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Zany Ideas That Increase Writing Productivity And Quality
Welcome to the zany ideas of a productive writer. My students keep reminding me of my unusual tools and how helpful they have been for them. I also thank my students for their concept testing and refinement. Now, I feel much more confidant about...
How To Make Your Writing Meaningful
Writing a book is a huge endeavor. It means someone has decided to dedicate a certain amount of time to putting words on paper. But so many people don't finish what they start. Maybe they've run out of ideas. Maybe they lost interest. Maybe they got...
Writing the Recipe
This article may be published freely, in print and online, as long as the byline and resource box at the end are included as written. Thank you. Writing the Recipe (c)2003 Pam White It sounds simple. Sell your family recipes for money. Gather up...
Getting Started in Column Writing
You’ve written many articles for Websites, newsletters and now you’ve even conquered the territory of getting published in a magazine. What’s the next step, you ask? How to I make the editor ask for my work weekly or monthly? Enter: the column. ...
Web Writing's Evolution: The Web Content Market for Writers
When It All Began: The First Web Writings While there weren't many online writers in the formative years of the web, if you were around then, you know what it was like. What I remember most about the web back then (the Al Gore days?) was the ...
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Travel Writing
Travel Writing could be called the ultimate dream job. Imagine traveling the world and getting paid to tell about your experiences … or sharing your favorite local spots with readers across the country …. or even being offered special treatment and complimentary travel. So how do you turn your vacation fun into a money-making profession? How to Break In as a Travel Writer will tell you what it’s really like to be a travel writer, where and how to sell your travel material, and how much you can expect to earn. Current active travel writers will share with you their experiences and their inside tips on how you can be a successful travel writer. And Your Game Plan will get you started today, with a step-by-step action plan.
Below, you will meet some people who are doing it with success.
Norm Sklarewitz - freelance travel writer ******************************************************* Norm lives in Los Angeles, California. He has written thousands of magazine and newspaper articles and columns since being engaged exclusively as a freelance journalist. He also has been Los Angeles Bureau Chief for U.S. News & World Report, and a staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal, which included a stint for the paper while based in Tokyo.
Here’s our conversation with Norm -
** What is your daily schedule? ** -----------------------------------
Actually, there really is no one typical day. Some days can be making a lot of phone calls, researching, and writing, while other days can be 25-50 percent administrative in writing queries and responding to questions from editors regarding assignments and stories already turned in. I check my email frequently, probably compulsively. I find that email has taken over 90 percent of communication. Faxes have almost stopped. And some days involve meetings, interviews out of my office at home, and going to industry functions. But no day is like a nine to five day. I often work late into the night and start early as well. To reach someone on the East Coast I have to make calls early. I work heavily with Asian sources, and their day begins around four to five p.m. my time, so I'm working till 10 p.m. to make sure I get what I need before I go to bed.
** Why do you enjoy being a freelance writer? ** ------------------------------------
Total independence, which is both a big plus
and big minus. You have the freedom to succeed or fail on your own ability. But you have to recognize that there isn't any job security or benefits as with a full time job. You often work more hours than in a normal work week, but you have the flexibility to work at your own pace.
** How did you become a writer? ** ------------------------------------
All I ever wanted to be was a reporter. I wrote for my high school paper and wrote some freelance articles at the University of Indiana. I was an Army corespondent in Europe. Subsequently, I worked for City News in Chicago and then some other publications. **What would you do differently if starting over as a writer?** -------------------------------------
I would probably be more aggressive in going after the top markets without sacrificing the smaller markets. Sometimes articles may be more apropos for smaller publications. I'd really set my sights on selling to larger and more difficult to sell markets.
Jack Adler, the author of How to get started as a Travel Writer, has over 25 years’ experience writing about travel. Four books he’s written are: Consumer's Guide To Travel, Exploring Historic California, Companion Guide To Southern India, and Travel Safety (co-authored). Numerous of his articles have run in various newspapers and magazines. He has been a columnist, on a freelance but weekly basis, for the Los Angeles Times' travel section. His columns have also run in the San Francisco Examiner; Westways Magazine, and Cruise Travel Magazine. He also was a columnist/ editorial writer for Better Business Travel, a nationally distributed newsletter; and a columnist for TravelAssist, an electronic magazine. Currently, he's the leader/chief content provider for Prodigy's travel bulletin board and a columnist for Travel World International, an electronic magazine. He is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the North American Travel Journalists Association. He has taught a course in Travel Journalism for many years at UCLA Extension, and a course in Feature Writer for the Writer's Digest School.
If you would like to try your hand at this ultimate dream job - pick up the ebook at www.DreamJobsToGo.com.
About the Author
Jack Adler, the author of How to get started as a Travel Writer, has over 25 years’ experience writing about travel.
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