Edited by Lori Appling in Washington D.C.

Today:

• The Old High School Interview Technique: How One Writer/Photographer Got a Foot in the Door and a Two-Page Photo Spread
• A Massage by a Mayan Shaman... Three Hours of "Purification" in an Indigenous Sweat Lodge... An Hour in a Dry Flotation Tank in the Jungle... and, of course, Activities like Snorkeling and Kayaking: An Interview with Workshop Attendee, Sandra Kennedy
• Are You Good At Persuading People?
• This Week's Featured Travel Publication: Northwest Palate
• 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.

What's more, you can turn those pictures (and your writing) into a lifetime of lucrative travel.

Join us in San Antonio this February 10-12, 2005 for our Lucrative Travelers Conference where you'll learn you can travel the world and make a six-figure income doing it.

http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/texas

Dear Reader,

"He thought I was interviewing him about his job.  But in the end I'm the one that walked away with the assignment."

I just got off the phone with travel writing and photography program member, Sue Wright.  Sue was on our Fund Your Travels tele-seminar Tuesday night (http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/twcall), and she let us in on a little secret - sometimes you just have to give your prospective editor a little ego boost to get your foot in the door.

Sue told us (and several hundred callers on the line) that when she got back from our photography workshop in Paris she immediately emailed the editor of her local paper. She asked if she could interview him to learn some of the tips and techniques he employs as an editor -- things that might help her in her new career.  He agreed, and she went to see him. 

Thinking strategically, she brought along her Paris pictures, and before the end of the interview the editor was convinced that her pictures would be the perfect compliment to an article on Paris he was about to run.  In less than 30 minutes, Sue had landed her first two-page newspaper photo spread -- with her name printed under each and every photograph.

And the truth is, Sue isn't doing anything you can't do.  You just have to get out there and give it a try.Keep in mind, you're not alone.  Take some time this weekend to go through our e-letter archives (www.thetravelwriterslife.com) and read up on how some of your fellow readers are doing it.

Take Sandra Kennedy for instance...

For Sandra, getting her first byline was as easy as convincing herself that she really could do it. I met Sandra in Argentina at one of our live travel-writing workshops.

She was in my writing group, and I distinctly remember that she barely wrote a thing when we were there. She came to our break-out session every day and listened as others read their articles. But she elected to sit out when the time came to read her own. But now, I'm willing to bet she's among our busiest graduates. "I was officially invited to EcoTulum Resort/Spas for 5 nights, free except for flight," she writes.

"It is on the Riviera Maya, Mexico...on the Caribbean. I am thrilled!!"

"I've been working hard on my writing ever since Buenos Aires.  After my press trips I have six-eight articles to write for editors and also two more after my trip to Morocco in March for three weeks."

It seems all Sandra really had to do was build up the confidence and motivation to get started. And just like that, she was on her way.We asked her how she did it and what advice she'd offer new writers.  You'll find her thoughts below.

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 Division

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

*Highly Recommended*

Are You Good At Persuading People?

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Persuasive writers are almost impossible for companies to find. If you have this remarkable talent you could be in big demand. Click here to find out more: http://www.thewriterslife.com/ph/tw89

THE TRAVEL WRITER'S LIFE: AN INTERVIEW WITH
WORKSHOP ATTENDEE, SANDRA KENNEDY

TWWTT:  Sandra, before we get started, tell us a little bit about how you developed your love for travel and, in particular, travel writing.

SANDRA:  The travel bug bit me hard during a trip to Europe when I was twenty and inspired me to seek an international teaching position.  Nearly two years later, I landed a teaching job at Colegio Roosevelt in Lima, Peru, followed later by teaching positions at international schools in Portugal and Paris for several years.

Summer vacations provided plenty of time to explore as a local the countries I was teaching in.  During these vacations, I sought out unusual and offbeat destinations.  It was natural for me to bring along my camera, notebook and pen on these adventures, and I started writing human-interest stories - uncovered during these trips - for local English newspapers.

That's when I discovered my real passion was writing about and taking photographs of the people and places I encountered on these trips.

TWWTT:  You seem to have bounded onto the travel writing scene after attending the AWAI workshop in Buenos Aires this past March.  What made you decide to attend that workshop?

SANDRA:  I had always wanted to explore Buenos Aires... and, of course, I was hungry to learn more about travel writing.  When I came across the ad for the Ultimate Travel Writing Workshop in Buenos Aires while surfing the Internet, it was literally one of those "ah-ha" moments - the ideal way to fulfill both of those desires.

In order to get a sense of experiencing the city as a local, I rented an apartment in Buenos Aires for the week before the workshop started.  Then, when I moved to the lovely hotel in Recoleta where the workshop was held, I really felt like a tourist.  It was a perfect blend and allowed me to see Buenos Aires from two distinct perspectives.

TWWTT:  For the sake of others who may be considering a future workshop, what did you come away with that accelerated your success at getting your travel articles published shortly thereafter?

SANDRA:  Each of the presenters had unique insights into travel writing to share with us - from the actual processes of becoming a successful travel writer to personal anecdotes and practical tips that they'd picked up over the years as professional travel writers.

Meeting the other workshop attendees added so much energy and stimulation to the experience.  Unique article ideas sprouted from the brainstorming sessions.  And the feedback from the panel reviews of the assigned writing was particularly valuable.

Not only did I come away with a lot of valuable practical information about travel writing, I actually felt I'd gained years of experience during that week.

TWWTT:  And, judging from the success stories you've shared with us the past couple of months, you came away from that week in Buenos Aires with several good article ideas - the mark of a professional travel writer and something the AWAI travel writing course and workshops really emphasize.

SANDRA:  Yes, to date I've had articles published in The Traveler, International Living and Escape Artist.  Four articles were a direct result of the Buenos Aires trip:  "Renting an Apartment and Living Like a Local" and "Buenos Aires' Best Street Fairs" have already been published; "Taxi Tango" is scheduled for publication; and another article, "Bouquets from Argentina," is currently in an editor's hands.

TWWTT:  Now that you've established your qualifications as a professional travel writer with those publication credits, what other travel opportunities have opened up for you?

SANDRA:  For starters, in November I went to the Riviera Maya near Tulum, Mexico.  Backed with "confirmation of assignment" letters from two editors, I was comped a five-day stay at the Eco Tulum Resort and Spas, with accommodations at the rustic and luxurious Azulik Villas overlooking the Caribbean.  In addition to the free lodging, I received all meals, a massage by a Mayan Shaman, three hours of "purification" in an indigenous sweat lodge, an hour in a dry flotation tank in the jungle and, of course, activities like snorkeling and kayaking.  As a bonus, my husband and I renewed our marriage vows with a Mayan Shaman and a Spanish translator.

Then, in January, my husband and I will be staying - again for free - for four nights at the Ashley Inn Resort in Cascade, Idaho.  The resort is preparing a full itinerary for this trip... an individual, rather than a group, press trip.  It will involve visiting surrounding ski resorts and scheduled interviews with some of the town's people.

This is a particularly exciting trip for me, since I love the story behind the Ashley Inn Resort and the town of Cascade.  When Boise Cascade, a large lumber company, pulled out of the town in 2002, Cascade faced imminent economic decline.  But some enterprising citizens decided to save the town by building the Ashley Inn Resort and, now, it's starting to thrive as a tourist destination.  I've just got to share that story with readers.

TWWTT:  Those are the types of "perks" we talk about in our travel writing course and workshops and one of the most appealing reasons for becoming a travel writer.  What encouragement can you offer beginners who may feel these opportunities for free travel are discouragingly far down the road?

SANDRA:  Keep trying and have fun.  Getting published requires a lot of perseverance and enthusiasm, but the thrill of seeing your first article - with your byline - in print makes it worth the effort.

And, borrowing words from the workshop, "write, write, write."

TWWTT:  Beyond the obvious rewards - the satisfaction of seeing your travel articles published and the opportunities for free travel - what do you enjoy most about being a travel writer?

SANDRA:  Travel writing has given me a deeper sense of my surroundings, as well as what's going on behind the scenes.  I love the learning that goes along with travel - reading about places in books, magazines, newspapers and on the Internet.  Then being able to check out for myself where in the world such-or-such a place is and what's happening there.  It keeps my synapses hopping!

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Travel writing is just one of three tools we'll talk about in San Antonio this February at our first-ever Lucrative Travelers Conference. Our hot-shot panel of experts in travel writing, photography, and import-export will be meeting for the first time to share the tips and techniques they employ to consistently fund and profit from their travels. Combine the secrets each of them employs, and you'll not only know how to make your vacations pay for themselves... but you'll learn how you can make $100,000 or more a year as you explore the world like a VIP... and gain the freedom and flexibility to travel and live anywhere you like. For details and a discount, click here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/texas]

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THIS WEEK'S FEATURED TRAVEL PUBLICATION

Northwest Palate is a bimonthly magazine that focuses on food, wine, and travel in the Pacific Northwest. It regularly publishes work from freelance writers. It has a number of departments that offer new writers the easiest way to break in. Please query first. Send queries along with clips to Northwest Palate, PO Box 10860, Portland, OR 97296. Review the full guidelines and sample issues at http://www.nwpalate.com/writetext.html

HOW TO MAKE A SIX-FIGURE INCOME TRAVELING THE WORLD -- Learn travel secrets designed to fund your vacations and make you $100,000 or more a year as you explore the world like a VIP. Two days ago, five savvy, sophisticated travelers met for a special round-table discussion about the three tools they use to consistently fund and profit from their vacations. In the past, people have paid $1,597 to learn the secrets for mastering just one of these travel tools. But today you're invited to discover three lucrative travel tools... for less than $20: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/twcall

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

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 

BIG BUCKS FOR SNAPSHOTS -- Photos can be a remarkably strong sales tool when you're approaching an editor with a story. They can significantly increase your chances of getting published (and earning extra income) -- that is, if you know how to take the kinds of photos editors like.  Find out the simplest and best camera to take with you (you don't want to be lugging a trunk full of equipment)... how to use time of day... create a mood... how to photograph people versus landscapes and wildlife... and more.  You'll find our mini guide, Big Bucks for Snapshots: 53 Can't Miss Techniques for Becoming a Money-Making Freelance Photographer, here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/photos/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/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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