Transcript Expand Your Reach - Great Escape Publishing

Expand Your Reach:
How to Use Niche
Markets to Sell More
(and Work Less)
By Steenie Harvey
AWAI’s Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop ● Denver, CO ● July 2009
What is a travel magazine…? Look at niche publications
NICHE MARKETS
Traveling with kids.... travel for seniors....
golf... scuba diving... skiing... antiques...
wildlife... archaeology... gay travel...
history.... folklore ... skydiving... cycling…
business travel… religious travel
(pilgrimages)… the outdoors…’green’
travel…food and wine travel
Texas Parks & Wildlife
www.tpwmagazine.com
Primo Picnic Spots: scenic sites for
every month of the year
Haiku Hikes
State parks and destinations (New
Braunfels brims with water fun, rich
history, scenic caves and tasty
German sausage)
Legend, Lore and Legacy section
PAYS: $0.50 per word
Old Rip (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
The legend of Old Rip, Eastland County's famous
horned lizard, spurs a lot of questions. Can a horny
toad really hibernate for 31 years? Was the lizard
presented to crowds when the courthouse cornerstone
was opened in 1928 the same one that had been
deposited there in 1897? Did Old Rip, by his own
fame, cause the downfall of his own kind?
The story is hard to prove, yet difficult to disprove.
People either believe or not. Still, 80 years after his
coming-out party, Old Rip draws tourists to view him
in a velvet-lined coffin, lying in state at the Eastland
County courthouse….
Exercise:
Match the publication to the
story….
What was published where?
AARP Magazine (American Ass. of Retired Persons)
Adventure Cyclist
American Heritage
American Style
Christian Science Monitor
Diversion (Medical Meetings, Travel, for health professionals)
Doctors Review
Family Fun
Highlights for Children
Knitty Magazine (for knitters)
Military Officer
Native Peoples
1. Blue Ridge Bliss
Sounds like typical marketing hooey, doesn’t
it? But picture this — first, two gorgeous
national parks of high mountains, deep leafy
forests, and short hiking trails to misty glens
that will have you thinking of that Daniel
Day–Lewis/Madeline Stowe movie The Last
of the Mohicans (minus the bloody battle
scenes).
2. Rustic Retreats
If you’ve ever stayed in fancy five-star hotels
with pool butlers, pillow menus, thousandcount linens and staff who offer to polish your
shoes and unpack your suitcase, you know
how expensive they can be. It’s a little silly,
isn’t it? If you’re like me, you’re looking for
back-to-basics vacations, where the scenery
and setting are the point, not getting
pampered or pretending to be posh.
3. Exploring Macchu Pichu, Lost City of the
Incas
From a cliff high in the Peruvian Andes, I stared
down at the ruins of Machu Picchu, the mysterious
lost city of the Incas. I had traveled far to South
America to uncover the city's history, but soon
discovered that would be impossible. My guide,
Jaime Vasquez, whose ancestors were Incas, and I
walked down to the ruins on a wide stone path
called the Inca Trail. From the trail we could see
how the city sits on a narrow ridge between two
mountaintops, 8,500 feet above sea level.
4. Arts Tour: Bainbridge and Vashon
Islands
Impressions of Seattle typically include
mountains encircling the city like a necklace,
Mount Rainier its brightest jewel. But tucked
away in the waters of Puget Sound, a string of
islands adds another dimension. The fashion
here may be more fleece jackets than Aloha
shirts, but the island mystique is as strong as
in any tropical clime.
5. A Walk Around Iceland
They call it the land of fire and ice, and with its
massive glaciers and steaming volcanic fields,
Iceland has certainly earned the moniker. But
as my teenage son Edward, my fiance Phil and
I discovered on a summer bus and walking tour
of Iceland, that's just the tip of the iceberg (or
the bottom of the volcanic crevice) on an island
whose eerily breathtaking landscapes are
equaled only by its gasp-producing geological
wonders.
6. Living in a Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy
As the harmonica player winds down his solo, Mark
Farner, the former leader of Grand Funk Railroad,
gives me "the nod"—that magical moment when a
bandleader hands you the reins. I open up the volume
on my Telecaster, the Marshall amp roars to life, and I
step up to rock. I start playing like a drowning man
reaching for a life preserver, far better than I am
usually capable of. When I emerge from my haze, I’m
stunned to see Farner grinning his approval. As I
unplug my guitar cable afterward, the legend shakes
my hand and says, "Nice riffs, man!"
7. A Tennessee Inn with a Life-and-Death Past
Traveling through the beautiful Cumberland
Mountains in northeastern Tennessee, we took the
Caryville exit off I-75 to look for lodging. We
discovered an inn that defines hospitality—and
contains an intriguing memento of a very dark
moment in its owners’ past. Following the signs,
we ascended a steep driveway beside an eclectic
display of lawn sculptures and vintage farm
equipment that once belonged to Alex Haley, the
author of Roots.
8. Turkish Delight
Last March, I took a spur-of-the-moment solo
trip to Turkey. I spent several days in Istanbul,
taking in the Byzantine, Ottoman, and eastmeets-west sights and culture there. But four
days of the bustling big city was enough for
me, so I set out for three smaller cities scattered
about the rural western half of the country for
the rest of my trip.
9. Thailand’s Gentle Giants
I’d only been at Thailand’s Patara
Elephant Farm, a half-hour drive from the
northwestern city of Chiang Mai, for 15
minutes and already I’d learned more than
I bargained for about elephant health. I
was down on my knees in the long grass
holding an elephant turd the size of a
bowling ball in my hands when Pat
Trungprkan yelled, “Open it!”
10. Lets Powwow
The Native American dancers were tucking and
striding, creating a colorful swirl of feathers, fringe
and beadwork. Among them were my two boys,
Joey and John, ages seven and eight, respectively,
sharing in the opening intertribal dance at the
Spokane Falls Northwest Indian Encampment and
Powwow held in Spokane, Washington's Riverfront
Park. Even though they were dressed in T-shirts and
jeans, they--like all guests in attendance--were
invited to join in the dance and experience the
warm outpouring of community spirit.
11. Searching for the Promised Land
While cycling in Wyoming in 2001, I bumped into the
Nez Perce Historical Trail northwest of Cody, Wyoming
on the harshly named Dead Indian Pass. I hopped off of
my bicycle and read a historical marker briefly describing
the 1877 flight of the Nez Perce Indians, who were being
hotly pursued by the U.S. Army. I made a “mental sticky
note” to further investigate this bit of history.
Wow! What an epic tale it was! The story had all the
makings of a classic: murder, revenge, broken treaties,
deceit, short skirmishes, full-blown battles, and an
eloquent spiritual leader named Chief Joseph. Included in
all of this action was a cast of thousands.
12. Desperately Seeking Austen
There are worse things than being lost in the English
countryside on a fine spring day.
We were hunting for Steventon, a destination of the doton-a-map variety, but on this late April afternoon it eluded
us. With no one but fields of sheep to ask for directions,
we took several wrong turns through woods bright with
bluebells before finally pulling up in front of a pretty
country church.
My heart beat a little faster as I climbed out of the car. I
had come to England on a mission, to learn more about
Jane Austen’s life and books by visiting the places where
she lived and wrote.
How did you do?
AARP (Rock Fantasy Camp)
Adventure Cyclist (Blue Ridge Bliss)
American Heritage (Tennessee Inn)
American Style (Arts Tour, Bainbridge and Vashon islands)
Christian Science Monitor (Desperately Seeking Austen)
Diversion (A Walk Around Iceland)
Doctor’s Review (Thailand’s Gentle Giants)
Family Fun (Lets Powwow)
Highlights for Children (Exploring Macchu Picchu)
Knitty Magazine (Turkish Delight)
Military Officer (Rustic Retreats)
Native Peoples (Searching for the Promised Land)
What do they pay?
AARP: $1 per word
Adventure Cyclist: $.30 to $.40/word
American Style: $500-800 per article
Christian Science Monitor: average $200-$225
Diversion: up to $1,000 for features
Family Fun: $1.25/word features; $100 for 100-125 word snippets
Highlights for children: $150 and up
Knitty Magazine: $75-$100 per feature
Military Officer: up to $1,800/feature.
Native Peoples: $0.25 per word
Write about what you
know...and enjoy doing
Say it is knitting/textile crafts.....
Fiber Arts trails in the US
Specialist shops
Artisan profiles
Textile museums and galleries
Craft courses (anyone for a ‘Stitch & Bitch’ weekend in
Maine?) and fairs
Manos del Uruguay -handspun, kettle-dyed wool by rural
women artisans
Knitters of Peru, Ireland’s Aran islands, the Shetland Isles
Textile markets in India, SE Asia, Latin America
African bead markets
Interweave Knits: We are interested in articles on a broad
range of topics including technical pieces; profiles of
inspiring knitwear designers and people who raise animals
and plants for fiber; and features about regions of the world
where knitting has played or continues to play an important
role.
Pays $100/page www.interweaveknits.com
Bead & Button: Writers are invited to submit proposals
for stories about accomplished beadmakers and jewelry
artists as well as trends and other information that appeals
to our readers.
www.beadandbutton.com Pays $150-$400 for non-project
features of 1,000 words
Sunset www.sunset.com Covers arts/shopping in the western U.S.
Sample article: Get crafty in Portland’s fiber arts district. Pay, not
specified, but rumor says front-of-the book shorts start at $250.
American Style www.americanstyle.com Regularly features art and
craft trails, art towns, craft and textile features. $500-800/feature
Fiberarts Magazine www.fiberarts.com Includes ‘travel and
tradition’ features. (Painting the Quilt Barn Trail…Papermaking in
Bhutan …Coney Island Mermaid Parade) $70-$550
Native Peoples Magazine www.nativepeoples.com Seeks stories
reflecting Native life throughout the Americas, from the Arctic Circle
to the southern tip of Chile. Pays $0.25 per word.
A crafty trick for finding new
freelance markets....
Search where else the author has
been published
Land of the Rings
(NZ), Doctors Review
by Sally McKinney
Arizona Daily Star, Arizona Republic, Asia
Pacific Travel, The Australian, Boston
Globe, Boston Herald, Business Traveller,
Cleveland Plain Dealer, Doctor's Review,
Detroit News, Denver Post, Far East
Traveler, The Globe and Mail, Grand
Rapids Press, Hoosier Times, Houston
Chronicle, Indianapolis Star, Lake
Michigan Travel Guide, London Free Press,
Los Angeles Times, New Orleans TimesPicayune, New Zealand Herald, Pacific
Way (New Zealand), Portland Oregonian,
San Diego Tribune, San Jose Mercury
News, Silkwind (Singapore), South Bend
Tribune, South China Morning Post (Hong
Kong), Straits Times (Singapore), USA
Today, Vancouver Sun
Use your ‘insider’
know-how to write for
foreign markets...and
resell your stories
The UK... Australia...New Zealand,
etc
First British/Australasian/’Wherever’
Serial Rights
Even if you’ve sold First North American Serial
Rights, you can sell the very same story to
other English-speaking countries before or at
the same time it appears in North America.
I sold FNASR to Horse Illustrated for a story
about the Great Fair of Ballinasloe---an Irish
horse-fair. With a few spelling tweaks, I then
sold this same story to the travel section of the
UK’s Independent newspaper and also The
Age, a Melbourne-based Australian newspaper.
Wanderlust is looking for
travel articles about a
specific destination – a
country, city or region – or
an activity e.g. horseriding
in Chile, walking in
Morocco, etc.
Articles should be written
in first person, past tense,
and be between 1,800 2,200 words. Payment
£220 ($350) per 1000
words.
Kansas City: My kind of town (Daily Telegraph, UK)
The heart of the American Midwest is a saucy
town – for all the right reasons
You know the old saying — “It’s a wonderful place to
visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there”. With Kansas City,
it’s the opposite.
It’s a wonderful place to live, but I wouldn’t want just to
visit. I’ve lived in Kansas City for 20 years. I love it here
and don’t care to live anywhere else. We have no
mountains, no beaches, and not much else in the way of
natural, or even man-made amenities. Except for one
thing: barbecue. It’s the Barbecue Capital of the World.
Splashdown in the City (The Age,Australia)
The writer T.S. Eliot declared April the cruellest month but
in New York City it's August. The fetid summer heat builds
to a sticky crescendo and the city becomes one giant,
roaring air-conditioner. It's easy to escape the humidity by
staying indoors but there comes a time, for many
Australians at least, when the urge to swim kicks in.
While the city that never sleeps hums with activities,
finding a good spot to take a dip is a challenge - swimming
isn't the first sport of New Yorkers. However, when the
temperature soars, it's possible to get wet and even do a
few laps.....
Secret Lives of Famous Cities (The Age,Australia)
Too often travellers going to a big city for the first time, or
even for a second or third, don't get as much out of their visit
as they could. A traditional city tour can help visitors get the
lie of the land. But there are lots of unusual tours that can take
you deeper into the city's psyche, providing insider glimpses
that escape even many residents. Here's a sample:
Boston's PhotoWalks not only provide commentary but
photographic tips for composing artistic pictures along the
way. Four tours cover Beacon Hill, Footsteps to Freedom,
Postcards of Boston and the Waterfront. Adults $US25,
children 12-17 $US12. For details phone + 617 851 2273, see
http://www.photowalks.com.
LA's cemetery to the stars - and a cinema too
(Times, UK)
There are few more democratic places in which to reside
than 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles.
As long as you have the money, plenty of it, you're
welcome these days, regardless of race or creed. Swaying
palm trees, manicured lawns, lakes and views of the
Hollywood Hills don't come cheap.
Which is odd, really, because behind the high metal gates,
next to the Paramount movie studios lot, long-term
inhabitants on this patch of prime real estate don't get to
enjoy the vistas or the spring breeze blowing in from the
Pacific. Being dead in Southern California is a real
bummer, man.
Never be shy about
wallowing in misery--Brits and the colonials
adore bad news travel
stories
Excerpt from Turkey: Bad toilets...crappy country
The New Zealand Herald
This should have been a mythical, magical, biblical place. The staff
were so pleased to see us. They had laid the tables with platters of
unspeakably awful, fatty, rancid knobs of what might have been
mutton and bits of rock hard bread which we couldn't choke down.
But they could have served a three-star Michelin meal and we would
have found it hard to choke down. We had already seen the man with
the broom at his gruesome, never-ending, toilet task which seemed
more some Job-like punishment than a job. And we wanted to go to
the loo. But not that loo.
On the way to Mt Ararat we stopped at a hotel where we were told
we could use the loos in the rooms. Nobody had told the couple hard
at it on a sagging bed. So I don't know what that loo was like...
Where to get started on your ‘foreign
travels’
A good start for Britain, Ireland, and Commonwealth
countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and South
Africa is The Writers & Artists Yearbook. Currently
available through www.amazon.com for $16.47, it
carries contacts and abbreviated guidelines for many
major publications.
The UK probably has the most opportunities for
freelance writers. Not all take travel stories, but
numerous publications ---newspapers and magazines --- with contacts and website links are listed on
www.mediauk.com
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Published by:
American Writers & Artists Inc.
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Delray Beach, FL 33483
© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS INC.