebody's got to do this stuff before we can recommend it to B. Howard's readers, right?
Which sunset cruise is the best? Which restaurant serves the best conch salad? Are there better views of the island by sea plane or helicopter? I expect we'll answer all of these questions and more by the time we're done.
What's more, our attendees are also going to learn how to profit from that information. Jennifer Stevens will be there to teach them how to turn their stories into publishable articles and B. Howard's going to show them how to get their own travel guidebook published.
Not only that, but this is a photography workshop too. Rich Wagner and Bair Howard are going to teach all the same stuff they taught in Washington, DC and Paris that has made our attendees there so successful. Everyone's going to come away with stunning photographs.
Oh, and did I mention that I have to eat crow over the last email I sent you?
Remember I said that Rick Steves has a travel guide series and his own television show, which was good news for you... because if he can do it, anyone can.
Well guess what? His publisher, Avalon Travel Publishing, just wrote me.
I'll stand by what I said - most anyone can do this once they learn how... you can write a travel book on someone else's expense account... collect royalties... go to all the places you've wanted to go (often without spending a dime of your own money)... maybe even get a TV show of your own someday...
I just wish I hadn't used Rick Steves as an example. Here's what Avalon told me:
"I recently stumbled across your website. We're Avalon Travel Publishing, a travel guidebook publisher based in Emeryville, CA. We publish Rick Steves and Moon Handbooks among other series of guides. Would you be able to add our site for writers to your list of resources? I'd like your students to know about opportunities at Avalon."
Avalon has made an appeal for you to contact them! In fact, she wrote back and said that she sees we're headed to the Bahamas and they're currently looking for a writer to write a new Bahamas guidebook. She asked if I could print out her information and pass it to all the attendees.
And this is all from the acquisitions manager no less! The acquisitions manager is the one who usually has a stack of submissions on her desk, most of which she'll reject. But she wants our attendees to work for her...
...once you have the necessary experience, of course. But still... You'll get everything you need... possibly even a byline and photo credit... during our Bahamas trip next week...
And like I said -- there are still a few slots available, and there's a veritable fire-sale on last-minute airline tickets. We'll be a relatively small group, which means you'll get plenty of hands-on experience... and your chances of getting published in B. Howard's Adventure Guide to the Bahamas are even greater.
The trip takes place Nov 2-5, right at the tail end of hurricane season. Quite frankly, I'm not worried about the weather. But if it is a factor in your decision, here's what I suggest:
Take out a travel-insurance policy. Usually your airline will offer one and you can find an assortment of different policies online. Sign up for our Bahamas photo workshop, and if the weather doesn't hold out, you'll be covered.
Besides, travel insurance is generally a good idea anyway. Here's the policy I'm using: http://www.travelguard.com. Get your insurance policy and then sign up for our upcoming program in the sunny Bahamas: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/bahamas or call 1-866-529-0538.
Mention this "Lori Eats Crow" e-letter and I'll get you an additional $300 off the price, just for filling one of our last-minute seats... And you'll be well on your way to seeing your name on a bookshelf... seeing the world on someone else's dime... getting a paycheck plus royalties... and possibly producing a travel guide for Avalon or any number of other publishers.
I hope to see you soon in Nassau!
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 Division
P.S. The AWAI and Agora Travel offices were recently hit by Hurricane Wilma. Everyone is safe but they are without electricity and phones. I, on the other hand, was not in Florida at the time. I'm here in Bethany Beach, Delaware and so I set up this new toll-free number: 1-866-529-0538 where people can sign-up at the last minute for the Bahamas trip. Thank you for all your emails when you realized that we were located in South Florida. We're hoping to be up and running at full speed in a few quick weeks.
P.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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HOW ONE READER DISCOVERED HER TRUE ARTISTIC PASSION:
An Interview with Sue Wright in Carmel Valley, CA
TWWTT: Sue, it's obvious that photography has become a real passion for you. We've already told our readers many of your stories - $150 here, an upgraded hotel room there, trips to Vegas, Vancouver, etc. You even said that you've already sold enough photos to more than pay for the photography workshop you took with us in Paris and you've signed up again for the Bahamas. Is this something that you've always dreamed about or is photography a relatively new passion for you?
SUE: I can't say that before attending this workshop I had any ambitions whatsoever about becoming a freelance photographer. It never occurred to me, although my grandfather was a professional photographer and I grew up seeing him at work in his studio.
TWWTT: Since you weren't considering becoming a freelance photographer at the time, what attracted you to the Paris photography workshop?
SUE: I was already very familiar with AWAI and its programs. After leaving my job as a middle school English teacher in 1998, I enrolled in the Six-Figure Copywriting course. I was looking for something that would allow me to work from home and spend more time with my then 8-year-old daughter. I started the course, but needing a regular paycheck, I went to work for a publishing company, where I remained until last year when I returned to teaching.
All the while, I dabbled in copywriting. I say "dabbled" because, during that time, I enrolled in several other AWAI courses including your travel writing course. I was learning many facets of the industry, but not really applying myself to establishing a full-time copywriting career. It wasn't until last year's 2004 Copywriting Bootcamp that I really got focused. That Bootcamp led to my first "real" copywriting project, a promo letter for an Oxford Club product.
TWWTT: So... you were well on your way to building a career as a freelance copywriter when you heard about the Paris photography workshop. What made you decide to add this to the other AWAI workshops and courses you'd participated in?
SUE: Actually, I didn't make the decision to attend the Paris workshop until about 3 weeks before it began - and that was after receiving some serious coaxing and encouragement from my daughter and a close friend.
In spite of all the last-minute logistics I had to deal with - finding a substitute teacher for my classes, arranging airfare and hotel reservations on such short notice - everything fell into place and made it possible for me to attend - as though it was just meant to be.
The Paris workshop helped me to discover something I truly love to do. At the risk of sounding corny, I consider that week in Paris as a life-changing experience for me. Not only did I receive validation for my photography, I gained confidence and a fresh enthusiasm for life itself. I don't know where this will all lead, but the journey is thrilling.
TWWTT: And, considering the photos you sold within just weeks of returning from the workshop, it's obvious that journey has gotten off to a pretty good start. What parts of the workshop do you feel most contributed to turning your enjoyment of taking pictures into a real passion for professional photography?
SUE: It actually started with the opening night sessions - "Getting to Know Your Camera: How to Get the Best Possible Pictures Every Time" and "The Difference Between an Average Shot and a $5000 Photo." For example, I'd never understood "digital zoom" versus "optical zoom"... and thanks to Rich Wagner - a professional photographer and one of the workshop presenters - I now know it's "optical zoom" that I should pay attention to. That, along with the advice on settings and the discussion about composition, set me up for a very successful experience in Paris.
There was actually a moment that first night where I thought to myself, "this is worth the price already!" My decision to come across the globe for this photography workshop was instantly validated. Considering we hadn't even gotten around to actually taking pictures yet, that's pretty amazing!
TWWTT: A beginner, however ambitious to learn, may be uncomfortable - even a bit intimidated - attending a workshop with more experienced photographers with more sophisticated equipment. How did the workshop deal with the various skill levels of the participants?
SUE: We all arrived with different experiences and equipment, but the opening night sessions helped level the playing field, so to speak, so we could all move forward.
Based upon the quality of photographs I saw in the critiques, everyone - regardless of experience or equipment - created shots that were good and progressed significantly from the point where they were when the workshop began.
Rich Wagner and B. Howard - both professional photographers - took the time to assist and address the particular needs of each attendee, beginner and advanced alike, and that, I think, contributed to each student's comfort level.
Most impressively, according to Rich and B. Howard, every single person came away with measurable growth as a photographer and had created publishable photographs. I've never seen anything like it - a workshop with a 100% success rate!
TWWTT: Before closing, do you have any advice you'd like to share with students and others just starting out in photography?
SUE: Contact professionals and ask if you can meet and "pick their brain." Ask them to share their experience with you and give you an opinion on your photos. People have been very generous with me - with their time, advice, and feedback. That's been really encouraging and helpful, and has helped me to continue moving forward.
[Editor's Note: Join us in the Bahamas and find out first-hand whether or not a career in travel writing or photography is right for you. Sue will be there. As will many other past attendees this November 2-5 in The Bahamas. For details: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/Bahamas or call 1-866-529-0538]
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OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:
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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
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