Jen Stevens
Do You Have What it Takes to Become a Successful Travel Writer/Photographer? (Issue 116)
Today: A Good Kick in the Pants: How Three Readers Got Their First Inspiration Make Money Writing (and Put 23 New Computers in the Elementary School Down the Street) Take this 12-Point Quiz and See How You Measure Up for Success More Opportunities and Resources for Writers Dear Reader, Sometimes I think what our [...]
8 Must-Review Tips for Telling your Story without Boring your Reader
Tips from freelance travel writer Jennifer Stevens for telling your story without getting your readers bored.
The Easiest and Fastest Way to get a By-Line and a Check
Tips from freelance travel writer Jennifer Stevens, One of the best ways to break into the travel-writing business (and to get repeat clips, too) is to write short articles -- 250-600 words in length, typically.
Avoid F-Words: How to Replace "Filler" Words with Descriptions that Make You Sound Like a Pro
The descriptions that editors like -- the ones they pay for -- are those that paint pictures so vivid, readers see and feel and taste right along with the writer.
Count More, Sell More...How to Use Numbers to your Advantage
Advice from freelance writer Jennifer Stevens; how you can turn this trend into a quick byline and check.
Think Like a Spy... And Sell More Articles and Photos
In previous articles, I've waxed on about the importance of including specifics in your stories. To review, briefly... Don't say a place is hot. Say it's 96 degrees. Don't say a hotel is nicely appointed. Say two terry robes hang in the closet... next to the Bose CD player on the desk sits a stack [...]
SPECIAL SECTION: Bahamas Workshop - Day One
Bahamas Report: Day 1 -- Don't Go Fishing Dear Reader, I can see palm trees and blue sky through the windows. It's a travel writing perk you can't underestimate, particularly if you live in a place where it's already snowing, this time of year. Our first-ever photography and guidebook writing workshop is underway on Paradise [...]
Editors Buy Practical Advice: Sell Your Insights on the Art of Travel
Surely you've learned some lessons in all the travel you've done. No doubt you've picked up a trick or two along the way that make your trips more enjoyable or efficient or affordable now than they were years back -- before you were so wise. I'm certain you've got ideas, advice, and guidance to share [...]
The Simple Secret to Giving Editors What They Want
I'm sitting in a green-and-yellow striped club chair in the lobby of the Delray Beach Marriott in Southern Florida. I'd be perched poolside, but it's pouring out. The palms on the beach across the street are whipping in the wind. Good thing I'm not on vacation. In fact, I'm here to teach a few pointers [...]
The Importance of Specific Detail: How to Write Descriptions That Mark You As a Pro
Some might claim that writing powerful descriptions is an art. I would argue it's a skill you can learn. Indeed, it's a skill you'll need to learn if you want to write the sorts of travel articles editors like to buy. Those articles are, invariably, descriptive. They leave readers with a concrete idea about what [...]
Get Your Facts Right, Get Them Published, and Get Those Perks
Your article makes editors look good they'll file it. And they'll remember you. It's a smart way for you to stay on their radar screen -- and stay at the top of their "invite" list, too.
Assignment Letters: Why They Open Doors.. and How You Get Them
You need to write an editor and ask for one. And if you have a firm article assignment, then it's perfectly natural for you to do so. You simply get in touch with your editor and say something like: "Hello, Jim, I'm working on that article we discussed -- on non-Disney travel in Northern Florida -- and I wonder if you might write me a quick letter of assignment to flash around to PR folks and whatnot? Thank you."
A Travel Writer's Gear Guide: From Paper to Processing Power
By John Forde in Paris, France The more you travel, the more you realize it pays to travel light. The good news for travel writers is that you don't need much equipment to get by. (And of course, you're most important writing tool resides between your ears!) Just the same, I get asked all the [...]
Avoid Words like Remote, Quaint, and Cozy and Write Better Descriptions
The descriptions that editors like -- the ones they pay for -- are those that paint pictures so vivid, readers see and feel and taste right along with the writer.
