Write to Travel Heads for the High Seas...

As I write this, I'm sitting in the lobby of Four Points at Sheraton in Sydney, Australia, catching up with emails and blogs before boarding the Dawn Princess for the first leg of it's World Cruise. Traveling with my mother, I will be spending the next 54 days port hopping on our way to England.

During this time, the Write to Travel blog will be taking a sabbatical from travel writing information and instead, will be featuring 'photo of the day' posts tracking my travels.

I'll be writing about life on the high seas over at Planet Eye Traveler and Perceptive Travel Blog.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. How Freelance Writers Can Avoid Taking Lower Paying Jobs

2. How To Capitalize on Opportunities

3. 5 Tips for Working in the Midst of Chaos

4. The Freelance Writer's Guide to LinkedIn

5. 6 Tips for Freelance Writers and Authors Who Can’t Pay Their Income Taxes

TED Talk: JK Rowling at Harvard University...

"Harry Potter" author JK Rowling offers advice to dreamers and overachievers at this Harvard University commencement speech.

J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

A Travel Bloggers Scholarship Fund for TBEX?

Travel blogger Caitlin Fitzsimmons has come up with a novel and innovative way of raising money to get to this years TBEX’10 Travel Bloggers Conference.

She has set up a Send Caitlin to TBEX in NYC project over at Kickstarter with the aim of raising $500 to help cover the costs of travel and accommodation in NYC during the conference.

In return for everyone’s support, Caitlin promises to provide up to date summaries of conference content and conversations to help people who can't attend.

And within two weeks of her trip to New York, will create and publish the following on her Roaming Tales blog:

- an edited video
- at least one post from each of the five boroughs
- two restaurant reviews
- a hotel review

As of today, the Send Caitlin to TBEX in NYC project has raised reached the goal of $500.

But all this got me thinking that maybe now is the time that a travel bloggers scholarship fund, similar to the one created by the Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC), was established to help travel bloggers get to TBEX.

Last year I was one of the grateful recipients of WBC’s scholarship fund. And while what I received wasn’t financially huge, it did make a huge difference to me being able to attend the event.

Dependent on donations on wineries, PR agencies, wine business industry members, and individuals, the WBC scholarship fund will be funding up to 11 wine bloggers at this year’s conference in Walla Walla, Washington. Anyone with a wine blog is encouraged to send in an application describing their blog, their financial needs pertaining to the Wine Bloggers Conference, and why they are deserving on sponsorship. The successful wine bloggers are then chosen through a committee selection process.

Sounds like something that TBEX travel bloggers could easily do. After all, travel bloggers are a generous lot.

All you have to do is look at the results of the Passports with Purpose fundraisers organized by four Seattle travel bloggers. The first one raised over $6000 dollars, the second one well over $25000.

So maybe it’s time we start being generous to each other as well by creating a TBEX scholarship fund for TBEX’11.

Sure sounds like something that everyone should be discussing at this year’s TBEX.

In the meantime, why not make Caitlin the ‘inaugural TBEX scholarship’ recipient by donating to the Send Caitlin to TBEX in NYC fund.

(For more on TBEX'10, check out the TBEX facebook page and follow on the TBEX twitter.)

(cross posted at Perceptive Travel blog)

Planet Eye Traveler is looking for Travel Bloggers...

Planet Eye Traveler is hiring travel bloggers for the following positions - Las Vegas, Berlin, and cruising.

Editor Mary Jo Manzanares (aka @flyawaycafe) says while Las Vegas, Berlin, and cruising are her top priorities at present, Planet Eye Traveler is also looking for travel bloggers to write about the following...

Destinations:

Athens
Bangkok
Berlin
Cape Town
Denver
Hong Kong
Las Vegas
Mexico City
Montreal
New Orleans
Paris
Rome
Singapore
Tokyo
Toronto

and niches:

Family travel
Cruises
Green travel

Offering a modest base pay plus bonus structure, these positions won't pay the mortgage but are a great place to build up a travel writing portfolio in a supportive environment.

Applicants need to be passionate and knowledgable about their topic and be able to provide 4 posts a week. WordPress familiarity is important but they are willing to train the right people.

Contact Mary Jo at @flyawaycafe for further details.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. Working from home — Avoiding isolation and finding motivation

2. How to Use Twitter Lists to Find Freelance Writers – and Freelance Writing Jobs

3. 13 Nuggets Of Business Wisdom I Learned In The Corporate World

4. Business Plans for Writers

5. 6 Editing Tips for Writers From Copywriters, Editors, and Freelancers

Matador Network looking for Travel Blogger with Video Editing Skills...

Are you a passionate and savvy travel blogger / social media / online publishing ninja with video editing skils?

If so, Matador Network wants you.

They are looking for an intern to working directly with Matador Video editor Joshywashington, and helping with such tasks as:

*formatting and publishing video posts

*practicing the art social media promotion with the Matador editorial team

*helping build content at MatadorTV

*engaging the travel video community

*helping produce content about travel video at The Traveler’s Notebook

If interested, email josh [at] matadornetwork.com

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. 10 Things You Should NOT Ask a Freelance Writer

2.Your Blog is Your Portfolio: Landing Blog Writing Gigs

3. How to stand out in a niche full of jerks


4. Writing and the Law of Attraction – 8 Steps to Getting Published Via Visualization

5. 6 Cool Keys That Unlock the Block

TBEX '10 Calling for Entries for Community Keynote

TBEX'10, the travel bloggers event of the year, will take place in New York City on June 26 and June 27th.

I had hoped to go this year but life got in the way and instead I will instead be cruising on the high seas while TBEX'10 is on.

But thanks to the TBEX'10 Communtiy Keynote, there is a way that I and others unable to attend, can participate.

The community keynote offers independent travel bloggers a chance to have their work presented by Pam Mandel and Mike Barish at the TBEX ’10 Community Keynote session.

Interested?

Then check out Kim Mance's post, CALL FOR ENTRIES: TBEX '10 COMMUNITY KEYNOTE, over at Travel Exchange.

Here's the highlights...

You do not need to attend TBEX ’10 to submit work for inclusion in the Community Keynote (though we’d love to see you). Simply review the list below and submit one of your favorite blog posts that fits into a specific category. All work must be original, written by you, and published on your blog (whether old or new). There is no compensation for entries chosen (beyond TBEX fame and a link), and author retains their own copyright. One submission per person, only!

1. Twinkle in a Traveler’s Eye – The Ideas That Inspire the Trips

2. In Transit – The Perils (and Joys) of Transportation

3. Talking to Strangers – The People You Meet

4. Spit or Swallow – Culinary Conundrums

5. The Power of Places – Inspiring Destinations

6. You Did What? – Adrenaline Rushes and Adventures

7. Love at First Flight – Tales of Romance on the Road

8. Trips & Falls – Embarrassing Tales & Travel Fails

9. Home, Bittersweet Home – Reverse Culture Shock & Many Happy Returns

The Vacation Gals Are Giving Away a Personal Assistant...

Got too much to do and not enough time? Fighting against deadlines? Need more time for research, proofreading, etc, etc, etc?

If so, then you could probably do with a personal assistant.

And the Vacation Gals have one to give away.

Here's what's on offer...

TaskUs, an hourly virtual personal assistance service, has teamed up with the fabulous Hyatt Place hotel brand to offer The Vacation Gals readers an incredible giveaway: 30 hours of virtual assistance to use by August 2010, and a two-night stay at any Hyatt Place property in the United States with no blackout dates or expiry date.

How to enter...

Leave a comment over at The Vacation Gals telling them

- What’s the first thing you think you’ll have your TaskUs virtual assistant do? (Check out TaskUs.com for examples of services.)

and

- Where do you think you’d use your credit for two nights at a Hyatt Place hotel? (Name a city; check out the Hyatt Place website for a full list of locations.)

It might just result in a perfect match.

Sadly only US residents can enter which leaves me out.

Rolf Potts to Lead Travel Writing Workshop in Iceland...

Travel writer and author Rolf Potts, fresh from his Paris workshop in July, will be leading a 5 day Travel Writing Workshop in Iceland on August 1st, 2010.

At this travel writing workshop, the emphasis will be on participants creating travel stories, memoirs, and experimental essays that examine sense of place, cross-cultural inquiry, and personal discovery. Rolf will be offering direction and guidance, with the aim for each student to have one completed non-fiction article ready for publication by the end of the workshop.

The cost - $$1950.00 - includes:

5 days travel writing workshop with Rolf Potts
7 nights accommodation (based on double occupancy) at House of Spirits Guesthouse
7 breaksfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners

For more information, head over to Angela Richie's Ace Camp website.

For more on Rolf Potts, read this Write to Travel interview with a travel writer.

Guerrilla Freelance Turns One and Celebrates with Giveaways...

Guerrilla Freelancing, a website 'dedicated to helping every freelancer still in the trenches, working as hard as they can to build up a solid freelance business'is turning one and wants to celebrate by spending this week giving away some great prizes.

Here's their list:

Monday – Media Loot is giving three people a one year subscription to their resource site.

Tuesday – Paymo Biz is giving five people an unlimited time tracking and invoicing account.

Wednesday – Rockable Press is giving away 2 ebook copies of “How To Be A Rockstar Freelancer” and 2 ebook copies of our “Freelance Statistics Report“.

Thursday – Giant Themes is giving away 5 free copies of the iSocialize wordpress theme.

Friday – Guerrilla Freelancing is giving away a free ebook titled “Guide to Guerrilla Freelancing” which will showcase some of the best notes from this site as well as new and informative topics for every freelancer who’s in the trenches!

Obviously it's too late to enter Monday's giveaway but all the rest are still up for grabs. so head on over to Guerilla Freelance and start entering.

Personally, I wouldn't mind winning a copy of “How To Be A Rockstar Freelancer”

BootsnAll Launches New Travel Writer Platform...

Keen to create partnerships with passionate travel writers to create expert-driven content on their favorite destinations and topics, BootsnAll is in the process of launching their new Travel Writer platform

Currently, they are looking for writers for the following:

* Destinations: Amsterdam, Australia, France, Hawaii, Indonesia, Ireland, Las Vegas, London, Mexico, South Africa, or you tell us!

* Themes: Adventure Travel, Business Travel, Round the World Travel, TEFL, Travel Gear or you tell us!

Here's how It Works:

* You get to focus on your passion — travel writing; BootsnAll covers the technical aspects.
* Weekly tasks: feature article writing, blog posts and social media interaction
* Time commitment: up to 10 hours/week
* Compensation: base pay of $100-500/month with profit sharing of 30-40%. The base pay is based on how much content is produced. Some destinations will require more content than others….that’s why the variance in base compensation.
* The “fine print”: Just like a guide book, your content will have a copyright and non-compete, but unlike traditional guide books, BootsnAll shares the profit (up to 40%) with each writer!
* If you love independent travel, fancy yourself to be an expert, and want to get paid to write about a destination you love, fill out the BootsnAll Travel Writer Platform application by Monday, March 15, 2010.

For more information and to apply, head over to http://writers.bootsnall.com/platform

Sounds interesting...

Soultravelers3: From Travel Blog to Travel Book

When Soultravelers3 hit the road and started a blog back in 2006 they hadn't planned on becoming pioneers and trendsetters in family travel. But they did.

They never thought that their blog would become so popular. But it did.

They never dreamed that the New York Times would be interested in their story. But it was.

And they never really planned on ending up with a book contract. But now they have.

Learn more about their path from travelers to bloggers to future authors with this interesting post New York Times Q&A With Soultravelers3 on Frugal Traveler

Way to go...

Bloggers Meetup in Los Angeles

Travel bloggers in Los Angeles (or even just passing through) might want to check out this Blogger meet up co-hosted by The Vacation Gals and Uptake and television producer and freelance writer Kim Tracy Prince.

Here's the details:

Date: February 28, 2010 from 3.00 pm.

Location: The Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica

What's on offer: Uptake, one of the fastest growing travel sites, is running the Blog Traffic Seminar from 3:00 to 4:00PM, with hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and networking to follow.

If you think you can attend RSVP here.

Perceptive Travel looking for a new travel blogger...

Looking for an outlet for your travel writing?

Want to work with a great team of writers (Sheila Scarborough, Allison Stein Wellner and me)led by editor Tim Leffel?

Then you might want to apply for the travel blogger posiiton over at Perceptive Travel Blog

Here's the original post...


Perceptive Travel is Looking for a Blogger

We’re all sad to say goodbye to Antonia Malchik, who is backing off from here to spend time giving birth to a second child and work on some less timely writing pursuits. We can’t argue with that. See her sign-off note here.

So that means we’ve got a spot open for a new blogger to join us. I’ve posted a special page on the website that gives a lowdown on what’s required of the position, what kind of person we are looking for, and what it pays. (Hint—the money is probably not the main reason you would want to do this…)

As a branch of the Perceptive Travel webzine, which regularly wins writing awards and gets into those “best travel writing” book anthologies, we want a real writer. This is not some blogging sweatshop throwing up banal content just meant to feed a big network owned by search engine marketers. So as you’ll see if you follow the link, you will need to prove you belong in the company of Sheila, Alison, and Liz—-and can fill Antonia’s shoes. (Though we wouldn’t mind a guy who wouldn’t be able to put on her shoes: it would be nice to have a smidgen of testosterone in the mix now and then.)

Interested in trying out? Go read the new blogger guidelines.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers....

1. Learn to Craft a Perfect Author Bio

2. Why Writer’s Block is Your Secret Weapon

3. 5 Questions To Ask Before You Write For Free

4. How To Get Past The Blank Page By Creating Urgency

5. How to Give Yourself to Whatever the Moment Brings, and Forget Stress

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. Q&A With the Travel Photographer Robert Caplin

2. 10 Reasons Why That Other Writer Always Seems to Get Ahead

3. 10 Ways to make your editor love you

4. Editing Help – Tips for Revising Articles, Essays, and Short Stories

5. News you can use: 10 top takeaways from the 2009 ONA (Online News Association) conference

Press Trips: ethical or not?

There's an interesting discussion going on over at twitter on press trips. It was triggered by the writers over at World Hum who posted about the continual debate about press trips - ethical or not.

This latest rounds of discussions started following a this Daily Finance post - Ethics takes a holiday: Newsweek, New York Times writers in swag orgy

You can follow the debate over at twitter thread #twethics

And for more about press trips, check out previous Write to Travel posts on this topic...

FAM and Press Trips - Good or Bad for Travel Writers?

The Press Trip: Great Deal or Big Hassle?

Everything you wanted to know about Press trips…

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1.5 Choices You Will Face When Freelancing (And What You Should Choose)

2. Is Your Mind Holding You Back?

3. Ideas for Writers Who Travel, But Who Don’t Write About Traveling

4. How to Defeat Burnout and Stay Motivated

5. 45 Free Things for Writers