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0 Shannon Hurst Lane The Definitive Guide to Travel Writing 1 Zala Lane Publish

0 Shannon Hurst Lane The Definitive Guide to Travel Writing 1 Zala Lane Publishing Published by Zala Lane Productions, a division of Lane Enterprises, PO Box 437, Zachary, LA 70791 First Published by Zala Lane Productions, A division of Lane Enterprises First Printing, June 2007 ISBN 978-0-6151-4987-5 Copyright Shannon Hurst Lane, 2007 All Rights Reserved Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, without prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. 2 Special thanks to my family and friends for their support and assistance during this journey. 3 4 Table of Contents Introduction……………………………….………...7 About the Author………………………….……….9 Writing Terms……………………..………..…...13 Finding Your Niche……………..……………...19 Queries………………………..…………………….27 The Lane Method……………………………....30 Query Worksheet………..……………………..33 Press Trips………………………………………….37 My First Press Trip……………………………....43 Press Trip Etiquette……………………………...49 Tourist Boards United States………………………………………..55 International………………………………………….60 Organizations…………………………………….….64 Conferences……………………………………….…69 Model Release………………………………………..71 Packing…………………………………………………..79 Insurance…………………………………………….….81 Blogs………………………………………………….….85 Conclusion……………………………………………….89 5 6 Introduction There are so many travel courses out there promising free trips and no-cost vacations for life. These courses may cost hundreds of dollars and talk of fame and riches. That’s not what I’m about. I want you to know the truth about travel writing and would rather see you purchase some good luggage for all those research trips you are about to take, than to throw away your dollars. This guide will lead you in the right direction and get you on your way to being a travel writer. This book has areas for you to take notes, and blank pages at the end to write about your press trips. But, there are some hard truths you must know. Its not always glamourous and it can be tough to make a living, but it can be done with hard work and persistence. I would not suggest giving up your day job. In fact, I still have another job that provides me with benefits which being a freelancer does not provide. So, get that passport ready! 7 8 About the Author What makes me think I am qualified to tell you about becoming a travel writer? I actually fell into travel writing accidentally. I started travel writing in my twenties after I took a vacation with my family and the trip went awry. I used this experience to help other parents at my office get value for their time and money. Nothing is worse than spending thousands of dollars on a dream trip, only to find out that the hotel is not in the best shape and amenities are not what was advertised. I also started a newsletter called The Traveling Firefighter, which now has more than 100,000 readers and is sent to fire stations all over the US. The website and newsletter was even featured on a nationally sydicated daytime talk show! (The Caroline Rhea Show, October 2002) I learned everything about travel writing from the Internet and you can too. All it takes is a desire to learn and this inexpensive guide. Since learning the ins and outs of travel writing, I have been interviewed on BBC Radio in the UK and The Trip Chicks in the Southern US. My articles have appeared in MSNBC.com, San Antonio AT HOME, Louisiana Homes & Gardens, and Tall magazines, websites and newspapers around the globe. I was 9 even the travel editor for Baton Rouge Weddings Magazine, a 148 page high gloss magazine. There are so many resources available. Some are free or a minimal cost. When I first started travel writing, I made around $100 per month. If I had all the information in this guide back then, I could have made more than $500 a month with minimal effort. Not a bad supplement to an annual income. So, I want to give you some advice before you step into the travel writing world. I cannot stress this enough, - don’t quit your day job. It is unrealistic to expect a six figure salary as a travelwriter. Yes, there are a few individuals who have managed this feat, but it takes time and effort to establish yourself in this industry. You CAN travel the world. You just have to believe in yourself. 1 0 The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. Saint Augustine 1 1 1 2 Writing Terms Assignment – An article or story assigned to you by an editor. Byline – Your name. Not all publications assign bylined articles. You want a bylined article. Clip – A published sample of your work. It can be a photocopy or a scanned digital copy. This is also called a “tear sheet.” Comp – Sometimes writers on assignment get compensated or reduced rates on lodging, attractions, and meals. Be sure to check with your publication’s guidelines before accepting comps. Some newspapers and magazines will not accept “comped” trips. Copyright – A copyright is your right of ownership for anything you write. It can be formally copyrighted at the US Copyright Office. See www.copyright.gov Credits – A list of your published articles or works. CVB – Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. Deadline – This is the last possible moment you are allowed to turn in an article. Kill fee – This is a pre-negotiated fee paid if you are assigned an article and the editor doesn’t use it. It can 1 3 be 25-100% or a set amount. Be sure to have this in your contract. On spec – This is short for “on speculation.” An editor may respond to a query accepting the article on spec. This means you write the article with no guarantee that it will be printed. Payment – Contracts state monetary terms usually as payment on publication or as payment on acceptance. It is preferable to receive payment on acceptance. You will be paid sooner, if at all. Press trip – This is a research or familiarization(fam) trip sponsored by a tourism board or public relations company. There are group and individual trips. Most group trips include transportation, accommodations, meals, and activities. Individual trips usually do not include transportation. Be advised: Not all publications accept articles generated from press trips. Check writer’s guidelines. PR – This stands for public relations. A PR company can represent various clients in the travel and tourism industry. Query – Your pitch of an article to an editor. This is how you get assignments. If a publication states that it 1 4 wants postal queries only, then do not send an email query. Reprint – Selling an article over and over. You can sell the same article to non-competing publications if you retain your copyrights. Rights – This should be negotiated in your contract. Never sell all rights unless the money is significant. Even then, I do not recommend this route. SASE – Self-addressed stamped envelope. Sidebar – An addition to article containing tips or bulleted items (Ex. If You Go). Simultaneous Submission – The act of submitting the same article pitch to more than one editor. Word count – An editor may assign a 1,500 word article. This is your word count and should be closely followed because editors leave specific room in publications for certain article lengths. Writer’s guidelines – These are rules of submission a publication wants writers to follow. Each publication has its own writer’s guidelines. It is advisable to adhere to these rules. Write down other terms you come across here: 1 5 1 6 Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience. Francis Bacon 1 7 1 8 Finding Your Niche To be successful in the travelwriting industry, you need to find the place where you fit. Ask yourself the following questions and write your answer down in the space provided. Use another sheet, if necessary: Where do I travel on vacation? Do I like beaches or mountains? Domestic or international? Am I a cruise aficianado? What activities do I like to do when I travel? Golf? Go hiking? Do I enjoy fishing? Museums? History? Adventure? Spas? 1 9 What is my age group? Do I have children? Do they reside at home? Am I able to travel at the spur of the moment or do I need a few week’s or month’s notice? Do I own a Recreational Vehicle(RV) or go camping often? What is my income? Am I a luxury or budget traveler? 2 0 There are so many types of travel writers out there. It is important to write about what you know. You can write about what you love to do, and if you do it often, you are already an expert. You just need to share your experience and knowledge with others. There are many travel writing categories or genres. The following are the most popular: Luxury Cruises Adventure Student Family Senior Business Golf Getaways Romantic Destination Weddings Spa Wine and Food (Epicurean) 2 1 The first step in deciding which uploads/Industriel/ the-definitive-guide-to-travel-writing.pdf