Articles in this month’s issue:

--Tips for writers: How to find great networking opportunities

--More tips for writers: Travel and get paid for it

--Traveling topics: Work camping

--On the road: Visit the real Old West in Oatman, AZ

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TIPS FOR WRITERS:

NETWORKING FOR WRITERS:
Look for the best networking opportunities

If you’re looking for prospective clients to network with, you must attend meetings that emphasize exchanging business leads. Here are some ideas.

1. Business associations: If there is a home-based or small business group in your community, see if they focus on making business connections. Attend a few meetings to find out how it works. If I had attended only the first meeting of the Home Based Business Association in my county, I would have come away empty-handed. However, I did note that people made a point of meeting and greeting while enjoying snacks before and after the formal meeting. For best results, don’t eat while trying to talk with new acquaintances. Nothing like some brocoli between the teeth to influence prospective clients!

2. The local chamber of commerce always provides a place to network, but they may hold their meetings at some ungodly hour in the early morning or hold after-hours socials. While I belonged to the chamber for awhile, it didn’t fit my schedule to make the most of networking opportunities. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be great for others. Membership fees might be a little steep for beginning writers, but check it out for your business.

3. Leads clubs: Back in the mid-eighties and early nineties, there was an organization of business groups across the country called Leads Clubs that focused entirely on exchanging leads. At each meeting, everyone got up and introduced themselves and their business. There was time for socializing afterwards so that members could become acquainted with each other and exchange leads. And all members were encouraged to refer fellow club members to friends or business associates. This was the ideal situation for fostering business leads, and I got many from belonging. I don’t know if this association still exists as I haven’t seen mention of it in the paper for a long time, but you might want to start your own club specifically for this purpose. Call it something else, though, because it’s possible “Leads Club” was a trademarked name.

4. Form your own small group to meet weekly to share ideas, provide business help to each other, and exchange leads. This should consist of no more than four people that you admire and enjoy.

I belonged to two such groups. One consisted of four writers who met for lunch weekly for support and motivation. We all focused on different aspects of writing: one was a romance writer, one taught writing autobiographies to the elderly, one wrote magazine and newspaper articles and also produced histories of associations and communities. I was the only one who focused on producing a variety of projects for businesses plus getting articles published. If you’re a writer, you are going to need to get out of the house occasionally, and this provides an excellent opportunity to socialize and achieve some business goals.

What did we have to share? For starters, if we were having trouble with getting a sentence or word sequence just right, we took it to the group. If we needed encouragement or a swift kick in the behind, we got that from our peers. We also exchanged referrals. Some of us are still friends after all these years!

I also formed a group of business owners, again no more than four people. You want to make sure these are people who you respect for their knowledge of business and can trust with your business secrets. These will be your closest business confidantes, advisors and motivators. You’ll also trade referrals. My group became very close-knit friends, and without them my business would have never made it through those first, trying years.

5. Social and service groups: You might find some success by networking with these groups, but you’ll have to attend a meeting to determine what transpires, such as do they set aside time for introductions and business announcements? The Junior League is an example of a service and social organization, but it exists mainly for spouses of successful professionals to do charity work. While participating in activities with the wives of doctors and lawyers might net you an occasional business writing referral, the group is not geared towards business. On the other hand, an organization like Elks is a great place to meet and get to know other business owners.

6. If you want to get your work published, then go where editors and publishers congregate. Attend every writers conference you can find in your area. Sometimes small conferences will take place in nearby medium-size or large cities or at local colleges, and the public can attend. The big ones, like the Maui Writers Conference, are huge gatherings where the cream of the crop gathers to share industry news.

If you can afford it, this would probably be the place to go, but unless you walk in prepared to approach presenters and introduce yourself and your prospective book or project in a brief sentence (you only get a few seconds), you needn’t waste time trying to hook an assignment or sell a book. This conference attracts the most experienced writers and editors, so it’s a great educational opportunity even if you aren’t prepared to sell a work in progress. And you can still introduce yourself to editors that you can send query letters to later and mention that you met them at the conference. You can also meet other writers who may be willing to share information that will help give your career a boost.

When you arrive at a conference, or even beforehand if you get a chance, sign up for the workshops that will benefit you. Some time slots may not have anything you’re interested in, but one time a friend and I signed up for a romance writing presentation even though neither of us was interested in that genre. Still, the presenter became an interview subject for me, and we later became friends. Every experience is an opportunity for education, advancement or friendship if you look deep enough.

Make sure you separate “networking” from strictly social organizations before you commit your time. Determine who your clients are most likely to be and focus on finding ways to reach them. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with belonging to social and service groups—in fact they’re good and necessary, and provide many much-needed services to the underprivileged, sick and elderly in communities nationwide. However, to network successfully and build your business, you MUST ALSO join groups that focus on business networking.

So get out there. Walk up to other attendees, stick out your hand and say “Hi,” “Howdy,” or “Hi y’all,” or whatever is comfortable for you. Tell each person you greet your name and ask theirs, if they don’t volunteer it. You can always say something like, “Hi, I’m Mary Sunshine, what brings you to this meeting.” Some people are shy and at a loss for words at functions where they don’t know anyone, but everyone loves to talk about themselves. A friendly smile and a greeting will usually break the ice for them, and for you if you’re the hesitant one. If they don’t offer their name, say, “I’m sorry, I don’t believe I got your name. Do you have a business card?” You’ll soon be a pro at meeting and greeting, and at building your writing business. Trust me, once the referral ball starts rolling, you'll soon be running to keep up with the business of your dreams!

For an excellent article and different take on starting out as a writer and succeeding, and what she had to do to succeed, read Accountability by Robin Allen. Go to this link: www.writersweekly.com, August 16, 2006.

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More Writing Tips . . .

Travel Writing
Travel and get paid for it!

While RVing is my choice for traveling and writing, it might not be yours. There are many writing opportunities for travel writers who roam the world as jet-setters. However, unless you know a publisher who is willing to pay you to hop around the globe or you already have lots of travel writing credits under your belt, it’s probably not going to happen for you for awhile. It is a goal worth pursuing though, if that’s your dream.

To get started in the travel writing field, concentrate on producing destination pieces and peddling them to magazines and newspapers. You should read other destination articles to see what type of information is included. Are articles written in first person (I was there and this is what I saw and did), or are they all third person. Some publications prefer one type over the other and you must know which they’ll buy before approaching them if you want to appear professional. And you do, don’t you?

It also helps if you can take great photos, but if you don’t, magazines can usually acquire them from stock image companies. Those are businesses that buy photos from a variety of sources and focus on collecting exceptional ones to offer for sale for publication. You can also get great photos from the local or state tourism office.

If you want to take your own pictures, buy a good camera with a telephoto lens. Digital photography is becoming more acceptable to magazines and newspapers, but those using higher grade paper still require slides. If you haven’t taken professional quality photos before, practice by taking several shots of each subject, including close-up and wide-angle. Make notes about what time of day you took each one, what camera setting you used, unless yours is a point and shoot camera, then study the photos to see which works best for telling a story. Take a class on photography. Or maybe you have a talented friend who will be willing to travel with you and take photos to illustrate your articles. Traveling with a friend is a lot more fun, anyway, than going it alone.

I have taken hundreds of slides, which I’ve saved in a file. Keep them in a plastic sleeve made for holding slides, and write with a felt tip pen what the subjects are on the top edge.

Now, I use a digital camera almost exclusively, and those photos have illustrated several of my published articles. Study the publications you want to write for to see what quality they use. Get a copy of their guidelines, which will tell you what they want.

Become a globe-trotting journalist, if you like, by building a portfolio of outstanding articles and photos. You can fly, cruise, drive, ride the rails or go at an even more leisurely pace by RV. I personally don’t like flying, especially now that restrictions are so tight, and it’s such a hassle and so time consuming to catch a flight. RVing is the ideal mode of transportation for me.

One thing you might want to avoid is being comped for a room, meals, or airline tickets while you’re traveling. It can cloud your report and might be construed as a bribe to write a flattering review of your destination. Some magazines won’t accept articles if you’ve received free travel, room and board. On the other hand, if you can find magazines or newspapers that don’t care how you got your information, then you can probably build enough publishing credits to convince resorts, etc. to comp all of your expenses. This is one of those ethics dilemmas that sidetrack many a well-intentioned writer.

Even if you never accept compensation from the people and places you’re writing about, you’ll still be offered small gifts from time to time. I have always refused comps, but there have been times when I’ve become friends with an interviewee and after an article is published, they have offered a small gift, such as a musician’s CD or tickets to a show they’re performing in, or a book from a writer. If the article is already in print and I have an ongoing relationship with the person, I have accepted small token objects on a few occasions. And if there’s any way I can get free publicity for a writer’s book or a muscian's CD, I make sure to do it.

You’ll have to decide how you want to handle ethical questions like this on your own. Be aware that if you get an assignment from a magazine, and they’re paying you for your travel, expenses, and for your time, then there’s no question that you should not accept comps under any circumstances. If you can build a reputation as a great writer whose articles are factual and untainted, you’ll have expense paid vacations for as long as you want to write and travel. If editors from most magazines know you have a reputation for accepting comps, you’ll definitely not win new assignments from them, but you still might become the darling of resorts, etc. and receive free vacations if you’re getting publicity for them in other magazines. See the dilemma?

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For more information on travel writing as a career, check Amazon.com for titles that match this field. Check www.writersmarket.com for market information for placing your articles and books.

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Traveling topics:

Working while RVing
Pay for your travel with jobs on the road

In a previous issue, I mentioned work camping for those who want to earn extra income while traveling. There are reasons why you, as a writer, might want to do this and reasons why you might choose not to do it.

Why you might want to work camp

If you are a new writer who doesn’t have a published track record or enough clients to keep your coffers filled, then you might want to explore working while traveling. There are other benefits besides money. You’ll learn a great deal about the region you’re visiting and will probably find new topics to write about. You might even meet new business clients if you do business writing.

Work camping at RV parks

The RVing world is filled with RV resorts that need workers to help out during their busy season. These resorts and campgrounds actively recruit workers to help out during the summer (or winter in the South).

Some parks offer a free campsite in exchange for a few hours work each week. Often, they prefer couples to fill two jobs, but if you offer to work more hours, they might accept one person. Most parks will ask that you commit to anywhere from two months to an entire season.

If you’re interested in pursuing this route, always check monthly rates at nearby RV parks and divide that by the State minimum wage. In other words, if the minimum wage is $7.00 per hour in that State and average monthly site rents for $350, then you should not be required to work more than 50 hours per month. If the park hired locals to work, they’d have to pay minimum wage, and maybe add some benefits. Don’t sign on to work for less!

Some RV parks will offer a free site, plus salary. Again, make sure you’re getting a fair shake. Most RV park owners are honest and value the RVers who work for them, but some are not above trying to get slave labor from people they perceive as already well-off or they wouldn’t be traveling. It doesn’t matter if you’ve won the lottery and don’t need a penny. If you want to work just to keep busy, you can always volunteer at a national or state park. But if you want to work for a regular RV park because of the social activities offered, demand a fair wage.

Other work options

Another likely spot to find work is at places like Disneyland, Disney World, Six Flags, Silver Dollar City, and many others across the country. These don’t usually provide RV sites or housing, but they do offer a fair wage and you can find a nearby RV Park to stay in. There’s usually a time commitment required.

Many of the national parks hire temporary workers during their busy season. Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and many of their concessionaires provide jobs in their shops, or at their inns. They usually provide housing and a salary since they’re most often located in remote areas. These places also insist on a time commitment.

Temporary agencies are always an option for traveling workers. Sign up with one that hires people with your skills, then arrange to sign on wherever you visit. Many of the jobs they offer will require some commitment of time, but it might vary from a week to several months.

Why you may not want to work camp

The main reason I can think of for not working is that you sometimes end up toiling away more hours than you’d planned, and suddenly you don’t have time to write, or you’re too tired. Don’t forget your writing goals. If you can achieve a balance that allows you to write and to earn income on the side, then this is a great way to expand your knowledge and pocketbook.

If you choose to go this route, perhaps you’re traveling with a spouse or partner who can work while you write. We met a young couple in Massachusetts one summer who return to the same park every year. He works for a nearby nursery while she attends to her own agenda. Finding a place to return to every year is a great option for earning income, but it does limit your travel options. If you are traveling to see the country, then you might get caught in a rut returning to the same place each year and not get to travel as much as you’d planned.

Check the back of RV magazines to locate job opportunities. A great source for jobs for RVers is Workamper News, http://www.workampernews.com. Their magazine lists hundreds of jobs that you can apply to for seasonal work.

Always question carefully any owner you contact about the job, wages, etc. If you travel cross country to take a job with a park you’ve never visited, you run the risk of landing a terrible job with a boss from hell. Try to find out as much as you can before you make the journey. If you’ve found a place you adore, check to see if they need employees. That way, you’ll know the owners and their personalities, and you’ll know whether you enjoy the RV park.

We once took a job that we didn’t check thoroughly enough beforehand. We traveled about 800 miles, and when we arrived we didn’t like the look of the park or the neighborhood. Too late, though, because the owner had spotted us and had rushed out to welcome us. As a result, we ended up spending a few months in a miserable location working for the witch from hell. And, instead of working 3 days on and 4 off, then the reverse for the next week as I had been told--once I arrived there, I found out I was on duty 24 hours a day for those days I worked. That meant I was answering calls as late as midnight and as early as 3 a.m. from sadistic RVers wanting to make reservations at those hours, and getting up at 5 a.m. to return key deposits to those early bird RVers who insisted they had to get on the road by that time. To say I was a cranky camper was an understatement. Don’t let yourself get in a similar situation.

Whatever you decide, remember to enjoy your journey since this is your only chance to get this life right. Don’t waste it doing work you don’t like in a place you can’t stand for people you wouldn’t even waste time with if you weren’t working for them. There are too many special places and friendly people across the U.S. to get stuck with the small percentage of idiots and oddballs who inhabit this country.

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On the road . . . Backroads of northern AZ

(For the next few issues, I’ll write about small, must-see towns in Arizona and the American South.)

Most visitors to Arizona skip the backroads, small towns, and historical, quaint and offbeat sites scattered around the state. Instead, they head for Phoenix, then maybe take a side trip to the Grand Canyon. Those visitors miss the real west full of quirky little places that offer their own charms and delights.

Sections of old Route 66 are still in use in Arizona, and along one narrow, winding strip of this historic roadway west of Kingman lies the rough and tumble ghost town of Oatman. Take it from me, this is not your typical, sanitized, old-west tourist town! Except for a few shops, what you see now is just like it has always been, including dirt sidewalks and weathered buildings. Even the burros that roam the main drag are descendants of those that were tamed and used for gold mining operations back in the early 1900s.

Oatman has had only one brief flirtation with the spotlight when Clark Gable and Carol Lombard honeymooned here. Still, the town is an original, and should be on the must-see list of everyone who likes quaint, out of the way places.

Weekends are best for visiting, when dancing to western music and staged gunfights draw tourists to town.

One warning: Some of the curves on the drive from Kingman to Oatman will make your hair stand on end, so it’s best to leave your RV in Kingman and make the short trip in your dinghy or tow vehicle.

(This is an excerpt from an article that I wrote in 1996 for a now-defunct magazine.)

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You are free to reprint articles from this newsletter for your own publication as long as you credit the author, as follows: Article by Kay Kennedy, author of "Portable Writing: the Secret to Living Your Dreams with 25 Projects to Fund Your Freedom." Web Site at http://www.kennedyk.com

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Readers: Also check out my blog site at http://freelancewriter.booklocker.com/ for more articles.

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