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The Right Way to Travel
Edited by Lori Allen in Arlington, VA
December 14, 2007
"The greatest discoveries have come from people who have looked at a standard situation and seen it differently." -- Ira Erwin
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Today:
*** In-Flight Editor Ann Silva's 4 Important Tips
*** Why work when you can get paid to play?
*** Practical Writing Prompt of the Week: 3 Article Ideas
*** Reader Feedback: Another Attendee Gets Published
*** More Opportunities and Resources for Writers
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** Highly Recommended **
How to Play and Call it "Work"
Directions:
1. Pick a destination -- someplace you've always wanted to go.
2. Snap some photos -- just like you would, anyway.
3. Go to the beach -- we'll call it research.
4. Write a few paragraphs -- in an afternoon.
5. Get a massage -- you deserve it.
6. Cash your check -- could be anywhere from $50-$950.
7. Repeat.
It's that easy... if you know a few simple secrets.
Find them here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/kp/website
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Dear Reader,
Writing for airline in-flight magazines is not only fun and rather glamorous (I mean, you should see the look on people's faces when you tell them you write for these magazines -- they're genuinely impressed)...
But it can be really lucrative, too...
Here are four tips I gleaned from Ann Silva, editor of ExpressLane Magazine (that's the in-flight magazine of ExpressJet Airlines), that will help you get a foot in the door at any airline magazine:
4 TIPS FOR BREAKING INTO AIRLINE IN-FLIGHT MAGAZINES
TIP #1: Consider the size of the aircraft.
ExpressJet uses only small, regional jets. Ann told us a story about a great article she received from a doctor about how to lift your bags into the overhead bin without straining your back. It was a good article... very well written. But ExpressJet's overhead bins are really small. Bags heavy enough to cause back injury won't fit. So while this is a perfectly good article idea, it's not right for ExpressLane -- or any other regional carrier like it.
TIP #2: Consider the destinations to which the airline flies.
ExpressJet pays Ann and funds her magazine. So if her airline stops selling seats on its planes, Ann is out of a job. Her goal, then, is to encourage repeat business to the cities where ExpressJet flies.
Now, Ann herself loves to read about Paris -- and readily admits that her readers would probably like to read about Paris, too. But ExpressJet doesn't fly there. If she were to run a story about it -- she'd be encouraging her readers to take another airline. She'd be shooting herself in the foot if she ran such a piece. So she won't do it.
TIP #3: Consider the length of the flights.
One of the reasons ExpressLane is only 32 pages long is because ExpressJet flights last less than two hours. Readers don't have time to flip through a more traditional 150-page in-flight magazine. And they don't have time to read 3,000-word articles, either.
If the in-flight you're aiming to write for doesn't have Writer's Guidelines, then look at the length of the flights the airline takes. If they're short, send only short articles. If they fly across seas, longer articles are probably OK.
TIP #4: Consider the reader.
ExpressJet caters mostly to male business travelers between the ages of 25-55. And that's true of most airlines. It's not that women and children don't fly. It's just that they're not the majority. And they're not where most of the airline's income comes from, either.
When you're writing an article for an in-flight, think about those male readers and what topics would interest them. An article on scrapbooking in New Orleans won't sell as well as a round-up of three great barbecue restaurants in Birmingham.
If you missed our Breaking into In-flight Magazines Conference last week, you can still get a copy of the recordings and our new resource guide -- Breaking into Airline In-Flight Magazines -- on the cheap during our holiday sale.
You'll find the discounted order page here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/holiday2007/savings
-- 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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PRACTICAL WRITING PROMPT OF THE WEEK
This week, pick an article in an airline in-flight magazine and write a variation of it that fits your city. Here are some examples of articles from in-flights that can serve as models for your next story:
** Three Perfect Days: An Insider's Guide to Seattle (in Hemispheres from United)
Most airline magazines you flip through feature a round-up article for one or two cities. If you write a city guide piece about your town or one you know well, make sure to find out if the magazine's airline flies to that city.
This round-up article is about 2,000 words long, which includes side bars with hotel and restaurant information. Check the magazine you're aiming for to get the length right and also to make sure they haven't already run an article on your city.
** Best Views of North Carolina (in My Midwest from Midwest Airlines)
This article in My Midwest magazine is about 1,000 words long and includes photos of North Carolina's vistas. You could easily write a "best views" article about your city or state or change it up for a "best drives," "best summer side trips," or "best escapes," covering a broader area than one city.
** A Place to Chill: As temperatures start to drop, look no further than Wisconsin for the best rest in the Midwest (in My Midwest from Midwest Airlines)
Here's an article that puts a new twist on a city round-up. Where do you go in Wisconsin to escape the cold in the winter? Think about the people visiting your town in its least- comfortable season. How about escaping the rain in Seattle, the heat in Texas, the stress in New York...
About 1,400 words long with photos and an information bar, this article profiles five luxurious spas in Wisconsin, places that are particularly inviting in the long, cold winter. Think about unconventional ways to see your town and what visitors may find during the low season.
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** Highly Recommended **
Fun, Glossy, Glamorous... and Way Easier to Break into than You Probably Think...
Learn the fast, easy, back-door way to land your name and stories in gorgeous airline magazines...
You can get pro-level clips instantly, enjoy "celebrity" status, and put very nice paychecks in your pocket, to boot.
Writer Jen Stevens and in-flight editor Ann Silva show you everything you need to know in "Breaking into Airline In-Flight Magazines: Secrets, Tips, and Tactics to Quickly and Easily Crack one of the Industry's Most Lucrative (and Glamorous) Markets"
Plus -- recordings form the Breaking Into In-Flights Workshop.
On sale today here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/holiday2007/savings
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READER FEEDBACK:
Dear AWAI Staff:
Even though IL was unable to use my article written about the hotel where I attended a conference, it was published by Vezeo. I saw their ad in Craigslist.
http://www.vezeo.com/2007/12/01/royal-pampering-at-fairmont-palliser-in-calgary/
Want to share this excitement with you.
Happy Holidays,
Estrella Chan
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OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR WRITERS:
* TRY ONE OF THESE AND GET FIVE PHOTO CRITIQUES FREE:
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/puc/5freeonsite
* WRITE OFF YOUR TRAVEL EXPENSES -- LEGALLY: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/tax/website
* BREAK OUT OF THE DAILY GRIND -- BECOME A TRAVEL WRITER:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/sh/website
* IMAGINE IT -- AND WRITE A SUCCESSFUL CHILDREN'S BOOK:
http://www.publishachildrensbook.com/fr89
* CARRY A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER IN YOUR POCKET:
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/tip/website
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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:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com
http://www.thephotographerslife.com
