The Travel Writers Lifetag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://12010-03-08T20:25:15ZMovable Type 3.32Writing a how-to article: The easiest travel article you’ll ever pull offtag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.7002010-03-07T20:57:35Z2010-03-08T20:25:15Z
here
Today, I'll show you how to write one of the easiest articles you'll ever pull off: a how-to article.
A how-to article is simply an article that tells your reader how to do something. I call this a "hold my hand" article, because as the writer, you're holding the reader's hand through each step of the way.
How-to articles are practical. They're also specific, useful to readers, and editors love them.
To write a how-to article, all you need is to do something (and it can be almost anything), keep notes on what you did, and once you're done, write out the who's, what's, when's, where's, why's and how's so someone else can duplicate your experience.
Let's stick with the theme of our article from yesterday: How to rent a bicycle in Paris.
First you'll need to find some bike shops in Paris where someone speaks English, if you're writing for an English-speaking audience.
You'll want to check on prices and packages. For instance, daily rentals may be cheaper at one shop, but weekly and monthly rentals might be cheaper at another. Which shop has the best-maintained bikes and friendliest staff? Make recommendations. You might even recommend a staff person by name: "When you call, ask for Bruno, he's friendly and speaks English."
Do you need to tell your reader about insurance? How and where can you lock up your bike on the street? What are the traffic rules for bicycles and how do they differ from the laws in the country of your target audience? What about bicycling etiquette amongst the French?
And once I get my bike, where should I go? Are there certain areas of town better for biking than others? Is there a circuit you recommend, where I can see some worthwhile off-the-beaten-path sites, restaurants, bars? Is there a bicycling guide or map to Paris you could recommend? Is there a nice park tourists don't know about where I can impress a date with a picnic and some wine? Is it legal to pedal after wine and cheese... and if not, can I put my bike on the public bus?
These are the sorts of practical questions that a how-to article needs to answer.
The very best how-to articles tell how to do something the average Joe couldn't pull off without inside information.
Here’s an example: I once got a new rental car in Europe for a month and didn't pay a cent for it, besides gas and insurance. I even had the choice of a convertible, though I chose the mini-van as I needed to move some furniture out of my apartment in Aix-en-Provence.
I drove that car all over France, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and back again. Then I wrote a few articles from that trip, like where to eat in Cinque Terre, the best hostel in Croatia, and so on. The how-to article about the car was the money-maker, as I was able to get that article published more than once. Save people money, or tell them how to do something seemingly impossible, and you've got an article you can sell and resell.
Writing this kind of article is a great way to launch your travel writing career from your couch, as you can write how-to articles about any number of things in your own local area. Get a few published, and build from there. You might not have resorts paying to fly you to Bali for a week on the beach just yet, but give it time. If you're persistent, it can happen. You just need to get a few articles under your belt.
Well, that's it from me. Lori will be back on Monday. (I suspect she's been at the beach.)
Write on,
-- David
P.S. How-to articles can help you get your foot in the door with travel publications, and you can write them about the city or town where you live. Your hometown is also a great place to take "travel" photos, which you can submit with your articles for a better chance of publication -- and a better paycheck. Join us in Nashville this April 16-18 for the Ultimate Money-Making Photo Workshop, where pro photographers Rich Wagner and Shelly Perry will show you how they cash in on photos of people and places in their hometowns. You can do this, too, no matter where you live. It's not hard, and you don't need to know a thing about photography -- they'll show you how to do it, step by step. I'll also be there to share what I know about taking travel pictures and selling them. And hey, if you want to talk about travel writing over a drink while we're there, all I can say is, you're buying. Hope to meet you in Nashville -- go register now while there's still space available.
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(c) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com http://www.thephotographerslife.com
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Rule of Thumb: Travel editors want meattag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.7012010-03-06T21:08:19Z2010-03-08T17:25:21ZRule of thumb: Read on for advice for catching a travel editor's opinion from freelancer David Morgan...
Read more from yesterday's note).
Today, I'll share another tidbit that can help make your travel articles much more likely to be published. It's called the "rule of thumb." (And we're not talking about hitchhiking.)
The rule of thumb is this: Take an article you’ve written, and put your thumb a third of the way down the page. If your main idea (the biggest benefit to your reader) isn’t above your thumb, cut until it is.
That forces you to get to your main idea early. And it’s a good habit to get into. It’s often easiest to break into travel writing with short articles (more on that tomorrow), but this means you’ve got only a few sentences in which to get to your point.
Say you're writing about renting a bicycle in Paris. You might first feel the urge to tell your reader why they want to go to Paris. You might then write about the flight from Boston to Paris, and then the train ride into town and the nice man you met, and then the great crepe stand between the hotel and bike shop. You might even reminisce a bit about the French girlfriend you had or wished you had back in the war, who strapped baguettes to her bicycle, before you get to the point of the article -- which, you'll remember, was how to rent a bicycle in Paris, and what to do with it once you have it.
All that stuff before the meat of the article? Go ahead and cut it out. It's good to record these memories, and it can be a valuable tool to get the writing juices flowing. You might even be able to develop them into other travel articles. But do yourself a favor and cut the prelude before submitting the article. This is great material for your journal, but not for a substantive travel article.
Want another tip to seal the deal?
When you can't figure out how to start an article (now that I've completely ruined it for you), forget the lead entirely and start in the middle of the story. Start where the action is, where the dialogue is. Some of the most successful travel articles I've read or written start with a conversation or a bar brawl. In the case of our Paris bicycle story, you could start the article off with the conversation you have with the old weathered Bateau Mouche driver you meet as you stopped for a break along the Seine. Draw in your readers -- and your editors -- with the meat, the steak tartar, if you will, of your article. Skip the appetizers.
If you want to talk about all of this in person, I'll be in Nashville this April 16-18 for the Ultimate Money-Making Photo Workshop. I'd be happy to chat about travel writing and to help you bounce some story ideas around to go with your photos, so go ahead and sign up.
Hope to see you there!
Until tomorrow,
-- David
P.S. Travel writing and photography really go hand-in-hand. Submit a strong article with a few saleable photos, and your chances of earning a paycheck are considerably higher than if you submit a standalone article. Plus, once published, you'll also earn more because you'll be paid for the article as well as the photos. Join us in Nashville next month to find out all you need to know to sell your photos along with your articles -- or on their own -- from photographers, writers, editors, and other industry insiders. Register soon because next week the $300 Early Bird Discount disappears. Get your discount now.
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(c) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
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Unique Travel Articles: One Writer’s Story on the Travel Fast-Tracktag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.6992010-03-05T14:13:49Z2010-03-05T14:47:08Z
pricing photos to sell , things really started happening for me after my big backpacking trip to Asia...
Within six weeks of walking away from my restaurant job back home, I was selling photographs from my trip as fine art. Then I got a wedding gig. And then a big-name publisher asked to buy rights to a few of my pictures for a geography textbook. Seemed like things were coming together. And quickly. But not quick enough.
Even though I was starting to make some money off my travel itch, I still needed a job to tide me over while I got my new life off the ground. But I didn’t want another job in a restaurant. And I didn’t want to temp or make collection calls, which was all I could find in my town.
I wanted a travel job. And thanks in great part to that initial experience selling my photos on a coffeehouse wall, I got one. My travel photos and first brush with the publishing world -- combined with a writing sample and a great deal of persistence -- landed me a job with a well-known travel publication. Not as a photographer, mind you, but as an “editorial assistant,” one step above intern.
My job was to edit and rewrite all the travel articles we received that we wanted to publish in our newsletters, books, or travel magazine. I’d edit them and then send them to our editor for final approval.
Sometimes she was happy with my choices. Other times, especially in the beginning, she’d send me back to my desk to try again.
“These articles have to be unique travel articles,” she’d always say. “Everyone knows you can have dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Tell me something I didn’t know.”
I was always happy to receive unique travel articles. I rarely cared that I had to largely rewrite them because the writing was poor. And I never cared that some other writer’s name was going on a piece I rewrote. (OK, I cared a little... and in the end that’s why I left and went freelance. Why not write these kinds of articles myself, I thought?)
Today, when I’m writing unique travel articles, I still ask myself the same questions my editor asked me before I submitted a piece to her...
** Is the idea behind this article unique?
** Am I sending it to the right publication? (I always hated it when writers would send us articles for our publication on island-living that were not in any way related to life on an island. It sounds simple enough. Yet writers did – and still do -- this all the time.)
** Is my idea specific? Do I have one main point or did I veer off on a tangent somewhere in the middle (this was a common problem in articles that came across my desk back in the day. It’s the number one thing I had to edit out.)
Keep these questions at the forefront of your mind, too, and you’ll do well in this business.
You’ll also make a lot of friends behind the editorial desk.
-- David Morgan
P.S. As a freelancer, I have often “written” my own ticket, by writing unique travel articles. I’ve lived in France, Honduras, Guatemala, New York, and traveled from Copacabana to Kathmandu. There have been mishaps and failures along the way, sure. But all of them learning experiences that have led to even greater successes.
Today I live a rich, off-the-beaten path kind of life. It hasn’t always been comfortable or easy. But I wouldn’t have it another way.
It’s been possible because I stay open to opportunity. Especially the opportunity to learn from others who’ve been in the field, done the work, and can point me in the right direction to get me where I want to go.
You have that same opportunity right now. I’m joining Rich Wagner and Shelly Perry along with a slew of other photographers and writers at The Ultimate Money-Making Photography Workshop in Nashville this April 16-18 to share all that we know about taking great photos and turning them around for a profit. (The great thing about photography is, there are several ways to automate the profits. Set it up once and forget about it until the royalty checks roll in.)
Even if your main interest is travel writing, you owe it to yourself to learn the ins and outs of photography. Submitting a well-written travel article to an editor is one thing. But when you submit a good travel article with a few outstanding photos, well, take it from me as a former travel-writing editor, you’re much more likely to make the sale. Again and again.
And here’s even better news...
Everything I learned about photography in my weeks, months, and years of trial and error, Rich Wagner and Shelly Perry can teach you in a few hours at The Ultimate Money-Making Photography Workshop in Nashville. And that’s no overstatement. I’ve met them both before and learned more in a few days than I did over years in the field on my own.
They’re great teachers and mentors. You’ll have the opportunity not only to learn professional skills from industry insiders, but to practice them in an extremely supportive environment. I can’t wait to go.
I hope to meet you there. I’m leading a couple of workshops, I’ll be assisting in a few others, and I’ll be available to answer any questions you have about photography or writing.
If you, too, are looking to live an outside-the-box kind of life while earning money and having fun in the process, I can’t imagine a better opportunity. I say go for it.
More tomorrow.
Hope to see you at The Ultimate Money-Making Photography Workshop in Nashville.
****************************
(c) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com http://www.thephotographerslife.com
]]>
Lehigh Valley Style Magazinetag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.6982010-01-21T21:19:26Z2010-01-21T21:34:52ZLehigh Valley Style: How to get published in this regional magazine...
Lehigh Valley Style. If you don’t live in or near the Lehigh Valley, you should look for a similar publication near you that buys photos and articles from freelancers. Scroll down for details on what it takes to get published here...
-- Lori
Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division
P.S. Don’t forget, you’ll find 30 other magazines where you can sell your travel articles and photographs in our Breaking into In-flight Magazines program, on close-out now for over 50% off.
Our fulfillment house is closing its doors on March 1, so we need to move these programs fast. Order today and you’ll save 50% AND get a copy of our new e-guide, “101 Places to Get Published in 2010.” This new guide is not for sale separately. It only comes free when you order one of our last copies of Breaking into In-Flight Magazines, on close-out.
January 21, 2010
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Featured Publication: Lehigh Valley Style
Website: http://www.lehighvalleystyle.com
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Lehigh Valley Style: How to Target Your Local Lifestyle Magazine
By Bonnie Caton in Portland, OR
Lehigh Valley Style Magazine is in its 10th year of production as the glossy lifestyle magazine for Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.
Like most lifestyle magazines, it covers dining, fashion, tips for the home, local celebrities and gossip, events where residents can see and be seen, local news, and the occasional travel piece.
At first glance, you may not think about submitting a travel story here. But Victor Englebert, a professional photographer who has spoken at several of our live events and who has, over the last few years, gotten back into travel writing, had a large article/photo package published here back in February 2009.
You can see his published article here.
Now, Victor’s piece is long and impressive, covering nine different regions of the world. You, of course, don’t have to start so large.
With magazines like Lehigh Valley, you can start right in your own region. And, as freelance writer Jennifer Stevens suggests, you can start small. The current issue includes restaurant reviews, style blurbs, and a news story by freelancers. The style blurbs are small and simple.
To write for this magazine or a similar publication in your area, start by familiarizing yourself with the magazine. Read through recent issues and archives, if you can find them. You can read the most recent issue of Lehigh Valley Stylehere.
Check out the website, too. And read the writer’s guidelines. You won’t find writer’s guidelines on the Lehigh Valley Style site, but you can request them by sending an e-mail to the editor.
Another way to find out more about the magazine and its readers is to flip through the advertising section of the website.
There, you’ll find an editorial calendar, so you can best target your stories to specific issues, and a media kit, which gives stats and specifics about the readership.
[Editor’s Note: Join us at one of our live events this year and learn first-hand how to sell your travel articles and photographs to magazines, newspapers, stock agencies, websites, and more. Put your name on our workshop First-in-Line list for an early shot at our most deeply discounted seats -- and to get the full run-down on everywhere we’re headed in 2010.
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(c) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
]]>
Sell Travel Stories: The simple key to selling more travel articlestag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.6972010-01-16T17:42:07Z2010-01-15T17:55:05ZSell travel stories: Magazines need articles on the world’s most popular destinations. Here's how to make your story unique and saleable.
sell travel stories to in-flight magazines (or any travel magazines, really) don’t feel like you have to write about undiscovered locations. Magazines need articles on the world’s most popular destinations. Yesterday, I sent you a technique for writing about those destinations by picking out one unique aspect about them and focusing on that. Read that issue here.
Today, freelance writer and editor Jennifer Stevens tells you more about how to sell travel stories by taking a unique angle on an overdone destination.
Have a great weekend,
-- Lori
Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division
P.S. Jennifer Stevens will be with us at the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop this summer in Santa Monica, CA. Put your name on the workshop First-in-Line list to get an extra $50 off early registration, plus learn about all of our exciting new workshop destinations of 2010, here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/2010workshophotlist/
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January 16, 2010
The Right Way to Travel
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Sell Travel Stories: The Simple Key to Selling More Travel Articles
By Jennifer Stevens
Editors know that articles about the world's most popular vacation destinations attract readers. Huge numbers of families plan trips each year to the nation’s biggest theme parks, resorts, outdoor recreational areas... and to countries like England, France and Italy. These are “classic” vacation destinations -- and folks planning their vacations are always looking for insights about them.
It’s your job as the writer to provide those insights. Only the thing is, you’ve got to look beyond the tried-and-true. Take Paris. An article about the Louvre, the Musee D'Orsay, and Notre Dame -- that’s been done... a gazillion times. And anyway, readers can find that information on the tourist board’s website.
To sell travel stories, you have to find an angle that’s more out-of-the-ordinary. So think about what your destination is most well known for. And then focus, instead, on something that might surprise people.
Did you know, for instance, that there’s a thriving community of bees in Paris? Bee keepers keep hives on the roof of the Palais Royale, in the Luxembourg Gardens, on the dome of the 19th-century Palais Garnier and on the roof of the Opera Bastille. The last weekend in September, you can buy the honey from the Luxembourg Garden harvest.
What a great, quirky item for a fall Paris story.
Remember, you needn't write about every last thing there is to see and do in a place. You can sell small ideas that give readers a new perspective on a “classic” destination.
** 1) Begin by thinking about your own town or someplace you’ve visited and try to identify the expectations tourists traditionally have about it. What sights or activities do people travel there for? Do annual festivals or other events draw tourists? Do visitors come primarily to shop... to visit a historical neighborhood or landmark... or to take in the scenic beauty of the surrounding countryside? Come up with a list of the main things that attract visitors to your destination.
** 2) Now, make a list of the “other” things a person could do there. What do travelers NOT associate with your destination? You’re looking for an idea that expands, or even defies, visitors’ expectations.
Consider this scenario: Say a family is traveling together. The kids have picked Cancun as their destination of choice. It’s affordable, and so the parents agree that’s where they’ll all go. But while the youngsters may be happy to spend a week lounging on the beach, the adults are looking for some greater distraction. What else is there to do?
You could answer that question with a round-up article titled, Beyond the Beach: Getting Out of the Sun in Cancun. Or take a more narrow focus like, Sophisticated Sipping at Cancun’s Tequila Museum.
You can apply this idea to almost anything and anywhere:
**Nashville for People Who Don’t Love Country Music
**The Quieter Side of Mardi Gras: New Orleans for Families
**Wheelchair-Accessible Trails in the Great Smokey Mountains
**Quiet New York City: 3 Great Neighborhood Parks
**Las Vegas Beyond the Casinos
**Faux Rich: Bargain Shopping in Palm Springs, California
So when you’re on the road, make note of what surprises you -- there’s probably a story in there somewhere.
[Ed Note: Jen Stevens is author of AWAI’s Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program and architect of our live travel writing workshops. If you’d like to follow in her footsteps -- that is, get paid to travel, snap photos, and scribble about what you find -- then grab a copy of our Breaking into In-Flight Magazines: Secrets, Tips, and Tactics to Quickly and Easily Crack one of the Industry’s Most Lucrative (and Glamorous) Markets. It’s on sale now for 50% off and we have fewer than 100 copies left. Once they’re gone, that’s it. Order yours today, and we’ll also toss in a copy (free) of our brand new report, 101 Places to Get Published in 2010. Both volumes are yours today -- while supplies last.]
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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) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.comhttp://www.thephotographerslife.com]]>
How to write for in-flight magazinestag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.6962010-01-15T15:57:20Z2010-01-15T17:55:22ZWrite for in-flight magazines: Here’s how to take an unusual story angle on popular destinations.
write for in-flight magazines. But that's just not the case.
Truth is: Editors love articles about the world's most popular vacation destinations because popular destinations are a sure bet when it comes to attracting readers.
But even though there's an eager readership for these articles, the only way to write for in-flight magazines is to come up with a unique slant.
One way is to pick out something unusual in that destination and focus on that.
For example, in the current issue of Jet Away in-flight magazine, an article on Paris focuses on one unique jewelry maker, then offers three funky/chic places to eat in Paris where you can show off your new necklace.
In-flight magazines like Jet Away often run stories like these. For example:
** The current issue of Aer Lingus’ in-flight, Cara Magazine, features an article that delves into the lesser-known aspects of Spain’s popular Northwest region. Many tourists go there for the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, but few know about the area’s hilltop villages and ancient ruins.
** This month, Continental magazine is running a cover story on non-Olympic activities in Vancouver, B.C., such as taking a suspension bridge tour through the forest and delving into the native cultures in the city’s museums.
** Fah Thai magazine, the in-flight for Thai Airways, is running a story this month on Cambodia, but it doesn’t mention the popular Angkor Wat temples. Instead, it focuses on one yoga instructor, and how yoga is now beginning to gain popularity in Cambodia.
[TIP: To write for in-flight magazines, you can start with the Writer’s Guidelines for these three in-flights (and dozens more) along with tips on breaking into this glamorous and well-paid market in Breaking into In-Flight Magazines: Secrets, Tips, and Tactics to Quickly and Easily Crack one of the Industry’s Most Lucrative (and Glamorous) Markets. Grab it now while it’s on close-out and you save a full 50%. Plus we’re tossing in a copy (free) of our brand new report, 101 Places to Get Published in 2010. It’s yours today with Breaking into In-Flight Magazines.]
Tomorrow, freelance writer Jennifer Stevens will show you another way to write for in-flight magazines -- and write about a popular destination by nailing down the "typical" perception potential tourists have about it, then casting it in a new or unusual light.
-- Lori
Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division
P.S. Paris -- the top tourist-destination city in the world -- is a great place to write about. People always want to go, and editors always want to show them how. Plus Paris is full of unique, funky, unexpected stories. We can help you find some of your own on our photo expedition there this spring. Put your name on the workshop First-in-Line list for an early shot at our most deeply discounted seats – and to get the full run-down on everywhere we’re headed in 2010.
Further Resources:
Write for in-flight magazines: More on in-flights from About.comWrite for in-flight magazines: In-flights in the NY Times
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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) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com http://www.thephotographerslife.com ]]>
Jet Away Magazine: Featured Publicationtag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.6952010-01-14T20:22:31Z2010-01-21T19:30:59ZJet Away Magazine: How to get published in this in-flight magazine and others...
we’re closing this product out and drastically reducing its price to clear the shelves.
Our fulfillment house is closing its doors on March 1 and everything must go.
You’ll find the discounted program (with all the same goodies like advice from a few editors about what it takes to land by-lines in their publications, actual writer’s guidelines for over 30 approachable in-flight magazines, the formulas you can use to find more in-flight magazines on your own and pitch the right articles to them every time, and more), here.
And don’t forget to scroll down for today’s Featured Publication...
-- Lori
Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division
P.S. In-flight magazines don’t function like other travel magazines. They’re often run by ad agencies rather than publishing houses. And they don’t generally publish their Writer’s Guidelines, so it’s hard to figure out what kinds of articles they like to publish and how to contact the editor.
We included all this in our Breaking into Airline In-Flight Magazines program, too. You’ll find it here with a free copy of our new e-report, 101 Places to Get Published in 2010, and $100 off.
January 14, 2010
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Featured Publication: Jet Away Magazine
Website: http://jet2mag.com/
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Jet Away: In-Flight Magazine
By Bonnie Caton in Portland, OR
Jet Away is the in-flight magazine for Northern England’s low-cost airline, Jet2. Travel features in this glossy seat-back publication cover the airline’s destination cities and surrounding areas only -- including 46 European destinations, as well as Egypt, Tunisia, Israel, Croatia, and others. The magazine is published quarterly, but each issue includes about 12 travel features, largely written by freelancers.
If you’d like to get published here, try taking a unique angle on a popular destination. For example, in the current issue, you’ll find stories about both Paris and Venice. Both are clearly popular destinations, but the Paris article focuses on one quirky jewelry maker, and the Venice article asks two locals for their ideal Venice travel itinerary and then tests out that itinerary to see if it’s doable.
The tone in this magazine is light, casual, conversational, and playful. You’ll come across words and phrases such as “After a morning walking the city, we decided it was Prosecco o’clock...” about Venice, or “Welcome to the fairytale, ladies,” about post-skiing hot springs in the Swiss Alps.
Feature articles range from 1,000 to 1,400 words long, and compensation depends on the article length and topic.
If you’d like to write for Jet Away, the editors ask that you pitch your idea first. They specify that pitches should be well thought out (and well written) with a headline and a strong hook. Write one or two paragraphs telling the editor how you plan to craft and finish your story and why the topic it fits in with Jet Away.
TIP: Be sure to peruse the magazine archives (you’ll find them on the site) to make sure your story topic hasn’t already been covered.
Photographers: Photo-based stories are welcome here, too. The editors ask for “unusual/interesting/fresh takes” on Jet2 destinations. As with articles, you’ll need to pitch your idea before including any high-resolution images.
Also, don’t forget to read through the Writer’s Guidelines first. They aren’t posted anywhere on the Jet Away site, but you can get them by request. You’ll also find them alongside the guidelines, profiles, and editor insights for over 30 in-flights 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. We’re closing it out and clearing inventory... so you can get a smoking deal on it right now.
Plus, to sweeten the pot and move these programs off the shelf a little faster, I’ll also send you a free copy of our new e-report 101 Places to Get Published in 2010. The secrets you learn in Breaking into In-flights also apply to other travel writing markets. And now, when you buy today, you’ll have access to 101 other places you can sell your stories in addition to those listed in this program. Get it for free here.
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(c) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
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Selling Travel Articles: Stories that Sell in 2010tag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.6942010-01-09T21:06:06Z2010-01-08T21:14:12ZSelling travel articles
selling travel articles -- quicker and much easier.
Scroll down to find out what it is...
Have a great weekend,
-- Lori
Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division
P.S. Keeping up with trends is one way to sell more in 2010. Another way to stay in the loop in your town or wherever you travel is to read press releases. Hotels, tour companies, tourist boards, manufacturers of travel products, travel book publishers, and other firms and organizations send out press releases regularly to editors of publications and to freelance writers in hopes of attracting some publicity. Find out more about using press releases -- plus seven other ways to hone in on stories that will sell in 2010 -- with the Ultimate Travel Writer’s program. We’re in the midst of updating it now -- putting the entire thing online where you can access it from anywhere you travel. We’ve also added extra insider tips and audio clips from successful pro writers. Reserve the new online version now, before we officially launch it, and save $50.
Or grab one of the last copies of our print edition, here.
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January 9, 2010
The Right Way to Travel
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Selling Travel Articles: Better-Than-Bargain Stories for 2010
By Jennifer Stevens in Colorado Springs, CO
“Bargain Europe”... “Caribbean on the Cheap”... “Top 10 Value Destinations”...
It’s no secret that bargain-minded stories are selling like hot-cakes right now. It makes sense. Readers aren’t feeling flush, and they want to wring the most they can from their limited travel dollars.
But face it: Publications can only print so many of these things.
Here’s a trick for selling travel articles to bargain-saturated editors looking for ways to put a little lipstick on “cheap”:
Look for experiences that have a “bargain” built in. And then focus your piece not on the value element, but on the experience itself.
Here’s a great example from the New York Times about a parade of classic cars taking place in Paris tomorrow.
Here’s another one I spotted in Holidays with Kids, an Australian magazine, about an exhibit of masterpieces from Paris, on display at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra (see page 12).
In National Geographic Traveler I ran across this piece about enjoying Mardi Gras in New Orleans out in the neighborhoods instead of in the French Quarter.
What all these stories have in common beyond the fact that they profile a low-cost or free activity is that they encourage readers to enjoy the flavor of a place. They’re essentially bringing “local” activities to the attention of tourists.
Think about how you can do that, too -- both at home and when you’re on the road -- increasing your chances of selling travel articles.
If you want to write about where you live, check the local activities listings -- do you see anything that you as a local take for granted, but a visitor might never stumble into without somebody like you talking about it?
If you’ll be traveling, check the “local” listings in the place you’re headed. Most tourist boards and local papers have these things listed online so you can access them from afar. And when you get there, chat up the folks behind the desk at the hotel, taxi drivers, waiters. Ask people what they’ll be doing with their own families while you’re in town. They’re bound to offer up all sorts of story ideas.
[Ed Note: Jen Stevens is author of AWAI’s Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program and architect of our live travel writing workshops. If you’d like to follow in her footsteps -- that is, get paid to snap photos, travel, scribble about what you find, and meet new people -- then grab a copy of our newly updated online edition of the Ultimate Travel Writer’s program. It’s without a doubt THE best resource for getting started in travel writing today, and it’s on sale for $50 off.
Note: printed copies of our Third Edition (in limited quantities) are available.]
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(c) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.comhttp://www.thephotographerslife.com
]]>
AWAI: 2009 Year in Reviewtag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.6932010-01-08T20:04:10Z2010-01-08T20:32:49ZAWAI: 2009 Year in Review. Read on to get inspired by our own readers' success stories...
AWAI program participants and past attendees every year. (I’ll paste a few of them below.)
Today’s issue celebrates their successes -- past, present, and future -- and yours, too. It’s a brand new year. A brand new chance to escape the nine to five, do something you love, and leave your stress behind once and for all.
Scroll down to read a sample of success stories we collected in 2009. And by all means, let me know if there are any more I've missed. If you HAVE a picture of yourself to upload with your story, you'll find our Wall of Fame application, here.
If you DON’T HAVE a photo (or would like to send one later), please use this questionnaire.
I’ve pasted in some of our most recent success stories below as motivation for you to get out there, see the world, and collect a paycheck.
Have a great weekend,
-- Lori
Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division
P.S. Paris... Ecuador... Thailand. Join us on a travel writing or photography workshop or expedition this year and we’ll help you craft your own escape plan -- no more stress, no messy health care plans, no boss breathing down your neck because your company is under-staffed so more work is falling on your plate. We have some exciting new destinations to choose from in 2010 -- here in the U.S. and around the globe. And I’m going to give you an opportunity to save on each and every one of them next week. Stay tuned for a list of dates and destinations. And don’t forget to scroll down to read what some of your fellow readers have been up to...
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AWAI 2009 Year in Review -- Successes Abound
*** ALAN MCBRIDE
Alan was skeptical about making a living off of his travel writing. Then he started writing articles for WorldReviewer.com, including pieces on Christmas Island, Borneo, Kakadu, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Australia. He also went on a two-week, all-inclusive tour to Borneo as a travel writer. Last we heard from him, Alan had just been invited to France to complete a story he pitched the week before. He’s not a full-time writer, yet. But as he told us, his string of successes is “not bad for a non-believer.”
*** BILL HAVLE
After beginning the AWAI Turn Your Pictures into Cash program, Bill started seeing blank walls. That is, he saw a possible show space for his photos on the walls of his favorite breakfast joint. He asked the owner if he could show his stuff... and not only did he get the best spot in the restaurant to hang his art, but the owner asked him to do his family portraits, too. “Trust me!” he said, “If it can work for me, it can work for anybody! You just have to tell yourself to start.”
*** HEATHER RATH
Heather was published twice in Travel Post Monthly and once in Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper after beginning The AWAI Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program. With more confidence after getting her first piece published, she now finds she has travel writing projects left and right, despite a “busy ‘other’ life.”
*** ANN JORDAN-MILLS
After attending the AWAI Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Denver, Ann didn’t hesitate to dive right in and start submitting articles for publication. One of her articles, on Canmore in Alberta, Canada, was picked up by Travelmag, an online UK travel magazine. And variations of the same article are published on other online sites, as well as included on a CD that TravelWritersTales.com submits to five BC newspapers.
*** ANN KUFFNER
Combining her copywriting and travel writing skills brought Ann success in 2009. She published two articles in the glossy, print version of International Living, as well as one online “postcard” piece. Ann always wanted to write for International Living... and now she has a good relationship with the editor that should land even more assignments.
*** CATHERINE CAIRNS-O'KEEFE
A photo enthusiast since high school, Catherine decided to take the AWAI Turn Your Pictures into Cash program. Now, she takes professional photos alongside her brother and was paid to shoot a wedding last August.
*** FRED BRAUN
Fred used freelance writer Jennifer Stevens’ suggestions to get published three times in his local Sarasota magazine, SCENE. Before, he told us, he was sending out query after query and getting no response from editors. But after using Jennifer’s “painting a picture strategy,” editors began to take notice. Not only did they respond, but one accepted his first piece on the inner workings of the Ringling Museum... and then agreed to a whole series of similar articles about other sites near his home in Florida.
*** LINDA STEINMULLER
Instead of getting discouraged by a slow economy, Linda used it to her advantage. After attending one of our AWAI travel writing workshops, she approached her local newspaper travel editor with the idea that there are plenty of things to do and see in her hometown of Brooklyn, NY -- many of which are inexpensive or free. They loved the idea and agreed to publish a series of five “staycation” articles. Each focused on a different area and theme (outdoors, culture, etc.) with an emphasis on special savings at each venue.
*** DIANA RUSSLER
Diana joined us at the AWAI Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop last July in Denver. Soon after, she built up the confidence to go for it... and got her very first article and photos -- a six-page piece on the Atacama Desert -- published in the glossy pages of Nature Photographer Magazine.
*** ELISA SOUTHARD
A motorcycle enthusiast, Elisa combined her travel writing with her passions to write an article about safety, called Make Road Kill out of Three Myths for Beginning Riders. It was published in HelmetHairMagazine.com. After coming to the AWAI Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop, Elisa used one of the secrets Jennifer Stevens revealed for beginning a travel article... and now the editors tell her they keep getting requests for reprints. Another of her articles on Maui was also picked up by the San Francisco Chronicle.
*** JANETT ZARECKI
A self-proclaimed “chronic slow-starter,” Janett took her time reading through the AWAI Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program. Then one day, armed with the tips she’d gleaned, she decided to try her luck. She wrote to her local newspaper with a suggestion for a regular travel column she could write. The editors liked her idea so much that they decided to let her do it (stories, photos, and all). She now gets a regular by-line and a paycheck.
*** DAWN-MARIE HANRAHAN
We heard from ITWPA member Dawn-Marie Hanrahan back in 2008 when she phoned up her local paper, the Ferndale Record-Journal, and proposed writing a travel column. She wrote in again to tell us she’d had nine stories with photos published in the paper, and that her column had become a local hit. She’d recently been accepted to go on a press trip to Victoria, British Columbia, which then led to two of her articles getting accepted at Washington Travel and Life magazine.
*** MICHAEL SHERER
When we last heard from Michael, he was on his way to Honduras with three article assignments. Michael joined us at the AWAI Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop and shortly after, got published three times -- twice in local glossy magazines. “I might have eventually found the road to writing,” he told us, “but with the very good insights/information and continual advice, you've made it a lot easier and quicker.”
*** ELLEN AND DAVID HILL
Ellen and David Hill left their lives behind the desk to travel with their budding photographer son. Their stories have been published in Travel Post Monthly, Literary Traveler, and Australian Traveller magazine. One of their articles, Ballooning in the Aussie Outback, even won an award in the RovingEye Expose Your World Competition.
*** KAT SUNLOVE AND LAYNE WINKLEBECK
After getting published on TouristTravel.com, Kat and Layne contacted their local newspaper, which bought a slightly expanded version of the same story and added them as stringers (regular freelancers). Kat also landed a free trip to Raleigh, NC, to attend the “Sensory Overload” festival, filled with museum exhibits, culinary walking tours, art festivals and fashion shows.
*** VERA KERR
Following professional photographer Rich Wagner’s advice on starting locally, full-time nurse Vera Kerr took photos in her hometown and made them into postcards. A friend of hers started selling them in her café and before long, had to ask for more because they had sold out. She also took photos of the hospital in which she works for a brochure, and donated photos to a raffle for a local fundraising event.
*** GAIA RETTINGHOUSE
Gaia told us that she set out to prove us wrong. She heard in the AWAI Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop-At-Home package that she should start small and shouldn’t expect her first published article to be a feature-length piece. So she set out to land just that. Her first published article, along with seven photos taken with her Lumix point-and-shoot camera, sold to her local newspaper in Hawaii. “I love you guys,” she said, “and I love a challenge. So this is in the spirit of encouraging everyone to go for their dream and write that first article.”
*** HELEN MURRAY
Like Vera, Helen took photographer Rich Wagner’s advice in the AWAI Turn Your Pictures into Cash program, and started taking photos locally. Thing is, Helen’s hometown is in remote Australia... with a population of just 45 people. A historic tourist destination, the town had been photographed before. But Helen decided to look at it differently, and take photos that no one else had. Since then, she’s been selling her larger photos as fine art and smaller ones to tourists and passers-by.
If you have a story to share, join our Wall of Fame by filling out the questionnaire on the links below.
If you HAVE a picture of yourself to upload with your success story, use this link.
If you DON’T HAVE a photo (or would like to send one later), please use this questionnaire.
[Ed. Note: If these stories look like something you’d like to do, too, but you’re not sure how to get started, try one of the following programs...
All our courses are backed by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If, before the end of 30 days, you don’t think you have at least one saleable travel article or one saleable photograph, you may return the unmarked program materials and we’ll promptly refund your money. No questions asked.
Try our Ultimate Travel Writer’s program (on sale for a limited time).
Or, our Turn Your Pictures into Cash program.
Readers interested in selling their photos as stock photography (where you’ll earn money even in your sleep, will find recordings from our Ultimate Stock Event.]
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(c) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.comhttp://www.thephotographerslife.com
]]>
Traveller: Featured Publicationtag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.6922010-01-07T21:45:30Z2010-01-07T14:58:03ZTraveller: Get your travel articles and photos published in this British magazine...
The Foreign Market Shortcut: How to Write Less and Double Your Sales, written by freelancer Steenie Harvey. It highlights over 30 approachable publications with tips on what stories sell best to different countries, how to query, how to get paid, and more.
January 7, 2010
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Featured Publication: Traveller
Website: www.traveller.org.uk
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Traveller: Foreign Market Publication
Excerpt from The Foreign Market Shortcut: How to Write Less and Double Your Sales
Traveller (note the spelling) is a British magazine that appears quarterly and has been going since 1970. It’s distributed to 35,000 members of the WEXAS traveler’s club.
Here’s what the magazine is looking for, in its own words:
“Typically we publish evocative, first-person narratives. Write from your personal point of view, conveying your direct experience. Tell us what it feels like to be there, how it sounds and smells. Introduce local people, through quotes, conversations and interactions.
“We look for: vividness, personal reflection, action, respect for local cultures, adventure, authenticity and humour. Articles need a theme and angle, as well as a location; narratives need a plot and ending.”
The following slots are open to freelance contributors:
** Eyewitness -- A destination-based narrative telling your own unusual journey or adventure. (800 words.)
** Changing World -- An issue-based feature on a political, environmental or cultural topic that travelers encounter: must be based on personal experience of this issue overseas. (800 words.)
** Portrait Of A City -- An impressionistic pen-portrait, not a factual guide for visitors. (800 words.)
** Picture This -- A six-page photo-story: emotive images, color or black and white, powerful or topical theme, no words.
Payment rates are as follows: Text: £200 (approx $320) per 1,000 words printed (calculated per words printed, not per words submitted). Photos: £50 per photograph used up to A4 (one full page), £80 for A4, £150 for A3 (two-page spread), and £150 for front cover.
You can submit queries and links to your previously-published articles and photos to: publicationseditor@wexas.com
Or, if you’ve never been published before, send in your completed story with photos.
NOTE: Traveller only accepts articles that are accompanied by photos. The Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program comes with a free copy of Money-Making Travel Photography -- a unique mini-program specially created for travel writers. It's just one more way to ratchet up your income as you travel the world.
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(c) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
To LEARN MORE, visit:
http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com http://www.thephotographerslife.com
]]>
Top Travel Destinations for 2010tag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2010://1.6912010-01-01T16:24:14Z2010-01-01T16:32:29ZDear Reader, To kick off the New Year, I’d like to send you a free report with the top travel destinations for 2010. Every year I ask freelance travel writer Steenie Harvey to compile a list of her favorite travel...
top travel destinations for 2010.
Every year I ask freelance travel writer Steenie Harvey to compile a list of her favorite travel destinations for the upcoming year -- all places you can travel to, write about, and photograph to earn money from your travels.
Click here to download your free report: Top Travel Destinations for 2010.
Remember, today is your last chance to reserve either the new edition of Turn Your Pictures into Cash or the new edition of The Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program at 65% off the regular price.
Instead of paying $429 for the Turn Your Pictures into Cash program, you’ll pay just $149 (that’s $200 less than we’ve ever advertised in the past).
And instead of paying $279 for the Ultimate Travel Writer's Program, you’ll pay just $99.
It’s a smoking deal for agreeing to wait a few weeks for the programs to be ready. Not to mention, both of these programs contain new and improved secrets and tips to help you get paid to travel and make money faster...
I can’t imagine ever offering these prices again, so reserve your copy today and save big!
-- Lori
Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division
P.S. Today is also the last day to save $300 on our upcoming Photography and Spanish Expedition in Ecuador. Here are some pictures from past attendees, videos, audio clips, a schedule and more.
Happy New Year!
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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) 2010 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact ]]>
Holiday Tip #16: 3 ways to sell more in 2010tag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2009://1.6902009-12-31T19:42:40Z2010-01-01T16:24:03Z
an article from our archives to help you get started.
** 2. Promote yourself as a professional: One of the most common mistakes new writers make is telling editors that they’ve never been published. Unless the editor specifically asks, let your article or photos speak for themselves. Treat yourself like a professional and you’ll be treated (and paid) like one in return.
Note: You’ll find more details about positioning yourself as a professional travel writer in our Business of Writing Guide on sale until midnight tonight.
Or, as a professional photographer with The Business of Photography... also on sale until midnight tonight.
** 3. Work faster... and smarter: Savvy travel writers know that they can write one article and sell it to multiple publications. Sometimes all it takes is a little tweaking, and sometimes you don’t have to change the article at all. Check individual publications to know what rights you’re selling... and what you can resell elsewhere.
Here’s an article in our archives from freelance writer Jennifer Stevens on repackaging articles to sell to multiple publications. And again, you’ll find more details about buying rights and repackaging your articles in our Business of Writing Guide.
** 4. Set aside some time every month for marketing: If you don’t start looking for publications to publish your articles and photos and you never try uploading your photos to stock sites, you’ll never make any money. It’s not hard. You just have to take say an hour a week to do it.
Remember, if you need help getting started, or you’re already a published writer or professional photographer and you want to break into new markets in 2010, the best way to get started is with our live workshops.
We keep everything current and 2010 is going to be another great year for freelancers... so there’s never been a better time to get started.
As I mentioned earlier this week, October was professional stock photographer Shelly Perry’s best month EVER in her five years as a stock photographer. Landscape photographers and nature photographers might feel the pinch of this recession. But stock photographers and even local fine art and travel photographers are setting themselves up to bank buckets of extra cash.
You’ll find huge discounts on both our live Ultimate Events on our holiday sale until midnight tonight, here.
And if you learn better at home, at your own pace, you can save a whopping 65% on the new online, video edition of the Turn Your Pictures into Cash program when you pre-order before midnight tonight.
Happy New Year!
-- Lori
Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division
P.S. Be sure to let us know of your successes this coming year, and we’ll put you up on our Wall of Fame. You can read success stories from other members.
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(c) 2009 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
]]>
Holiday Tip #15: In-flight Wi-Fi codestag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2009://1.6892009-12-30T19:20:03Z2009-12-30T16:46:52Z
Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program, 4th Edition... on pre-sale now, for a whopping $180 off.
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c) 2009 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
]]>
Holiday Tip #14: How to Extend Your Laptop Batterytag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2009://1.6882009-12-29T15:45:10Z2009-12-29T15:47:04Z
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, on sale now for 20% off for the next two days only.
Or, have a look at what else is on sale for up to 50% off and FREE shipping for the next two days only.
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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.
It is coming to you because you are either a member of The Ultimate Travel Writer's Program or Turn Your Pictures into Cash, or you have opted to receive information about getting paid to travel from the AWAI Travel Division.
(c) 2009 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
]]>
Holiday Tip # 13: Get free museum tickets in 2010tag:www.thetravelwriterslife.com,2009://1.6872009-12-28T15:34:51Z2009-12-28T17:20:16Z
here.
[Editor’s Note: If you’re not a Bank of America cardholder, you can still score VIP perks as a travel writer... like free entry into museums and events, comped meals, sometimes even entire vacations on someone else’s dime.
International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance (ITWPA) members get journalist I.D. badges vouching for your travel writer status... plus free press trip notifications every two weeks in the members-only ITWPA Insider newsletter, written by Denver Post Travel Editor, Kyle Wagner.
Become an ITWPA member for 20% off now through December 31 and discover first-hand the VIP perks to a travel writer’s or photographer’s life.
Or see what else is for sale on our annual Holiday Sale.
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(c) 2009 American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
http://www.awaionline.com/contact
]]>