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The Right Way to Travel
Edited by Lori Allen in Arlington, VA.
November 2, 2007
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." -- Marcel Proust
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Today:
*** Picking the Brain of an In-Flight Editor
*** Write for In-Flights -- The Hidden, Lucrative Market
*** Practical Writing Prompt of the Week: Pairing Photos with Articles
*** Reader Feedback: A Press Trip with Accommodations, Food and Transportation Included
*** More Opportunities and Resources for Writers
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*Advertisement*
Have you ever heard of aboutTime Magazine? It's an in-flight magazine for 1time Airlines.
Heck, have you even heard of 1time Airlines?
Truth is, there are probably at least 50 airlines (all with in-flight magazines that need travel articles and photographs) that you've likely never heard of.
Join us in Houston on December 8, 2007 and find out what it takes to break into this glamorous, lucrative, (and largely untapped) market. The sooner you act, the more you save.
Just six seats left: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/inflight
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Dear Reader,
I wonder if Ann Silva would like this article idea? Here's what I was thinking:
Remember the chile chef I told you about last week: http://tinyurl.com/227bul
He told me he and another chef are about to leave on a three-month quest to find a chile that disappeared over 400 years ago.
If I write an article about their trip and why this chile is so important, I wonder if Ann, the editor of ExpressLane -- the in-flight magazine for Express Jet (and our guest in-flight editor and speaker in Houston next month) -- would buy my piece.
What do you think? I like it. I haven't started writing it. But I like the idea.
And I especially like that I'm going to get to ask Ann in person what she thinks of it before I start writing. With her input, I know I'll be working on a piece I could easily sell to an in-flight magazine. If not hers, then another.
I'm on this in-flight kick because I've been reading so much about these magazines this week. I just came across an article in the Washington Post's online archives about in-flight magazines and how much they charge companies for advertisements.
It's no wonder they can afford to pay their travel writers and photographers more, I told Jennifer Stevens, author of The Ultimate Travel Writer's Program (http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/kp/website). They're charging more for a full-page ad than Barron's, Fortune, or Forbes.
"It's true," she said. "The reason why their editorial rates are typically so good is that their ad revenue is so high. They've got these captive -- and often affluent -- readers. And they can provide really specific stats to advertisers about how many readers they have. So advertisers are willing to pay more."
I like that. And I love the idea of seeing my name in an in-flight magazine. With millions of people reading my article, I'd feel famous.
Anyway, if you missed my note earlier this week about our upcoming conference on breaking into and writing for in-flight magazines, there's still one day left to get a discounted price. You can take advantage of it here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/inflight
This conference is different than anything we've ever done before. It's a one-day immersion program. And we'll be taking our attendees directly to an editor so she can tell us the secrets it takes most freelancers years to figure out.
We're going to meet Ann at the Houston Airport Marriott (because it's easy for you to fly in and out of Houston -- and it's her hometown). She's going to give us the inside skinny on in-flight magazines.
What makes them different than your average newsstand magazine or a newspaper. What specific things you have to think about when you pitch an article -- it's not necessarily the same things you should be concerned with for other markets.
The tricks for knowing immediately what has a good chance of selling and what an editor will say "no" to right off-the-bat.
No kidding: This is the kind of intelligence that will save you innumerable rejections and guarantee you a leg up in this niche.
Plus she's agreed to do a "pitch fest," too. We're just going to sit around and throw out article ideas to get her thoughts, her likes, and her dislikes. (I promise, you'll learn as much from her explanations of what wouldn't work as you will from what she likes.)
And, of course, Jen Stevens is going to be on hand to give your writing an amazing boost. She'll show you how to painlessly go from idea to article. Walk you through exactly what you need to do to take what Ann tells you and turn it into by-lines and paychecks for yourself.
We've got six seats left here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/inflight
If you're in the Houston area, I hope you'll just drive on over and join us!
And speaking of driving: Tomorrow I'm going to send you some of my favorite websites for road travel.
Bonnie Caton, our newest addition to the Travel Division team, has compiled a list of everything from online packing tools to websites that will help you find the cheapest gas prices and best bathroom stops when you're traveling by car.
Stay tuned and don't forget to scroll down for today's writing prompt.
-- Lori
Lori Allen
Director, AWAI's Travel Division
P.S. Know a friend or two who'd enjoy the freedom and independence of a writer's or photographer's life? They, too, can sign up to receive this free e-letter here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/eletter
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* Highly Recommended*
Wouldn't it be nice to travel the world like a celebrity? You can just imagine the prestige. The perks. The luxuries.
The good news is: You don't have to be a celebrity to travel like one.
Travel writers can cash in on amazing perks... plus even get paid to travel.
And the best part is... anyone can do it. Once you know a few easy tricks...
Here's how: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/itj/website
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PRACTICAL WRITING PROMPT OF THE WEEK:
At our Ultimate Travel Photographer's Workshop in Santa Fe, we talked about pairing your photos with an article to get an editor's attention and make more money. This is something you can do today by going through the photos of places you've been recently and doing a little research.
To start, look back through your favorite trip photos. Find three or four good ones of a place you've been to and think about what you could say about that destination. Maybe you were in Europe and stayed in a great-value hotel on the Mediterranean... or you went to Mexico and took an amazing kayak tour in the Baja... or you spent a week in Spain and enrolled in a cooking class.
If you have the photos but you didn't write the story, that's okay -- you still can. Of course, you'll need to use your memory to paint a picture and do some new research to make sure the details are still current.
One way to capitalize on your experience is to use it as the lead-in for a round-up piece. You could profile three good-value Mediterranean hotels. Or include links to three kayak tours. Or profile three companies offering cooking classes -- the one you took in Spain, plus another in France and one in Italy...
When you write it up and it's ready to go, remember that Travel Post Monthly is always on the lookout for good stories. You'll find the writer's guidelines here: http://www.travelpostmonthly.com/writers_guidelines/
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**Advertisement**
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That's right. I mean, you might be able to deduct every beach excursion... every Paris jaunt... every Colorado ski vacation. Put them right on your tax return as expenses... and the IRS wouldn't look twice.
To find out how you can effectively (and legally) turn your travels into tax breaks, visit: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tax/website
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READER FEEDBACK: A Press Trip with Accommodations, Food and Transportation Included
Last May, I was invited on an individual press trip to Ulaa Patagonia, Chile. (They are part of the EcoTulum organization. Due to Hurricane Wilma, I was unable to go to my preplanned trip to EcoTulum on the Riviera Maya. So, I wanted to get to one of their resorts to make up for it.)
On my four-day press trip, all was free and wonderful! At the end of the trip, the manager asked me to come back to teach his staff English. From February 2 - April 2, I will be a teacher at Ulaa. All accommodations, food, transportation from Bariloche and back is included.
In addition, I am now querying for articles to write about my teaching experience in Ulaa, Chile, the Machupe people, and any other angles I come up with.
Since I was unable to go to Idaho last year for a press trip I'd set up there, I will be going there to make up for it after I return from Chile.
I have recently had an article about Ulaa published as a feature in The Traveler. Photos were included, also.
International Living published my article, "The Art of Drinking Yerba Mate" recently (photo, also).
Currently, I am writing for "The Times," which is a Portland-area newspaper with thousands of readers. It is a feature article on my solo September trip to Ecuador's Amazon and other areas.
My photo will be included and perhaps others as well.
The other deadline this month is for Offshorewaves. It is a 2,000-word article about the eco-lodges in Ecuador with photos.
In December, I will be writing an article for Escape From America (EscapeArtist) which is a follow-up on "Live Like a Local," which I wrote for them two years ago, after Buenos Aires. This article will be over 3,000 words about renting in Buenos Aires. (My husband and I rented an apartment in Recoleta for a month last May.)
I am working hard to improve my writing and photography.
Best regards,
Sandra K.
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OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:
* IS IT GOOD ENOUGH TO SEND TO AN EDITOR? Let Accelerated Training Services help: http://www.acceleratedtrainingservices.com/tuc/website
* RETIRE...AND GET PAID TO TRAVEL -- Get the details and your free report at: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/kp/website
* THE MOST AMAZING PLACES YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF: http://www.isecureonline.com/Reports/120SWBST/W120H1AI
* SAVE THOUSANDS ON TRAVEL -- LEGALLY WRITE IT OFF ON YOUR TAXES: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tax/website
* FIX YOUR PHOTOS -- A QUICK COMPUTER TRICK: http://tinyurl.com/3accwj
* BEFORE SUBMITTING AN ARTICLE -- WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/biz/website
* LIVE LIFE ON YOUR OWN TERMS -- No Bosses, No Commute, Six Figures:
http://www.thewriterslife.com/pd89
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The Right Way to Travel is a FREE newsletter from the American Writers & Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.
(c) 2007 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
memberservices@awaionline.com
To LEARN MORE, visit:
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