Writing is my passion and my livelihood.
This is why it’s important for me to join a writer’s workshop as I consider it both as a treat to myself and a career investment.
Going to a three day workshop allows me to have a break from the daily stream of news that passes through my inbox [...]
One of the things that keeps me busiest is answering the many emails I receive.
Although I encourage travel writers to use our Forum, where we have some great writers, bloggers, and tech-geeks, in order to get a wider variety of answers than just mine.
However, I know that some folks are a bit hesitant to [...]
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 accepting submissions [...]
Welcome to the first Travel Blog Review in our “Under the Microscope” series!
This past week our Travel Writers’ Forum members reviewed Tourfolio.com, a travel blog founded by Bryan Cassidy.
The goal of this series of travel blog reviews – handled entirely through our Forum – is to help travel bloggers discover what visitors like, or don’t [...]
A couple of years ago, I came across a treasure.
At least I think it was a treasure. Unfortunately, its real value I’ll never know.
What I found, while taking a break in my boat (I’m a sculler as well as a travel writer) was a bottle bobbing in the waves. I paddled over to [...]
It’s been a while since I’ve indulged myself with a good rant.
But this one has been building steam.
It seems like lately I’ve been seeing certain mistakes being made by travel writers and bloggers that are clearly negatively impacting them, but they don’t realize it.
Some make me want to reach through my monitor and grab [...]
Google offers a wide variety of free products, services, and tools.
Some of these tools are designed to help websites become successful.
I use Google Analytics and Google Webmaster tools on a regular basis to gather the information I need to improve my blog.
Yes, I look at how my numbers are doing – it’s nice to know. [...]
It can happen to us all, eventually.
Dare I admit it in public though?
That travel writers and traveling can jade the adventurous spirit, that you can be in a dream location and suddenly have nothing to write about.
That you don’t want to write about coconut trees swaying in the tropical and scented breeze because [...]
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 [...]
Are online publications really that much different from glossy mailbox delivered ones?
Some aspects…yes. Others…not so much. After all they both accept articles, stories and photos.
So where do you start when you want to pitch a story idea to an editor?
Can you use the same information, the same tactics and even the same article? [...]
In today’s world the economics of writing have changed.
As a small publisher, (and YES every blogger is a publisher), you have access to many writers that will write for free or almost free.
Some write for the thrill of writing and others are motivated more by the “perks”.
While “perks” vary from niche [...]
Many people that travel for extended periods of time often consider making a travel blog to share their experiences with friends and family.
Some also dream of having their blog take off and become popular.
If you are one of the few that has made the decision to keep a travel blog with hopes of [...]
Would you fly from San Francisco to Paris if your airplane was flown by a pilot that didn’t know what he was doing?
I think not.
Would you take your car to a mechanic who was just practicing in his spare time?
I hope not.
Well, why would you trust your manuscript to the eyes of [...]
One of the most powerful moments of my professional life was when I was a guest writer visiting an elementary school.
I asked a class of 4th graders to describe the color of the Caribbean Sea.
After the “turquoise” word was shouted out by many, we brainstormed and came up with some better [...]
Editing is a must when you write.
Even the best writers and editors need someone else to edit their work. It is very easy when you are typing quickly to misspell or use the wrong spelling of a word.
I did it a few weeks ago with an important e-mail—using their instead of there—and I [...]
