Dear Reader,

This week I’m going tell you another way you can travel for free and make a nice profit while you’re at it... by creating your own travel tours.

Today’s Featured Publication serves two purposes:

1. It’s an approachable publication where you can get an attractive byline for your portfolio, and a handsome check.
2. It’s a website that features thousands of special-interest tours, making it a valuable resource if you’re interested in creating and marketing your own tours.

Scroll down to find out more...

-- Lori

Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division

P.S. One of our readers earns $3,000 to $10,000 a pop selling creative tours through France and other countries in Europe. You’ll find her story online, here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/2008/12/100k_report_1.php

March 26, 2009

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Featured Publication: Specialty Travel Index
Website: http://www.specialtytravel.com
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FOLLOW THIS FORMULA AND GET PUBLISHED
By Bonnie Caton in Arlington, Virginia

In business since 1980, today’s Featured Publication, Specialty Travel Index, showcases all kinds of travel tours, from family to adventure to singles to volunteering.

The site’s print and online publication, Specialty Travel Index Magazine, is read by travelers (mostly in the 50+ crowd) as well as travel agents. It’s only published twice yearly, but it’s 90% freelance written, and pays a minimum of $300 per travel article.

If you’ve ever taken part in a group tour, you could easily write an article to submit here. As always, remember to do your research. Start by checking out back-issues of the publication before writing your story... and the back-issues here are particularly revealing.

Once you read a few issues on the site, you’ll notice that articles here generally follow the same format. Think of it as a template to follow when you sit down to write your story.

In a typical Specialty Travel Index Magazine article, for example, the majority of the writing is a narrative about the writer's experience in the destination, followed by a short "For More Information" paragraph, giving specifics on a group tour, and ending with a "Travel Tips," or other practical advice section.

Here are a few articles from the magazine that follow this format:

“Cruising Alaska’s Panhandle” by Jim Cogan
http://www.specialtytravel.com/stories/stories.cgi?id=20181&from=home

“Inca Hot Springs” by Frank Richmond
http://www.specialtytravel.com/stories/stories.cgi?id=18761&from=home

“The Bunny Has Eyes!” by Vicki Johnson
http://www.specialtytravel.com/stories/stories.cgi?id=19281&from=home

You’ll find the rest of the articles archived here: http://www.specialtytravel.com/stories/stories.shtml

There are no Writer’s Guidelines on the website, but you can email the magazine to request them. You can also read through over 100 archived stories for free, gleaning just about all the information you need. While you do, take note of the average article length (about 1,250 words), destinations and topics that have already been covered, and practical information included in each article.

If you have a group travel tale to tell, query first by sending an email here.

TIP: Be sure to mention any photos you have, as the magazine will negotiate pay for individual photos. However, you do need to be able to correctly identify the people in your shots.

[Ed. Note: Another way to earn more money while you travel is to take photos along the way and sell them with your travel articles. Today’s Featured Publication pays extra for photos, but the rates are negotiable. Send professional-looking photos that they can’t resist, and you’ll be more likely to get paid like a pro. Find out how you can Turn Your Pictures into Cash here.]

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*** 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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(c) 2009 American Writers & Artists Inc.
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Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
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To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com
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