Powell River Writers Conference

The tips in this newsletter offer simple ways to get started making money at travel writing and finding those who would pay your way to have you write about them. For the full newsletter go to:

http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/2010/09/travel_discounts.php

The Right Way to Travel newsletter Sept.3/10

 TRWTT: What was your article about?

GINNY: I started on the island finale of the trip because it looked
more manageable. I thought I could finish it faster and get my byline.
The safari part of the trip was so mind-blowing and overwhelming that
I told myself I would “save it for later.”

Word to the wise: keep up with your writing, because before you know
it, you’re off on another trip and the commitments and deadlines start
to pile up.

TRWTT: How and where did you get it published?

GINNY: I got published in Travellady.com. It was unpaid, but it was my
first thrilling byline. And I’ve been hooked ever since.

TRWTT: Besides building credibility and getting published, did you get
any expenses paid, or were you able to get special rates and deals as
a travel writer?

GINNY: Not on that trip. But I have on others I’ve written about. I
usually travel everywhere for at least half-price, with many side
trips and excursions tossed in for free.

TRWTT: How do you go about securing discounted travel and perks?

GINNY: I often start the barter process with an e-mail to a manager,
telling him or her about an upcoming “Travel Writer Visit.” I am quite
direct in asking whether they offer special rates for travel
journalists, and I mention an interest in a place/event/excursion of
theirs. Sometimes that’s enough to do the trick, but only if you try
not to travel during peak seasons.

I have to say, another “perk” of all of this is that my husband has
become a very good photographer, and we work in great partnership to
get the travel writing done. It’s terrific to have someone fun to
share these adventures with.

 TRWTT: Do you have any tips for someone who’d like to get started
writing travel articles?

GINNY: Sure. My number one tip is the best tip I’ve received — to
start locally and write about something you know, in your own
backyard. One article I wrote was about New Glarus, Wisconsin,
“America’s Little Switzerland,” where I have been going for 20 years.

It got published in German Life — a very beautiful, glossy magazine
– and was distributed in nine countries.

My second tip is: don’t over-direct your writing. When you’re getting
started on a new article, it’s important to just start writing, let it
flow, then go back and finesse.

Tip 3: Skip the flowery adjectives and power your story through the use
of verbs with muscle. I believe that’s one of Jennifer Stevens’
tricks.

Tip 4: Just ask. You won’t get a discount or an article
published if you don’t put yourself out there and ask for what you
want.

TRWTT: Where are you off to next?

GINNY: I plan on going to Ecuador — into the Amazon Rainforest and
then to the Galapagos Islands. I really love wildlife and nature and
this looks to be a dream trip.

We all start small,  writing for free but eventually we must get to the point when we believe our work is worth getting paid for and we start asking. Anyone can do this IF they are ready to take a chance, and put the hours into research and writing. Take advantage of events like the Writer’s Conference or other workshops  to keep you motivated and  hone your craft. Be a lifelong student.

Barb Rees

LoveToGo Writing

Articles newsletter, published, travel writing, trip

Five  Types of Articles You Can Write

by David Goldsmith

If you always write the same type of article then you are probably
limiting your chances of getting published. Look at your favorite
publications and you will see they print a variety of types of
article. Here are five of the most popular types.

The ‘How To’ Article
This is a very popular type of article, in which you tell the
reader how to do something. It could be how to build a garage, how
to write a book, how to sell a house, or how to clean tar off a
pair of trousers. These articles tend to be particularly popular
because people love to find out how to do something.

When writing how to do something, and if the sequence is important,
then it is a good idea to number each step. Remember to keep your
instructions simple, yet specific. And you could even use a picture
or illustration if the publication allows it.

The ‘List’ Article
The list article is an article that lists several related pieces of
information, and is one of the easiest types of article to write.
It could be “10 Ways to Save Money”, “5 Flowers to Plant In April”,
or “The Best 12 Places to Live in Canada”. A list article should
have:

- An introduction.
- The list; each item may be a paragraph or two.
- A conclusion.

The ‘Roundup’ Article
In the roundup article, you provide a roundup of information,
statements, or opinions from a variety of sources. You might
interview a number of experts, for example, and ask them the same
list of questions. In your article you then write a roundup of the
answers, e.g.

“Bill Jones, CEO of SHJ Limited, is confident that the market will
turn around soon. “Within the next six weeks at most”, he
predicted. But Tom Sloane, at Pickwick Associates, disagrees. He
explains why…”

The ‘Inspirational’ Article
Inspiration articles include inspirational narrative, essays,
articles on faith and religion, and self-help articles.

Do you know of an issue or concern that affects many people? Think
of your own every day experiences. Write about the issue… and
help the readers to deal with life and to improve themselves in
some way.

The ‘As Told To’ Article
Because many of the people who have outstanding experiences are not
writers, there is a market for writing those people’s stories. This
is quite similar to ghostwriting, except that in this case the
audience knows that you are the writer. In the credits, you would
show “By Peter Wallace [subject], as told to Jim Davies…”
[writer].

Instead of writing a third-person narrative of the event, the ‘As
Told To’ article makes the tale more real and personal by using the
first-person.

So next time you are about to write an article, pause… and ask
which type of article would best suit your situation and topic. By
varying the types of articles you write your writing will also
develop a new depth and your articles will be picked up by a much
wider variety of publications.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Goldsmith is the author of “25 Ways to Write for Money”.
Discover multiple ways to grow your freelance writing business.

Article from: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/

Articles article, how to, lists, published, write