My year of getting published

Travelllll.com is hiring writers...

2012-02-01T08:33:00.000+13:00

Travelllll.com, a travel blogging and media news site, is looking for a few good writers to provide content on travel blogging trends and the latest trends, news, and products in the online travel market.

What they are looking for...

People who are passionate about the travel industry. We’re looking for two people who are on the bubble when it comes to the latest trends, news, and products in the online travel market.
Good writers. We’re looking for people who can craft some English prose. You don’t have to be Shakespeare. But you should feel pretty comfortable with your abilities.
Social media enthusiasts. We write about the online travel industry, not the destinations. You’ve got to have an interest in how travel as a whole is evolving online, not just pretty beaches and where to get the best Margarita.

If that sounds like you, head on over to Travelllll.com to find out how to apply.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2012-01-30T01:00:00.000+13:00

1. How to Instantly Transform Your Landing Page Images from Good to Great

2. 10 Ways Multi-blog Authors Can Stay Creative and Generate Great Posts

3. Having Trouble Getting Yourself To Write? 9 Tips

4. 8 ways freelance writers earn more by setting their sights higher

5. Are you afraid to pitch to editors? this is the reason you shouldn't be

2012-01-22T19:39:00.000+13:00

The British Guild of Travel Writers, in association with Traveller magazine, is holding their third annual travel writing competition for new writers.

Only those who have not been published in the travel field are eligible to enter.

Entrants are advised to submit an 800-word article with the theme A Revealing Journey.

"It could be about the journey itself, or being in a destination, that awakened your senses and emotions. Alternatively it could be about your travels as a reflection of a personal journey you have made. Either way, make travel in a destination, or the journey to get there, central to your story."

For full terms and conditions, head over to the British Guild of Travel Writers' site.

TripShock.com Seeks Travel Bloggers...

2012-01-21T19:29:00.000+13:00

Travel website TripShock.com plans on promoting the Gulf Coast by sending established travel bloggers and reporters down there to experience for themselves.

From the press release...

The company (TripShock.com) plans to bring down up to five different travel writers or bloggers and offer them complimentary lodging, dining, and tours in the Destin-Panama City Beach region. The dates for this offer will start as early as March of 2012 and go through November.

Any travel writers that are interested must contact Greg Fisher at gfisher[at]tripshock[dot]com for more information and details. Candidates must include their website, articles, experience, and anything else that will make them a best choice for this opportunity.

Green Travel Writer wanted...

2012-01-20T09:47:00.005+13:00

Go Green Travel Green (GGTG) is a leading travel website dedicated to making sustainable travel accessible for everyone. We’re growing and looking for a stellar writer to contribute 4-8 blog posts per month. Each post will pertain to travel, environmentalism, and/or intersection between the two.

Qualifications

Excellent writing skills
Ability to write in an engaging voice
Experience writing for an online audience (blogging experience preferred)
Ability to meet deadlines and develop and manage an editorial calendar
Knowledge of basic HTML
Fluent in English
Passion for travel and/or environment a plus

How to Apply

To apply, submit:

- your resume,
- writing sample (or link to a writing sample)
- brief statement of interest to gogreentravelgreen [at] gmail [dot] com and put “Writer Position” in the subject line.

Please include your desired rate per article with your application.

This is a contract position and pay is on a per-article basis. It will start out as a three-month contract with the possibility of extending the contract at the end of three months. This is not a ghostwriter position; you will be credited for your work.

Remember 2011...

2012-01-05T08:21:00.000+13:00

Get writing with the 'National Travel Writing Month' project...

2012-01-02T20:27:00.003+13:00

Need a push to get started on all those freelance writing goals that you keep promising yourself you will get onto?

Then why not give National Travel Writing Month (NaTraWriMo) a go.

It might just be the push you need.

Monitored by Lanora Mueller & Lola Akinmade Åkerström, this project is running from January 1 to 31st.

Here's the scoop...

What you're expected to do

*Whether you're a travel writer, travel blogger, or travel photographer, your goal for the month of January is to send out a query, pitch, and/or letter of introduction to a publication (print or online) you'd like to see your work published in for the next 30 days.

* This challenge is mostly for those who are freelancers writing and/or photographing for other publications and not necessarily for their own blogs.

* We're assuming you already know how to craft a solid pitch. NaTraWriMo will not be teaching you how to write one.

* The goal is not to bombard inboxes of editors with poorly thought-out queries. Please do your research when approaching a publication and make sure your pitches are tailored to the publication's needs.

* Please remain professional when approaching publications you'd like to be published in.

* Once you've sent out your pitch, go to the "Daily Update" page and find the thread for the particular day you sent your pitch. You can share some information about the pitch you sent, but please - do not share the editor's name, publication, or even your idea so it doesn't get poached.

* Under "Edit Profile", update your NaTraWriMo count, and save your updates.

Sounds like just what I need to get me out of the 'procrastination' phase I find myself in a present.

But as I'm heading to Perth, Australia tomorrow for a weeks R & R, sans computer, I guess I'll have to be late to the party...

Tips on how to succeed as a freelance writer in 2012...

2012-01-02T20:23:00.002+13:00

Looking for answers on how to succeed as a freelance writer?

Then head on over to The Renegade Writer and have a read of their 'ultimate guide to succeeding as a freelancer in 2012'.

Video: TED Talk about 5 million books and Google Labs' Ngram Viewer...

2011-11-27T07:27:00.000+13:00

Fascinating talk about by Erez Lieberman Aiden and Jean-Baptiste Michel about the many surprising things we can learn from 500 billion words and how you can search for words and ideas via Google Labs' Ngram Viewer.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-11-26T19:23:00.002+13:00

1.The Dangers of Outsourcing Your Freelance Work

2. Ten things every freelance journalist should know

3. 100 Questions to Help You Write, Publish, and Sell Your Ebook

4. Time Management For Freelance Writers

5. How to Master the Craft of Writing

Laurie Gough will conduct Travel Writing Workshop at the 2012 San Miguel Writers' Conference

2011-11-19T19:44:00.003+13:00

Laurie Gough, author of Kite Strings of the Southern Cross and Kiss the Sunset Pig, will be leading a ninety minute 'Introduction to Travel Writing' workshop at the 7th Annual San Miguel Writers' Conference.

Gough is just one of the 42+ great speakers lined up for this bilingual conference in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in February 2012.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-11-17T08:43:00.002+13:00

1. The Art of Nurturing Your Writing Ideas

2. So You Want to Be a Pro Blogger in The Travel Business

3. Why Freelance Writers Should Self-Publish

4. Has social media hurt travel bloggers?

5. Are travel bloggers finally being taken seriously at the World Travel Market?

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-11-09T07:08:00.002+13:00

1. How to Land a Guest Post Without Fail: 21 Secret Tips

2. Blogging Tips 101: Manage Your Time and Get Sh*t Done

3. The Mahjong Guide to Clever Freelance Writing Strategy

4. Free Tools For Freelance Writers: Learning Tools

5. 5 Simple Principles for Becoming an Expert

Flight Centre Uk Seeks blogger for a G Adventure in India...

2011-11-03T19:29:00.002+13:00

Fancy a trip to India?

Flight Centre UK has teamed up with adventure travel company G Adventures and is looking for a travel blogger to go on their Golden Triangle in India tour.

In return for the trip, this travel blogger will have to submit 3 blog posts to Flight Centre UK after the trip about their experiences. Plus, during the tour, they would be required to send a minimum of 2 tweets and 2 photos per day.

How to enter...

Submit an article about a great travel adventure that you have experienced ( in no more than 500 words) to Jayne.gorman@flightcentre.co.uk by 6pm GMT Monday 14th November and Flight Centre UK will publish their favourites on their blog. The winner will be chosen by the Flight Centre Global Social Media team and announced via their social media sites by Wednesday 30th November.

For more information click on this Flight Centre UK page.

Travel bloggers talk about press trips...

2011-11-02T22:27:00.003+13:00

David Whitley, aka the Grumpy Traveller, muses about what the perfect press trip would look like

Find out the secret sauce for invites to press trips or fam tours over at Sheila's Guide to the Good Stuff

The Quirky Traveller offers 10 questions & top tips before going on a Blog Trip

Runaway Juno discusses how to score and execute a press trip

travelllll.com posted about how to pitch for free transport and accommodation

PlanetD has written A Travel Bloggers Guide to Press Trips

Pam Mandel of Nerd's Eye View is running a informal facebook survey about press trips

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-10-31T05:06:00.004+13:00

1. 8 More Habits of Highly Effective Bloggers

2. How to Write Your Bio for a Byline or Query

3. The Seven Deadly Sins that Prevent Creative Thinking

4. My 3-Step System for Finding Guest Post Opportunities

5. 7 Dirty Little Book Publishing Secrets that Every Writer Needs to Know

Top Travel Blogger talks about building a successful travel blog...

2011-10-29T06:34:00.000+13:00

ThinkTraffic has an interesting video interview with travel blogger Gary Arndt, the man behind the successful Everything Everywhere travel blog.

(found via Travelllll.com)

Photo Friday: The fish market in Muscat, Oman...

2011-10-28T12:16:00.001+13:00

For more Photo Fridays from around the world, head over to Delicious Baby

For ideas on how to improve your travel photographers, check out this week's photo tips for travelers.

Weekly Photo Tips for Travelers...

2011-10-28T06:26:00.002+13:00

Uncorneredmarket offers 10 Tips for Taking Great Food Photos

Photo Tuts has A 10 Step Guide to Creative & Colourful Market Photography

Wanderlust has an article by Steve Davey on Photographing places of worship

Digital School Photography has tips from Bob Holmes on Natural Lighting and Travel Photography

Lightstalking discusses How to Get Both Staged and Candid Travel Portraits

ephotozine looks at Photography In Graveyards

Photopoly provides Tips on Photographing Museums

BootsnAll 30 Days of Indie Travel Project...

2011-10-27T19:00:00.004+13:00

BootsnAll is launching a new project on 1 November called 30 Days of Indie Travel and they are inviting bloggers from around the world to join in.

The 30 Days of Indie Travel is a daily blogging effort aimed at reflecting on past travel experiences.

Each day in November, BootsnAll will post a new prompt.

Bloggers are free to interprete these prompts as they wish and respond via online posts, photos, or even videos on their own blogs.

Bloggers should then link to the BootsnAll page dedicated to that day's prompt and tweet about the post with hashtag #indie30.

It's sort of like a daily travel carnival, hopefully with plenty of interesting, information, entertaining, and thought provoking posts to read about a particular travel topic.

Want to play?

Then head over to BootsnAll to find out more.

I'll see you there...

Travel Writing Miscellanea....

2011-10-26T07:38:00.000+13:00

See, Go, Write has an interview with Jessica Spiegel of Why Go Italy: Lucky 13 Questions

Over at Gadling Don George writes about Lynn Ferrin, travel writing, and the meaning of life

Matador Network offers tips on How to fund your travel videos

The PlanetD provides A Travel Blogger’s Guide to Sponsorship

World Hum asks Are Travel Writers the New Poets (Though not in a Good, Lyrical Way)?

World Nomads are looking for travel writers...

2011-10-25T19:56:00.004+13:00

Each month World Nomads pick a country as their feature destination.

And they are looking for avid travel bloggers to contribute 650-1200 word articles (plus photos) on topics relating to that country.

Future Feature Destinations and Deadlines:

December - Chile

(apply by November 1, article deadline November 23)

January - India

(apply by December 1, article deadline December 20)

February - Brazil

(apply by January 1, article by January 23)

March - South Africa

(apply by February 1, article by February 21)

They are also open to submissions for other destinations as well as action articles so feel free to pitch ideas not tied to the listed destinations.

They pay $30AUD/article upon publishing (paid via PayPal).

Check out their editorial guidelines for more information.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-10-24T16:33:00.002+13:00

1. 7 Cs of Effective Web Writing–a Checklist for Freelance Writers

2. 20 Legal Facts Every Blogger Should Know | The Blog Herald

3. How to Charge for Online Banner Advertising

4. The Insider's Guide To Life: Oo Writing Good

5. Good Travel Blogging: Seven Ways To Read Better

The CTC Culinary Journalism Award...

2011-10-23T16:15:00.004+13:00

Travel bloggers who write about food might want to check out the CTC Culinary Journalism Award.

Created by the Canadian Tourism Commission and Food Day Canada ®, this award is open to all journalists who have published an article in the US that best describes the relationship between Canadas primary products and the culinary experience available in Canada.

Two categories will be acknowledged:

* Best written work in any medium and
* Best photo essay, video or app.

The criteria are as follows:

- Must have been published in the US or in the case of online content demonstrate that more than 60% of the audience is US based.

- Must have been published between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011

- Includes print, online, broadcast and culinary app

- Subject matter can be pan-Canadian or regional; specific food items or a full menu but must clearly demonstrate the origin of fresh Canadian products and the journey to the table with an emphasis on the culinary experiences that could be enjoyed by visitors to Canada.

-Must be published in English, between 250 and 1500 words; or 5 to 40 images or 2 to 30-minute video

-Each of two winners will receive a cheque of $1000.

-Each winner provides complete rights to the CTC and Food Day Canada to use and re-publish except where the media outlet prevents such use.

13 reasons why I should be WildJunket's intern...

2011-10-22T20:43:00.007+13:00

As I mentioned in the last post, travel journalist Nellie Huang of WildJunket fame is looking for an travel blogging intern to assist her with maintaining the blog and the soon to be launched WildJunket magazine.

It's a great opportunity, one that I am keen to pursue.

Why?

Because after almost five years of blogging at Write to Travel, it's time for me to up my game. I have a vision of what I want to create in the future and, yes, another five year plan. But to I still have a great deal to learn about the travel blogging industry and what better why to learn it than through working with someone who is already where I plan on getting to.

But Nellie, no doubt, will be getting applications for many travel bloggers just as keen and probably more qualified that me.

So the real question is - why should she choose me?

I can think of at least 13 reasons.

Let me spell them out....

T - travel is in my blood. In fact, my very first trip - a transatlantic ship crossing - was while I was still in my mother's womb. Since then my passion for travel has grown, so much so that I am constantly either traveling or making travel plans.

R - Researching, reading, and writing about travel is what I do for fun and what I want to do for a living.

A - Adaptability is my middle name.

V - Visualizing, brainstorming, and lateral thinking to find ideas and solutions are just some of my strengths.

E - Effective communication skills and the ability to engage with people.

L- Love learning.

B - Believes in working hard and working effectively to complete tasks within given deadlines

L - Looks for the silver lining. No matter what the situation, there is always a solution. From chaos I can create calm.

O - Observant

G -Go getter

G -Gatherer of information, knowledge, skills and always willing to share with others

E - Efficient and timely in getting things done

R - Reliable and trustworthy

So what do you think?

Would I make a good intern?

Want to advocate for me?

If so, why not twitter the following:

@kiwiwriter spells out 13 reasons why she'd be a great @WildJunket intern http://tinyurl.com/3moqz99

Popular travel blog WildJunket launching digital travel magazine and looking for intern...

2011-10-22T19:27:00.003+13:00

In three short years, travel journalist Nellie Huang has transformed WildJunket into a hugely popular must read travel blog.

So it makes sense for her to take things one step further and launch a digital travel magazine - WildJunket Magazine - that will specialize in independent travel and outdoor adventures.

Unlike the WildJunket blog which is written entirely by Nellie Huang, with the occasional guest post, WildJunket magazine will feature stories of offbeat destinations, special interest journeys, and cultural immersion from a variety of travel writers and photographers from around the world.

Anyone interested in contributing should head over to the WildJunket magazine editorial guidelines page to find out how.

Not surprisingly, given that creating a digital magazine will require a great deal of time and commitment, Nellie is looking for an intern to blog, socialize and write for WildJunket.

And in exchange for doing this, Nellie will share her knowledge on how to grow and succeed as a travel blogger.

If that sounds like you, then head over to the travel blogger intern page for more information.

It's an exciting opportunity, one that I have decided to apply for myself.

Find out why in my next post...

Photo Friday: Bali from a bus window...

2011-10-21T17:49:00.003+13:00

During last year's world cruise, we stopped in Bali just for the day.

It's not really enough time to get to know Bali.

Most of the time was spent traveling by bus to and from Benoa Harbor to the Elephant Safari Park to ride elephants.

From the window, we got but a quick glance of bali life as we speed by....

For more Photo Fridays from around the world, head over to Delicious Baby

A list of 100 Favorite Travel Writers by Tripbase...

2011-10-20T07:10:00.001+13:00

Have you had a chance to check out Tripbase's list of '100 Favorite Travel Writers'?

It's a comprehensive list highlighting both known and unknown travel writers around the world.

You might even be on it...

Still time to enter the Mynatour Ecotourism Travel Writing contest...

2011-10-19T12:50:00.003+13:00

There is still time to enter the Mynatour Ecotourism travel writing contest.

All you need to do is...

"... is write a short blog story capturing the most memorable ecotravel moment of your last adventure.

There are no limits, your story can be about anything. All we need is your side of the story and 5 photographs that best capture it. Remember to include what you did to make it more eco friendly... what you think should be done. Be inspiring, be creative, be yourself and most of all, have fun! "

For more information head over to Mynatour's travel writing contest page.

Deadline: 23 October 2011

Guest Post: All About Go Girl Magazine

2011-10-18T19:42:00.005+13:00

Kiwi writer and Go Girl contributor Shelley Greco writes about the founding of Go Girl Magazine and how anyone can become a part of this fast growing community.

In the summer of 2009, Beth Santos was sitting under her mosquito net as any other normal person would be on an equatorial island.

The young American was living and working in São Tomé e Príncipe, a small two-island nation off the west coast of Africa, far from any mental map that her friends or family could conjure up.

Because of São Tomé's size, it's often quite forgotten in the public mindset. Slavery was abolished there nearly a century ago and it often seemed that even that Portugal, its mother country, had moved on from the country's existence.

In many ways, Beth was very much alone. Yet in others, the 23 year-old was part of a new and exciting world.

This was the birthplace of Go Girl, an online magazine about the global perspective of women.

Originally created as a travel magazine for solo female voyagers, Go Girl has turned quickly into a community of 25 writers and thousands of visitors from over 95 different countries around the world.

It has become a gathering place for women to interact, network, and address issues like travel, feminism, and the challenges and benefits of living in today's multicultural, connected world.

Go Girl is always looking for new perspective, featuring articles on an array of topics ranging from acid burning in Cambodia to albanism in Tanzania, sexual health and even on becoming a grandmother.

Have something to say?

Share it at team@travelgogirl.com or visit http://www.travelgogirl.com for more information.

Kiwis strongly encouraged to apply!

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-10-17T19:19:00.000+13:00

1. 7 Ways to Bump Up Your Productivity and Start Earning More as a Freelancer

2. “Are Travel Bloggers Worth Advertising With?” The Media Buyers’ Perspective

3. Writer’s Block? Take Your Blogging On The Road

4. 19 Ways to Get Paid for Your Writing

5. A Beginner’s Guide to WordPress Basics

TED Video: The importance of doodling...

2011-10-16T20:37:00.003+13:00

Fun talk by Sunni Brown about how sketching and doodling improve our comprehension and our creative thinking.

Travel Writing Miscellanea....

2011-10-15T18:09:00.001+13:00

Attending a writing conference can be an exhaustive and stressful time - you often don't know anyone, you feel that you know nothing, and there is so much to see and hear. But if you follow these top tips - Notes from a First-Time Attendee: What I Learned at NATJA - from Kristen over at Travel Writing 2.0, you'll be able to relax and enjoy the experience.

See,Go,Write features an Interview with Keith Jenkins of Velvet Escape.

Wild Junket has an interview with travel writer Annie Bennett.

Over at Travelblather, Jeremy Heard asks Is the travel blogger lifestyle really that great?

Photographer Dan Christopher considers What Wannabe Travel Writers Need To Know Immediately while at the 2011 NATJA writers conference.

Moon Travel Guides are offering a free ebook download of its all-new Moon Maya 2012 travel guide written by Central America travel expert Joshua Berman.

Photo Friday: The changing face of Christchurch

2011-10-14T20:47:00.003+13:00

This is what 7000 plus shakes in 13 months looks like...

Although, in reality, it looks more like this...

Check out DeliciousBaby.com for more photo fridays from around the world.

This week's photo tips...

A Cowards Guide to Street Photography

10 Small Things that Make a Big Difference in Your Photos

S is for Simplicity: How Simplicity Will Improve Your Photography

18 Tips for Shooting from a Train

Travel Photography Made Simple – Improving Your Photos Through Composition

Wanderlust and Lipstick Travel Writing Contest...

2011-10-13T21:57:00.002+13:00

Wanderlust and Lipstick are seeking entries for their fourth annual travel writing contest.

Amateur and professional female travel writers are encouraged to enter this travel writing contest which features a grand prize of an Unlimited-Luxury® 7-day stay for two at Secrets Huatulco Resort & Spa in Conejos Bay, Mexico.

The contest runs October 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011, and the winning writers will be announced in mid- February.

Entries may be submitted under one of the following categories: Adventure, Food & Drink, Off the Beaten Path or Spiritual.

Click on submission guidelines for more details about the travel writing contest and how to enter.

Win a spot on a photo walk around New York City...

2011-10-11T20:32:00.004+13:00

Western Digital is hosting a NYC Photo Walk with WD Creative Master and Canon Explorer of Light, Bruce Dorn, on Wednesday, October 26, the day before PhotoPlus Expo opens.

Keen photographers interested in being chosen to participate in this photo walk need to submit one of their photographs plus a brief, 100 word description on why they want to participate.

Eight lucky winners will spend three hours exploring NYC with renowned photographer Bruce Dorn, during which time they will get one-on-one photographic guidance.

Each of the eight winners will also receive a Lowepro bag, Lexar memory card and WD My Passport drive.

Plus, one of the participants will receive a Grand Prize package consisting of a WD TV media player, WD Livewire Powerline AV network Kit, WD My Book Live Personal Cloud storage drive, and a Lowepro roller bag.

All entries must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. on October 10 (Pacific Time).

Enter at www.wdphotowalk.com

Travel Writing Contest for North American writers...

2011-10-11T17:52:00.004+13:00

The city of Richmond is British Columbia's fourth-largest city, a fact that not many people outside of British Columbia know. After all, the face of B.C. is Vancouver.

But Tourism Richmond is hoping to change that by way of a travel writing contest.

Open to all North American travel writers who have visited the area.

There are two $1000 prizes - one for the best Richmond food story and one for the best Richmond destination piece.

All entries must have been published in print or online media publications (ie magazines, newspapers, websites, and blogs) between April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012.

All contest entries must also be submitted to Tourism Richmond by June 1, 2012.

All entries will be reviewed by an independent qualified panel with the winner in each category being announced in November 2012.

For more information check out Tourism Richmond's travel writing contest page.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-10-10T05:43:00.005+13:00

1. How to Get Blogging Jobs: 10 Quick Tips to Prepare Your Blog for Gigs

2. But Why Would You… Not Spend the Time to Learn Indie Publishing?

3. 10 Key Points Freelancers Must Know About LinkedIn

4. The 5-Step Process that Solves Three Painful Writing Problems

5. How I Got Lost…and Found 6 Fear-Busting Writer Tips

TED Video: Andrew Evans talks about pursuing your travel dream...

2011-10-08T20:34:00.004+13:00

Andrew Evans (of Where's Andrew fame) gives an inspirational talk at the TEDxDanubia conference in Budapest about how he managed to pursue his dream of traveling to the Antarctica.

Photo Friday: The doorways of Tallinn, Estonia

2011-10-07T18:04:00.010+13:00

Check out DeliciousBaby.com for more photo fridays from around the world.

MatadorU: From travel writing courses to press trips...

2011-10-06T20:36:00.009+13:00

So you want to be a travel writer?

But where to start....

Matador U might just be able to help.

MatadorU has the answer to that question and many, many more. Since 2009, this online education center - an offshoot of it's online travel publication - has been offering a travel writing advice and courses.

And due to the success of their MatadorU Travel Writing Course and MatadorU Travel Photography Course, they are now also able to help their students and graduates secure press trips and writer in residence programs.

In other words, they don't just teach. They also nurture, support, and promote their students and graduates to tourism boards and media outlets around the world.

Sounds like just the thing for anyone starting out or for anyone looking to take the leap from amateur to professional.

Travel Writing Miscellanea....

2011-10-05T07:26:00.001+13:00

Discover the 10 of the Most Beautiful Libraries and Bookshops to Visit on Your Travels with BootsnAll.com

Zoe Davis from The Quirky Traveler offers 10 questions & top tips before going on a Blog Trip

Three travel Editors Speak Their Mind over at Travel Writing 2.0

National Geographic listed the Top 10 Literary Cities

Stop Dreaming and Start Packing with Meet Plan Go

2011-10-04T17:51:00.005+13:00

If taking a career break to travel is something that you've been thinking about, then Meet Plan Go might just be the ticket to get you moving.

Meet Plan Go's second annual nationwide event will be held in 17 cities around the USA on October 18th. It's the perfect chance to meet like-minded travelers who have decided that now is the time to jump out of the office cubicle and onto the road.

Benefits of attending:

• The opportunity to meet like-minded individuals who want to escape the cube.
• The chance to be inspired by those who have already done so.
• And gaining the motivation to actually make your travel dreams come true.

Meet Plan Go event locations:

Austin | Boston | Chicago | Denver | Honolulu | Las Vegas | Los Angeles| Minneapolis | New Orleans | New York City | Orlando | Portland | San Francisco | Seattle | St. Louis | Toronto | Washington DC

2012 Travel Bloggers Unite Conference to be held in Umbria, Italy...

2011-10-03T20:50:00.006+13:00

Travel Bloggers Unite (TBU) has just announced that their 2012 conference will be held in Umbria, Italy between 20 - 22 April.

Following on the success of the recent TBU Innsbruck conference (read Ken Kaminesky's review), the gang at Travel Bloggers Unite are aiming to make next year's conference 'the best travel blogging conference yet' by bringing travel bloggers + writers together with travel PRs, tourist boards and travel companies and offering a variety of expert led workshops, city tours, and networking opportunities.

Learn more about schedule overview and how to book for this travel blogging conference here.

Travel to Europe wasn't really on my radar for next year, but having read a number of reviews of TBU's Innsbruck travel blogging conference, I've decided that this sounds like an opportunity too good to miss so I've gone ahead and booked a ticket.

Now I just have to work out the logistics of getting there.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-10-03T07:21:00.001+13:00

1.This Is Why You're Not Landing Blogging Jobs

2. How to Make Thousands of Dollars Monthly by Writing Guest Posts

3. From Blogging to Published Book: The Nitty Gritty Pros, Cons and Considerations

4. Here's Why No One Reads Your Blog

5. The Ultimate 15 point Checklist to Make Your Writing Come Alive

Enter Lonely Planet's Great Journeys Contest...

2011-10-02T19:19:00.003+13:00

Ever dream of taking a trip on the famous Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia?

Then Lonely Planet might just be able to issue you the required boarding pass.

They have teamed up with Railbookers to sponsor a Great Journeys contest with the winner (and their guest) will score not only a trip trip onboard the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia, but also 2 nights hotel accommodation in Moscow, 1 night's hotel accommodation in Beijing and a budget of $5,000 (USD) towards flights.

To enter, visit the contest lonelyplanet.com/greatjourneys and vote for your favorite 'great' journey.

The contest ends on October 7th at 11:59pm GMT.

Travel Blogging tips from the experts...

2011-09-30T19:19:00.004+13:00

Christopher Elliot has a series of posts up at elliot.com on how to become a successful travel blogger....

Part one: So you wanna be a travel blogger? You can do it — here’s how

Part two: Be a travel blogger now: Here are the tools of the trade

Part three: Here are the reporting resources you’ll need to become a successful travel blogger

Part four: How to be a travel blogger: And now, a few words about money

Part five: How to find your adoring travel blogging audience (and keep it)

Part Six: Psst! Here’s the secret to a successful travel blog

.....

Over at travelblogchallenge.com there's a post on How to: Google + and Your Travel Blog

.....

At travelllll.com, Abigail King discusses Good Travel Blogging: Seven Ways To Spice Up Your Writing and Mike Sowden looks at Good Travel Blogging: Seven Ways To Ruin Your Writing

52perfectdays.com hiring travel writers...

2011-09-29T17:04:00.003+13:00

52perfectdays.com, a site that provides travel articles and ideas on what to do in various cities around the United States, are currently hiring travel writers.

In particular they are looking for 52 Perfect Days City Guides for Palm Springs (Coachella Valley) and Denver, as well as taking applications for guides for all their other locations on the 52perfectdays.com site.

According to the website, compensation will be $500 per month and increase to $750 per month after a trial period.

Interested?

Find out more on these travel writing jobs here

The Quirky Traveller's to hold Travel Blogging Workshop in October...

2011-09-28T19:42:00.003+13:00

Award winning travel blogger Zoe Davies, aka The Quirky Traveller, is running a Travel Writing & Photography Day on the 8th October 2011.

Covering travel writing and photography techniques, this day long workshop focuses on...

Express your creative voice more effectively
Discover what makes someone WANT to read your writing
Explore the world of travel blogging and article writing
Get top tips on writing and photography from the experts
Produce some writing and get feedback from the tutor and group.

The workshop is being held at Leighton Hall, the historic home of the world-renowned Gillow furniture making family.

Bookings: Contact Zoë: 01524 735715 or zoe@thequirkytraveller.com

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-09-26T19:45:00.003+13:00

!. 10 Steps for Writers Who Want to Earn More Than $15 Per Article

2. Kindle: How you can make a million writing your own e-book

3. 11 Must Know Tips About How To Study A Magazine So You Can Make Sales

4. The 1,000 Words Rule of Blogging (Book Excerpt)

5. Seth Godin on Blogging and Productivity

Friday Photo: A giant rugby ball made of grapevines

2011-09-23T17:52:00.007+12:00

It's all about rugby this month in New Zealand. Even the wineries have got rugby fever, with two New Zealand wineries located just outside of Nelson featuring a giant rugby ball made of grapevines.

The giant rugby ball is the centerpiece of New Zealand’s first grapevine sculpture exhibition featuring the works of local artists who have creatively twisted, curved and bended the vines into works of art.

Check out DeliciousBaby.com for more photo fridays from around the world.

TED Video featuring Tim Brown on creativity and play...

2011-09-22T07:00:00.000+12:00

Entertaining and interesting TED talk by Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO, an innovation and design firm.

Travelllll.com and Expedia Want to Host Two Travel Bloggers at World Travel Market...

2011-09-21T11:03:00.000+12:00

Newly launched travel blogging and media news site Travelllll.com has teamed up with Expedia to host two travel bloggers at this year's World Travel Market being held in London between 7th and 10th November, providing not only press access to the entire event but also four star accommodation and, if you live in Europe free flights to London.

For more details on how to enter, head over to the Travelllll.com WTM contest page

A word of advice though - make yourself some coffee before you head there because once you arrive at Travelllll.com you'll going to find it hard to leave. It might have only launched last week, but already it's providing plenty of interesting and thought provoking content.

Good luck and happy reading!

Getting the most out of World Travel Market 2011...

2011-09-21T09:30:00.005+12:00

Travel Bloggers Unite (TBU) has posted a comprehensive Travel Bloggers Guide to World Travel Market, a useful tool for anyone planning on attending the four day event being held in London between 7-10 November. The detailed day by day account of what's on and when will help arrange your days at World Travel Market.

On the second day (8th November) Travel Bloggers Unite will be hosting an expert Q & A Panel entitled 'How Can Travel Bloggers Increase Sales and Brand Visibility' (with bloggers Keith Jenkins and Janice Waugh and Jaume Marin from the Costa Brava Tourism Board) followed by Networking Drinks to give bloggers a chance to network with PRs and their travel industry clients.

And on the 9th and 10th of November, there is the two day Social Travel Market #STM11, a fringe conference on social media in travel which might just be the 'icing on the cake' for travel bloggers attending WTM.

The World Travel Market has also put out the WTM Mobile App available for download on all smartphones to help you navigate your way around.

For more about the World Travel Market expo and how to register, visit the World Travel Market homepage.

Gap Adventures Tags Top Travel Bloggers for their 'Wanderers in Residence' Program...

2011-09-20T19:38:00.005+12:00

Adventure travel leader Gap Adventures has teamed up with some top travel bloggers to create the 'Wanderers in Residence' program.

Working as ambassadors for Gap Adventure Company, the chosen travel bloggers will have the opportunity to participate in various Gap Adventure trips, all the while writing about the experiences, providing feedback, and offerings travel tips, expertise, and advise.

Gary Arndt of Everything Everywhere, Matt Kepnes of NomadicMatt, JD Andrews of earthexplorer, and Jodi Ettenberg of legalnomads are a few of the travel bloggers tagged by Gap Adventures for this new initiative.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-09-20T18:32:00.004+12:00

1. 10 Rules For Writing A Compelling ‘About Me’ Page

2. What Carrie Bradshaw Can Teach You About Blogging

3. The Warren Buffett Method for Building a Successful Blog

4. A Beginner’s Guide to SEO Basics

5. Masochist me? An Ars writer's iPad-only workday

Travel Writing Miscellanea....

2011-09-18T00:05:00.000+12:00

thebookseller.com reports

AA Publishing expands into narrative travel

brainpickings.org reviews

The Geography of Bliss: The Secrets of the Happiest Places on Earth

The Telegraph reports on

Storymoja Hay Festival in Nairobi: Day one

The Guardian features

My favourite travel book, by the world's greatest travel writer

Wired.co.uk writes about

Africa's past landscapes revealed in historical travel accounts

A Travel Blogging Conference in South Africa...

2011-09-17T20:07:00.001+12:00

South Africa's very first travel blogging conference will be held in Cape Town on 5th November 2011. Sponsored by Cape Town Tourism the one day Getaway Travel Blog Conference will feature some of South Africa's top bloggers and online gurus talking about the ins and outs of travel blogging.

Details:

Venue - Grand Daddy Hotel, Cape Town

Date: 5 November, 2011

For further information and bookings visit the conference website

Editor Lavina Spalding looking for submissions for 'The Best Women's Travel Writing' anthology...

2011-09-15T12:57:00.001+12:00

Writer and editor Lavina Spalding has put out a call for submissions for the 8th annual anthology of 'The Best Women's Travel Writing' to be published by Traveller's Tales.

The deadline is 1st October 2011.

Guideline submissions can be found over at Lavina Spalding's website.

To submit, please send your story in a doc or docx file to laviniaspalding@yahoo.com AND submit via the Travelers' Tales website, here: http://www.travelerstalesstories.com/author_info.cfm
It's important that you do both.

Sldieshow from The Digital Tourist on Building a Web Presence....

2011-09-13T17:51:00.000+12:00

This interesting slideshow is aimed at helping businesses create great websites but there are many great pointers for travel bloggers on creating effective design and content....

The Digital Tourist - Building a Web Presence

View more presentations from Scott Adams

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-09-12T16:55:00.000+12:00

1. 11 Books to Inspire, Encourage, and Cleanup Your Writing

2. The Fail-Proof System to Score National Magazine Publicity for Your Blog

3. Creativity? Train Your Brain to be an Idea-Generating machine

4. The ‘Art’ of Blogging: A Commentary

5. How much should you charge for advertising on your blog

Travel Writing Miscellanea...

2011-09-10T13:55:00.000+12:00

Grant Martin asks Is theTravel Blogger Show worth your time? over on Gadling.

Learn how The Passport Party Project Takes Flight at BlackNews.com

The Guardian has a new series running on how to build a profitable blog

Mediapost.com asks Can Triposo Google-ize Travel Writing?‎

Travel Writing 2.0 has a A Conversation with Sheila Scarborough

Family travel writing competition for UK writers....

2011-09-09T11:06:00.000+12:00

UK family travel site, Have a Lovely Time, is celebrating their new look with a single theme travel writing competition open for all UK residents over the age of 18.

Here's the what it's all about...

With a title of Beautiful Britain, our family travel writing competition aims to celebrate all that’s great about family adventures in our stunning land. That might include breathtaking adventures in the Lakes, laughing til your sides ache at a family-friendly Edinburgh festival, savouring the splendour of the West Wales coastline, a Devon cream tea or a knees up at a holiday park…or of course plenty more.

Wherever you love to find quality family time in Britain – we want to hear about it.

We’re looking for entries about family holidays, breaks, days out or adventures.

For more information, including submission guidelines and prizes, head over to the Beautiful Britain Travel Writing Competition webpage.

Global Bloggers Network presents 'Monetizing Your Blog' workshop at recent TBU conference...

2011-09-08T17:58:00.000+12:00

Janice Waugh and Keith Jenkins, founders of Global Bloggers Network, conducted a workshop on “Monetising Your Blog” at the recent Travel Bloggers Unite Conference in Innsbruck.

Grow Your Blog As A Business

View more presentations from Keith Jenkins

Head over to Travel Bloggers Unite webpage to view videos of their presentation. It isn't quite the same as being at the TBU conference but it's the next best thing.

ACTIVE TRAVEL ASIA launches travel writing contest...

2011-09-08T11:53:00.000+12:00

Adventure tour operator ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA, based in Indochina, has launched a travel writing contest 2011 for travelers from across the world.

Enter by emailing to event@activetravel.asia a 350 - 100 word article about the writer's best holiday experience in Indochina (Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia).

All eligible enters will be posted on Active Travel Asia's facebook page (www.facebook.com/Active.Travel) and 2 travel news sites Activetravel Magazines (www.activetravelmagazines.com/) & Vietnam Adventure News (news.activetravelvietnam.com/).

The winner is the entry that has the amount of LIKE ranked highest on facebook page plus on 2 travel news sites.

The winner will receive a trip for 2 persons costing from $700-->$1000 depend on their selections of out door activities including Trekking, Cycling, Motorcycling, Kayaking in wide areas of Indochina.

For more information, head over to the ATA Writing Competition 2011 webpage.

The Second Annual THETRAVELBLOGGERSHOW on this weekend...

2011-09-07T23:33:00.001+12:00

The second annual THE TRAVEL BLOGGER SHOW is being held in Las Vegas this coming weekend in conjunction with ASTA's Travel Retailing & Destination Expo for travel agents and suppliers.

It's definitely worth a visit if you're going to be in the area.

A full evening and day of networking, presentations, and discussions all aimed at the art of successful travel blogging.

On September 10th, there's THE TRAVEL BLOGGER SHOW Tweet-Up at STIR Lounge, Platinum Hotel from 7pm to 9pm.

On September 11th, starting at 9 am, there's a full day of presentations scheduled at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 9 am to 6 pm, followed by a receptions at the Cafe Nikki at the Tropicana,

Presentations:

Beyond Guest Posting: Broadening Your Audience Through Increasing Brand Awareness
Presented by Ben Reed

Making Your Blog Pop: Five Steps to a Killer Travel Blog
Presented by Beth Whitman

Marketing and Publicizing Your Blog. How to take it viral and spread your content across the globe
Presented by George Hobica

Monetizing Your Blog: How to turn your blog into a money machine
Presented by Wil Klass

Search Engine Optimization: Optimize your blog, maximize your reach
Presented by George Oberle

Where to Next? Surviving in the fast-evolving world of blogging
Moderated by Grant Martin
Panelists: George Hobica, Wil Klass, George Oberle, Ben Reed, Beth Whitman

For more information, head over to the THETRAVELBLOGGERSHOW webpage

Check out the 2011 Travel Bloggy Award Winners...

2011-09-07T11:16:00.004+12:00

Travel Bloggers Unite (TBU) recently announced the winners of their very first annual Travel Bloggy Awards.

Best Collaboration With Industry - Traveldudes

Best Foreign Language Blog - Just Travelous

Best Photo or Video Blog - Ken Kaminesky

Best Expat or RTW Travel Blog - 48 Hour Adventure

Best Designed Travel Blog - The Aussie Nomad

Best Travel Writing - Inside The Travel Lab

Best Niche Travel Blog - Trains on the Brain

Best Newcomer - Just Travelous

Clear some time and head over and check them all out...

Travel Writing Miscellanea...

2011-09-01T17:53:00.003+12:00

Carlo Wolf reviews TRAVELS: Collected Writings 1950-1993 by Paul Bowles for the Boston Globe

Don George writes about The secret formula for writing a successful travel narrative over at Gadling.com

James McAuley goes on A visit to Archer City to check out a a Texas-sized bookstore owned by Archer City’s most famous native son, the acclaimed novelist and Hollywood screenwriter Larry McMurtry in The New Yorker

Gabe Habash from Publishers Weekly asks Which Cemetery is the Most Literary?

The Economist's audio interview with travel writer William Dalrymple

2011-08-31T17:33:00.003+12:00

Interesting audio interview from The Economist with William Dalrymple talking about his friendship with Paddy Leigh Fermor and discussing the changing nature of travel writing.

For more about his experiences as a travel writer, check out this video discussion between William Dalyrmple and Pico Iyer about the connection beween globalisation and religion.

Win a Photographic Assignment to South Africa with National Geographic and WorldNomads.com...

2011-08-31T09:12:00.005+12:00

Ever dream of becoming a National Geographic photographer? If so, check out this latest WorldNomads.com scholarship opportunity.

Teaming up with National Geographic Channel, WorldNomads.com have created Travel Photography Scholarship 2011 - South Africa which will allow one lucky (and talented person) to join a 8 day Gap Adventure tour in South Africa between January 18-25, 2012. While on the trip, they will

....will work alongside Jason Edwards photographing wildlife and landscapes in Kruger National Park at various times of the day and night. You will also work through a specific shot list as part of your assignment.

... will gain invaluable mentoring and hands-on experience in everything from shot set up, technique and composition through to insights into his many years of diverse experience as an award winning photographer.

...and on their return, will work with Jason Edwards through the editorial process to shortlist your top photographs and colour balance to achieve professional looking shots for submission to National Geographic Channel for publication.

Details and deadlines:

Who can apply: This global opportunity is open all keen amateur/pro-amateur photographers over the age of 18 who have a lust for travel and a strong desire to start a career in Travel Photography. They must also have a good level of fitness.

How to apply: Involves taking a series of photographs that tell a story. Full instructions can be found on the WorldNomads.com travel photography scholarship 2011 page

Deadline: 2pm November 8, 2011 (Australian Eastern Daylight Time)

(photo credit: @Liz Lewis 2010)

So how much money do Travel Bloggers really make...

2011-08-30T12:23:00.004+12:00

So how much money do travel bloggers really make?

That's the question that The Grumpy Traveller, aka David Whitely, is asking.

Tired of the constant theories of monetising travel blogs that are floating around cyberspace, David has decided it's time for facts rather than theory.

So he's put together the Travel Blogger Honesty Survey - a set of seven questions that he's hoping that travel bloggers, writers, and journalists will answer and maybe, finally, "shed some much-needed light on the travel blog monetisation merry-go-round."

The seven questions are...

1. What is your name and main blog URL?

2. Roughly, what was your income from all work last year (before taxes and expenses – use whichever currency you usually work with)?

3. Approximately what percentage of that income was from site(s) that you own?

4. Approximately what percentage of your income was from writing about travel online (ie. both your sites and other sites you have been paid to write for)?

5. Approximately what percentage of your income is from writing about travel full stop (ie. print as well as online)?

6. Approximately what percentage of your income is from writing?

7. What are your other major sources of income?

Anyone willing to participate in this survey needs to head over to The Grumpy Traveller and leave a comment with their answers.

Hopefully, once all the data is collected, the results will be illuminating.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-08-29T12:45:00.003+12:00

!. Killing Batterie's entertaining How to Set Up a Travel Blog

2. iPhoneography: Make your iPhone travel pictures spectacular

3. Got 30 Minutes? Learn How The Ninja Turns Blogs Into Real Businesses

4. How to Choose Keywords for Your Blog

5. It's too soon to wave goodbye to the magical art of travel writing

Making Money with a Travel Blog...

2011-08-25T13:00:00.003+12:00

Anyone interested in making money from their travel blog needs to read How travel bloggers make money from their blogs by Heather Cowper.

This slideshow gives you a brief glimpse of what she has to say...

How travel bloggers make money

View more presentations from Heather Cowper

... but to get the full story, complete with case studies from successful travel bloggers, you really should head over to Heather's blog My Blogging Journey.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-08-23T19:44:00.002+12:00

1. Freelance Strategies for the Karma Economy

2. Tips for Bloggers Pitching to Agencies

3. How to Write a Good Freelancer Bio

4. 5 Successful Travel Bloggers Discuss Money and Travel Blogging

5. 4 years’ worth of freelance pitches and the results

Plus...

A to Z of Pitching Outlets - Lola Akinmade

View more presentations from geotraveler

Write to Travel Wins a Iglu Cruise 2011 Website Award...

2011-08-20T13:06:00.005+12:00

Write to Travel was named as one of ten top travel writer blogs in their inaguaral 2011 Iglu Cruise Website Awards.

www.IgluCruise.com

Friday Photo: Sydney's Taronga Zoo

2011-08-19T11:11:00.013+12:00

Monkeys and a multitude of other animals can be found at the Sydney’s Taronga Zoo located on the Sydney Harbour, still within sight of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Based on a bar-less system and offering a spectacular views of Sydney, this Zoo has been entertaining locals and visitors since 1916.

Covering over 40 acres, the best way to get an overview of the layout is by taking the Sky Safari cable car which operates from the top entrance to the Ferry Wharf from 9.30am to 5.00pm daily.

Articles offering tips for taking photos at the zoo:

Zoo Photography (Digital Photography School)

Zoo Photography Tutorial (Yanik's Photo School)

Shooting Through the Fences - Better Zoo Photos (PhotoWalkPro)

Check out DeliciousBaby.com for more photo fridays from around the world.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-08-18T09:57:00.003+12:00

1. Is there room for advertising on your blog?

2. The 5 must-read Books for Bloggers in 2011

3. 9 Steps to Calculate Your Blogging ROI

4. 7 Tools for Writing on Your iPhone

5. 10 questions to help you write better headlines

Is Unbound the equivalent of a writer's Dragon's Den?

2011-06-11T02:46:00.004+12:00

Self publishers might be interested in this new British company that is setting it self up as a fundraising platform for writers.

The Globe and Mail's Russell Smith, writing about Unbound, isn't too keen on the idea.

What do you think?

Travel Writing Miscellanea...

2011-06-09T16:01:00.003+12:00

Wanderlust reports that the Notting Hill's iconic bookstore is for sale.

Lonely Planet is giving away one of it's photo books for free at iBookstore.

At the Hay's literary festival travel writer V. S. Naipaul says women can't write

Travel Writing 2.0 has an interview with travel writer Lena Katz

weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-06-05T10:49:00.001+12:00

1. Why Bloggers Should Also Be Freelance Writers

2. People Have No Clue How To Use iPad Apps [STUDY]

3. 16 Smarter Ways to Use LinkedIn to Build Your Business

4. Advertising Your Blog: Go Viral on a Blogger’s Budget

5. 7 Ways to Promote Yourself When You Have to Put Your Freelancing on Hold

Friday Photo: In Cambria, a Poor Man's Castle

2011-06-04T10:24:00.005+12:00

Most visitors to California's Central Coast will take a trip to extraordinary Hearst Castle. But not too many know that a few miles south in Cambria, there's is another, just as extraordinary 'castle' to be seen. Called Nit Witt Lodge, this California Historic Landmark was built by the local garbage collector over a number of decades.

Check out DeliciousBaby.com for more photo fridays from around the world.

Finding a Home Away from Home...

2011-06-03T08:43:00.006+12:00

(Today’s guest post article looks at vacation rentals)

A recent two week vacation to California, staying in a variety of different places - from a traditional hotel to a flamboyant resort, from a cosy B&B to a charming seaside inn – reminded me once again how expensive travel was.

Funnily enough, it wasn’t so much the cost of the accommodation or even the cost of gas to fill up the car that I noticed the most.

It was the cost of food.

With no facilities to cook or even, in some cases, store food, I had to constantly eat out. Now, I love to eat out. But after two weeks of eating out, I’m starting to think that there has to be a cheaper way.

That cheaper way might just be looking for a vacation home rental where, in the mornings, breakfast could be made from ingredients purchased at the local supermarket, picnics for lunch could be packed from products found at the local farmers market and bakery, and even the occasional dinner be cooked outside on the BBQ.

I’m already dreaming of my next trip to California's Central Coast, sitting sitting by the sea outside a small cottage, sipping the local vino, enjoying the sounds of the waves crashing on the sand and rocks.

Pico Iyer Talks Travel...

2011-05-27T18:16:00.001+12:00

In this video from Dialogue's Sun Valley Writers' conference series, Marcia Franklin talks with travel writer Pico Iyer...

Watch the full episode. See more Dialogue.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-05-26T01:14:00.000+12:00

1. What Don Draper Knows That You Don’t About Persuasion and Success

2. 7 Free in-flight magazines on iPad

3. 10 ways not to be a travel writer

4. On the Media: The price of 'free' journalism

5. 6.5 Things That Will Make You a Better Non-fiction Writer

Don George's Top Tips for getting the most out of TBEX and other writer's conferences....

2011-05-25T19:49:00.002+12:00

Anyone heading to TBEX'11 or for that matter any writer's conference will want to read Don George's Top tips for TBEX and other writers' conferences.

How to Win A 12 Week Travel Photography Course From MatadorU...

2011-05-25T19:15:00.004+12:00

The Carey Adventures has teamed up with MatadorU to offer their Travel Photography Program, a self paced 12 week course, worth $350 to one lucky winner.

To be in with a chance all you have to do is leave a comment over at The Carey Adventures by 9:00pm PDT Monday 6th June, 2011.

The winner will be chosen by a random draw.

The rules for entering...

"Anyone worldwide may enter as long as they are legally able to win such a prize in their country. One entry per person. Only actual humans can enter. The drawing will be held on, or about, Monday the June 6th. I will use Random.org to pick a winner based on the order of entry. Deadline to enter is Monday, June 6th, 2011 at 9:00pm PDT. MatadorU is not directly affiliated with the drawing, they are just the prize. the prize is tuition for 1 (one) person and I will be putting you in contact with MatadorU for claiming of the prize. Make sure your email address in the comment below is valid, otherwise, if your mail bounces and I can’t get a hold of you any other way, I will award the prize to another random commenter.

To enter, do one good thing for someone else, without them asking you to do it, and then leave a comment below. The comment need not be about the good thing you did at all. And the level of goodness does not matter as it’s a random drawing. I just think I should use this pulpit to force you to be nice."

Good luck

Travel Writing Miscellanea...

2011-05-14T16:54:00.000+12:00

Grant Martin from Gadling.com offers up some tips on How to make travel editors like your blog

Alison Stein Wellner from A Very Curious Mind writes about The Art of Time in Memoir: A Travel Writer’s Review

DoLectures.com has an interesting video from Rolf Potts on traveling...

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

2011-05-12T19:12:00.002+12:00

1. 6 Efficient Interview Techniques for Freelance Writers

2. A Conversation With Rolf Potts, Travel Writer

3. 10 Simple Ways to Double the Speed of Your Writing … Right Now

4. 7 Habits of Professional Bloggers

5. 21 Ways to Create Compelling Content When You Don’t Have a Clue

Friday Photo: Motel Inn, San Luis Obispo

2011-05-12T18:38:00.004+12:00

The ruins of Motel Inn

What remains of the worlds very first motel sits alongside Highway 1 on the outskirts of San Luis Obispo, California, offering a glimpse of a bygone era.

Check out DeliciousBaby.com for more photo fridays from around the world.

California Snapshot: The House of Tomorrow, Palm Springs

2011-05-05T03:35:00.001+12:00

In Palm Springs, the houses take center stage.

This one, once billed as the House of Tomorrow, is more commonly known as Elvis's Honeymoon House. It's where Elvis and Priscilla spent their first year of marriage.

California Snapshot: Old Town Temecula

2011-04-29T17:11:00.004+12:00

Known as Southern California’s Napa Valley, Temecula has transformed in the past few decades from a sleepy commuter town into a must visit wine destination.

But there’s more to Temecula than just wine as I soon discovered.

Arriving tired and exhausted after the two hour ‘white knuckle’ drive through the maze of Los Angeles freeways, the welcoming Temecula Creek Inn beckoned like a home away from home. Within minutes, I’d booked in, unpacked, and was on the veranda outside my room, coffee in hand, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the view of Temecula Creek’s sprawling 27 hole golf course.

Checking out the next morning, I programmed the GPS for Old Town Temecula. First on the agenda was breakfast. On the recommendation of the Temecula Creek Inn’s front desk staff, I headed for Swing Inn Café where, they promised, I’d find some real home cooking and they sure weren‘t kidding. A favorite with locals and visitors alike, the Swing Inn Café was busy with a constant stream of people coming in and out.

After filling up on pancakes and eggs, it was time to do some walking and Old Town, with plenty of history and shops, was just the place to do it.

Armed with a tour map from the Temecula Valley Museum, I wandered the streets of Old Town, learning about the various historic buildings, including the Hotel Palomar, the town’s first modern hotel with electricity and indoor restrooms.

Turns out that the Hotel Palomar and the Swing Inn Café, both built in 1927, are the only two historic buildings in Temecula that still run the same type of business that they were built for.

Write to Travel Has Gone to California...

2011-04-26T05:46:00.003+12:00

Having had enough of the quakes and shakes around my hometown, I’ve run away to California for a couple of weeks.

This spur of the moment vacation is, in part, the result of finding a cheap plane ticket (thanks Air New Zealand)and winning (in last year’s Passport with Purpose fundraising raffle) a 5 night stay at the Riviera Resort and Spa in Palm Springs.

I flew into LAX yesterday and spent the day lazing by the pool at the Marriott LAX to recover from jet lag caused by the long haul flight from New Zealand to the States.

Later today I’ll pick up a car and brave the Los Angeles freeways and head to the desert.

First stop is Temecula Valley to check out their wines and wineries.

From there, it’s a week in the desert, exploring Palm Springs and it’s surrounds, including Joshua Tree NP and maybe even the San Andreas fault.

Then it’s back to the coastline for a week in the Central Coast, staying in San Luis Obispo (America's happiest city) and Cambria,checking out yet again, the wines and wineries around the region.

From there, a one night stay in Santa Monica and then back home to Christchurch.

Sun, sand, and sea - what else could a person ask for.

Depending on internet access, I’ll be checking in every day, sharing a daily California snapshot. Why not come along for the ride…

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers..

2011-04-20T18:24:00.001+12:00

1. Successful Travel Writing: 7 Tips for Working on the Road

2. 7 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Started Freelance Writing

3.Three Blogging Lessons from Leonardo Da Vinci

4. 10 Tips for Writing Excellence From Top Writing Bloggers

5. How to Start

Travel Writing Miscellanea...

2011-04-08T10:47:00.000+12:00

The Guardian asks Has technology robbed travel of its riches? (via @niltiac)

Entertaining review of Travel Blogger's Unite TUB'11 conference - TBU ’11: A List Of Top Non-Tens

In the New York Times, Paul Theroux on Why We Travel

Travel Writing 2.0 has A Conversation with Rolf Potts

Media Bistro looks at Educational Travel Writing: A Market with Great Potential

USA Today discusses 10 great places to take a library tour

Slideshow: Travel writer discusses 'travel writing at ground level'

2011-04-04T18:37:00.004+12:00

Interesting presentation notes by Lola (Akinmade) Åkerström from her talk 'Travel Writing at Ground Level' presented at Travel Bloggers Unite TBU'11

For Bloggers: Travel writing at ground level

View more presentations from geotraveler

A Misadventure Travel Writing Contest...

2011-04-01T19:33:00.005+13:00

Book publishers Bantam Dell are running a travel writing contest in conjunction with the release of author Rachel Friedman travel memoir The Good Girl’s Guide to Getting Lost.

They are calling for entries of 500 words or less that describe your most memorable travel mishap.

The bigger the misadventure the better - double points if there’s a language barrier. Triple points if your life flashed before your eyes

Submit them to rachelfriedmanwriter@gmail.com with your contact information no later than May 6th, 2011, and by June 1st Rachel will choose one lucky winner to receive a year’s worth of travel reading* (not limited to travelogues, but fiction and nonfiction set in foreign destinations) with the option to choose 10 books from a list of up to 20, including:

One Fodor’s title of a destination of the winner’s choice
You Shall Know Our Velocity by Dave Eggers
The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
Into the Wild by John Krakauer
In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
Istanbul by Orham Pamuk
Blind Descent by James M. Tabor
Mad Dogs and an Englishwoman by Polly Evans
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz

One entry per person, valid in the 50 United States and District of Columbia. Void where prohibited.

Apply now for the Fall 2011 Glimpse Correspondents Program

2011-03-26T23:48:00.003+13:00

The application round for the Fall 2011 Glimpse Correspondents Program has officially opened.

It's a great opportunity for students, volunteers, teachers, and travelers planning on being abroad this year to get their stories and photography published at high-profile publications--and get paid for it.

The Glimpse Correspondents Program is powered by Matador, and supported in part by the National Geographic Society. Selected writers and photographers will get a $600 stipend and one onone editorial training and support in creating a portfolio of published work.

Anyone over 18 is eligible, and writers and photographers of all skill and experience levels are encouraged to apply. The criteria
for selecting Correspondents not only include candidates' talents in writing or photography, but also their vision for engaging
communities and finding unique stories while abroad, as well as their commitment to developing these stories into polished
long-form narratives over the course of the program.

To learn more, visit the Correspondents Program page
.

Some of New Zealand's Best Kept Secret Attractions

2011-03-22T19:49:00.010+13:00

Mention New Zealand and people immediately think bungy jumping, wine drinking, hobbits, and amazing scenery.

But dig a little deeper, head off the beaten track, and you’ll discover much, much more – a secret New Zealand full of unique attractions and activities just waiting to be explored.

Here’s a sampling…

1. The Hokonui Moonshine Festival – New Zealand’s original boutique whisky festival, celebrating ‘Old Hokonui‘ whiskey, is held every February in the sleepy southern town of Gore . If you miss the festival, you can still discover the region’s colourful history at the Hokonui
Moonshine.

But it’s not all prohibition and illicit stills. Culture, too, can be found in Gore at the Eastern Southland Art Gallery which, by featuring a diverse collection of primarily New Zealand and Australian works, attracts thousands of art lovers from around New Zealand and the world.

2. Driving Creek Railway & Potteries – New Zealand may not have Paris but it does have it’s own ‘Eyefull’ Tower, located on the outskirts of Coromandel Town a few hours drive east of Auckland. You can only get to the tower by taking a ride on the country’s only narrow gauge mountain railway through Barry Brickell’s working pottery and wildlife sanctuary.

A rail enthusiast, Barry started building the narrow gauge rail tracks back in the 1970s as a way of transporting the clay and pine wood located high up the hill down to his pottery studio. These days, though, the train mainly transports tourists.

3. The Giant’s House - Hidden away in the small harbor town of Akaroa, just 85 kilometers outside Christchurch, the Giant’s House, with it’s innovative and extravagant horticultural displays and wacky mosaic sculptures, could easily be one of the most unusual B&B’s in the world.

The house wasn’t always like that. Built in the 1880’s for the local bank manager, this two storey French Style house had, for many years, a rather sedate existence. But then artist Josie Martin arrived on the scene and gave the house a rather extreme makeover, transforming it to reflect her imaginative and whimsical personality.

4. Tasman Glacier Terminal Lake & Iceberg - Very few glaciers around the world terminate into a lake. And even fewer are accessible to the average traveler. The Tasman Glacier, located within the Aoraki Mt Cook National Park just four hours from Christchurch, offers a chance to get up closer and personal with the glacier and it’s huge floating icebergs.

5. Stonehenge Aotearoa - You can find the world’s newest (opened in 2005) Stonehenge, a full-scale adaptation of the original Salisbury Plains Stonehenge, just an hour’s drive north of Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city. This New Zealand ‘Stonehenge’ incorporates Maori lore and marks the stars and constellations that Polynesian navigators followed on their voyages across the Pacific Ocean.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers..

2011-03-17T02:45:00.000+13:00

1. Writing the Perfect Destination Review

2. The Twisted Psychology of Bloggers vs. Journalists

3. Photography, Copyright, and the Law

4. SXSW for Travel Writers

5. 15 Amazing iPad Apps

Inside National Geographic Headquarters...

2011-03-16T11:00:00.004+13:00

Ever wondered what it was like inside the headquarters of National Geographic?

Thanks to Kim Mance from Galavanting TV you no longer have to wonder. She did a surprise inspection of the facility with National Geographic Traveler magazine's chief researcher, Marilyn Terrell.