In my previous post about pitching tourist boards I shared the one and only thing you must know before you start;… …Tourist boards work for the hotels, tour operators and other stakeholders in the destination. So don’t start by pitching tourist boards directly, start with the stakeholders. Develop a killer idea with a hotel first, [...]
Between the horrific events of 9/11, a struggling global economy, and the unknown impact of new technologies,… …the early-2000’s were not a good time for the travel industry. This is also right about the time I was hired to run North American marketing for the Kenya Tourist Board. This was my first gig in the [...]
Some travel writers make the mistake of thinking they need to travel to far-flung destinations many time zones away…. … when, in actuality, there are interesting travel-related stories waiting to be written about their own backyards. In fact, one of the best ways to build a travel writing portfolio is to write about the destination [...]
Travel writing is a romanticized profession. It conjures images of adventuring to far off places, meeting interesting people, and eating delicious food – all while you get paid. It’s not quite so glamorous, of course. But many people, including me, pursue it because they want to see the world and share their experiences. Like other [...]
Freelance work is a great way to supplement your funds especially when you have a regular 9-5 job. Some even decide to go freelance full time when their loyal clientele has grown too huge to manage on a part-time basis. Becoming a freelancer, however, comes with risks, including not getting paid by your client. Here [...]
Travel writing is a competitive field, which means it’s especially important for you to turn in flawless, polished pieces. By following these essential proofreading tips for travel writers, you can improve your writing and offer vivid information to readers: Proofread your draft shortly after your trip. Do your best to begin the proofreading process shortly [...]
Rare are my opportunities these days to just sit and read a good book. But when I do have time, you’ll generally find me with my nose buried in something that will help me improve my technical or writing skills, or learn something new about online marketing or promotion, or to stay current with [...]
In an earlier post on this site, I wrote about the differences in self-publishing via traditional print and Print On Demand (POD). My latest book, Time Zones, Containers and Three Square Meals a Day, was published via POD, which was a new experience for me. Print On Demand is a digital way of getting your [...]
Most writers have a certain ownership of their words. Of course we do! As professionals, we also expect others to pay us for our words. When publishers or editors purchase an article or story, they often request or require certain rights to that work. In other words, the author may not maintain complete ownership of [...]
There’s no such thing as a free lunch – but who wants to eat alone anyway? One day during the summer of 2009, I picked up the phone and Vibhava, an IndiaTourism officer I knew, said: “I have been reading your blog. You really love India. The next time you go to India, you will [...]
It’s a fact. Writers must be good at self-editing to really succeed in print these days. Many print publications – as well as some online news/magazine websites and large e-zines – have downsized their editing staff, and yet still want to maintain their high standard of editorial quality. Thus, when faced with the choice of [...]
EDITOR’S NOTE: The links below are now going to a DIFFERENT (but still good) video – the prior program of free videos has NOW CLOSED. You can still watch the new video (it’s about an hour) to get some good information without any obligation to sign up for his course. Every day I get email [...]
Here’s a secret that most traditional travel writers know, but only a few travel bloggers seem to. Almost every city or town has a CVB (Convention and Visitor’s Bureau). A CVB’s mission is to promote their locale as a tourist destination, and they typically LOVE to work with travel writers and travel bloggers who have [...]
Imagine that you’re traveling in a foreign country. Like any smart traveler, you’ve stored your most important and valuable items, such as your passport, airline tickets, credit cards, and extra cash or travelers checks, in your hotel room safe. You arrive back at your room after a day of sight-seeing or lounging by the pool [...]
The world of publishing is changing day by day. In the old days, an author whose book was accepted for publication could count on a team of professionals, employed by the publisher, whose jobs were to polish a manuscript into a slick, shelf-ready product. These days, many of the powerhouse publishers have down-sized, and, as [...]
