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

As a writer I’m constantly trying to learn from my own  mistakes and the mistakes of other writers. That’s why I  like to occasionally visit some of those free press release
 distribution websites. It’s unfortunate, but the vast  majority of press releases on those sites flat out suck.  Why? Because they usually make one or more of these common
 mistakes.

 1. It’s exploding with keywords – First, let me say that I’m  a huge proponent of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  Optimizing your online press release is an excellent way to
 increase your search engine presence and to gain a few  keyword-rich back links to your website. But optimizing your  press release doesn’t mean cramming so many keywords in the
 thing that it becomes unreadable. Seriously, if your  headline reads, “Houston Bicycle Company Launches New  Website About Houston Bicycle Repair and Houston Bicycle   Maintenance,” do us all a favor and never write another  press release again.

 2. Did Billy Mays write this thing? – Although he’s no  longer with us, we all remember Billy Mays, the greatest  (and loudest) pitchman of our generation. As soon as Mays  popped up on the TV screen, you knew he was trying to sell  you something. After all, that’s what commercials do.
 However, press releases are not commercials, so they  shouldn’t read like one. Ditch the sales speak, and get rid  of the hyperbole. It’s a news release: stick to the facts  and avoid bias.

 3. You focused on quantity instead of quality – Thanks to  free press release distribution websites, the press release  has slowly gone the way of the eZine article. As everyone  begins to learn of the internet marketing benefits of press  release distribution, they start to pump out as many press  releases as they can. The result: Their internet presence consists of hundreds of poorly-written, keyword-stuffed, and  non-newsworthy press releases.

 4. Get to the point already! – Here’s a little tip: Someone  should be able to know what your story is about by reading  only the first paragraph of your press release. Press  releases are written in what’s called the “inverted pyramid”  format. This means the most important information (who,  what, when, where, and how) is placed at the top of the  press release, followed by all of the minor details. So, get  to the point quickly, and don’t drag your press release out
 for 3 pages.

 5. A translator is required to interpret the jargon – Have
 you ever seen the Web Economy BS Generator

 (http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=CoDbQ&m=1oMgomdvaFu_k9&b=.9Rdfk.MSgEOl29WgUkHDA)?
 It’s a funny little tool that allows  you to instantly create meaningless jargon and  corporate-speak, like “generate ubiquitous mindshare” and  ”monetize frictionless technologies.” Unfortunately, some  companies must be using this tool to write their press  releases because I can’t understand what the heck they’re  talking about sometimes. Save the jargon for your  shareholders meetings; it has no place in your press   release.

 6. The headline is boring – I hate to break it to you, but  no one cares if you updated your website or started a new   blog. Sure, you can create news from doing this, but you  have to find a different angle than “XYZ Company Updates  Website.” Find a solid news angle that focuses on some  unique function of the new website that provides a tangible  benefit people might be interested in. Then, craft your  headline around that news angle. Just be careful not to make
 your headline too salesy or cutesy, as it will come off like  a cheap advertisement rather than a newsworthy press   release.

 7. You forgot to proofread it – Honestly, I hate  proofreading. It gives me a headache, but it’s a necessary  evil. Without proofreading, you risk sending out a press  release that’s riddled with typos and grammatical errors.  Needless to say, that doesn’t exactly command respect from
 editors and online readers. I find it helpful to set aside  the press release for a day or two before trying to  proofread it. This allows you to view it with a fresh set of  eyes, helping you identify overlooked mistakes.
 Which press release mistakes would you add to this list?

 Start writing,

 Mickie Kennedy
 Founder, eReleases.com
 CEO, eReleases.com & Press-Release-Writing.com

 http://www.ereleases.com
 http://www.press-release-writing.com

 Toll Free: 800.990.5545
 Phone: 410.931.2966

 Follow me on Twitter:
 http://twitter.com/ereleases

 Become a fan on Facebook:
 http://www.facebook.com/ereleases.press.release.distribution

 PS: Today’s post began as a post on my blog PR Fuel
 (http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/?awt_l=CoDbQ&awt_m=1oMgomdvaFu_k9). Sign
 up to receive
 a weekly roundup of PR Tips & News here:

http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/subscribe/?awt_l=CoDbQ&awt_m=1oMgomdvaFu_k9

 (Plus a chance to win a press release every month!)
 MEK Enterprises LLC dba eReleases.com, 5022 Campbell Blvd. Ste. N,
 Baltimore, MD 21236, USA

Articles news, online readers, press release, proofreading

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