In 2008, More Fun, New Passions, and a Better Income

Today:
*** Houston, Hong Kong, Austin, and San Francisco…
*** Can you write a simple letter?
*** Practical Writing Prompt of the Week: Write yourself out of your story
*** Reader Feedback: Cayenne in Your Shoes Does More than Warm Your Feet

Dear Reader,

Wait until you hear what we’ve got up our sleeve for you…

This time of year, we always go into “planning mode.” We’ve been intent on figuring out how we can bring you more of what you want in 2008. And I’m so excited about what we’ve come up with, I can hardly contain myself.

Our goal is always to bring you more (and better) opportunities to help you have fun, pursue your interests (like travel, photography, writing), discover new passions… and turn them all into an income, too…

We came up with so many new ideas we’re excited about for 2008 — that we figured we’d get started early.

We’re organizing a whole series of travel photography expeditions that are going to exotic locations all around the globe.

Now remember… our photo workshops are already different than others you find on the market. You don’t have to have any experience to attend. You don’t have to show up with a fancy camera.

Our attendees actually LEARN how to take better pictures — rather than just gain access to an area and roam around looking for something to take a picture of (without any kind of instruction on how to do it).

And, most importantly, attendees learn how to sell their pictures when they go home. (Some people admit that they come to our workshops for the marketing advice alone.)

Next year (in addition to a big, annual photo workshop we have in the works, which I’ll tell you more about in a minute) we’re launching a series of photography expeditions with a trip to Hong Kong for the Chinese New Year…

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JOIN US FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR IN HONG KONG
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This Hong Kong expedition in February is different than anything we’ve ever done before. Larger-than-life floats… lavish, Technicolor costumes… there’s bound to be a photogenic moment around every turn.

And instead of being a formal “workshop,” it’ll just be you and seven other travelers exploring for five days with professional photographer, Rich Wagner. He’ll be there at your elbow to help ensure you’re learning (and practicing) the secrets that make for amazing photos you can sell.

Now, this program includes your flight from San Francisco, your airport transfers, five nights at a hotel, breakfast daily, museum passes, a Hong Kong island tour (complete with cable car ride), VIP bleacher seats for the New Year’s Parade, a fireworks show, and Rich’s expert guidance.

The Early Bird price is just $3,977 (other discounts may apply if you are an ITWPA Member or Loyalty Club Member). And again, your price includes your flight from San Francisco as well as five hotel nights and the many extras I just mentioned above.

Three of the eight spots are already spoken for (every time I mentioned this tour to somebody on the phone this week, they signed up!). So only five spots are still open.

I imagine these seats will go quickly. The Olympics are coming up in China next year, and magazines and newspapers will be looking for material. This is a hot destination for travel photographers and writers right now. I predict that it’ll be easy to turn your Hong Kong material into cash…

Learn more about the Hong Kong expedition and take advantage of the early bird discount here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/hongkong

And that’s not all we have in the works…

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THE ULTIMATE MONEY-MAKING PHOTO WORKSHOP EXPANDS
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We’re also expanding, improving, and making positively extravagant our annual photography and travel writing events…

The first one up is our photography workshop, set for Austin, Texas — January 31-February 2.

We’ve reserved five separate conference rooms, and we’ll have something different (and irresistible) going on in each one.  Attendees will learn how to take better photos, of course. But, too, how to sell them to travel magazines and newspapers, stock agencies, and as fine art.

Plus we’ll have great guest speakers on hand to profile other lucrative markets you’ve probably never even thought about. Like selling your photos to health newsletters, getting your foot in the door at schools near you, or shooting sports teams.

Does your church have a church directory? Big photo studio companies dominate the church market — but they provide lousy pictures, awful customer service, and a cheesy product. There’s opportunity written all over this for new photographers. In Austin, we have someone coming to talk to you about what it takes to break into this niche.

We’re bringing in the models and the studio lights again — but this time on a much grander scale than ever before. Shelly Perry has helped us define trends that are selling right now in the stock photo business and we’re going to make those images come to life for all the photographers at this workshop. Attendees will get a chance to work with live models and use their own creativity to create images that are sure to sell for stock.

What’s more, once you finish the studio shoot, you can step into any of the Photoshop lab sessions we’ll have set up and edit your photos on the spot. No experience necessary. An instructor will be in the room to help walk you through it.

You’ll find a pre-registration brochure online for this January 31-February 2, 2008 event here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/austin/

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THE ULTIMATE TRAVEL WRITER’S WORKSHOP ON STEROIDS
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We’ll be expanding our annual travel writing workshop in much the same way. Of course, we’ll include those important sessions to make sure you know how to get published fast… and to guarantee you’re getting our signature, hands-on practice, which our attendees always rave about.

But in addition, we’ll be inviting lots of great guest speakers (editors, writers, and others), focusing on fun and lucrative niches you may never have considered before, integrating really productive break-out sessions, and more…

The pre-registration brochure for this event — set for July 24-26, 2008 in San Francisco — is posted here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/sanfrancisco/

Don’t forget to scroll down for today’s writing prompt.

— Lori
Lori Allen
Director, Great Escape Publishing

[Editor’s Note: Learn more about opportunities to profit from your travels (and even from your own home) in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.]

PRACTICAL WRITING PROMPT OF THE WEEK:

This week’s writing prompt is actually a “rewriting” prompt.

We’ve talked before about revising your story so you’re not writing too much about you. Steenie wrote an article about this, which you can find in our archives here.

Stephen King makes this point in “On Writing,” his nonfiction book about the writing process. He says he learned from his first mentor that “When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story… when you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not the story.”

Here’s an example of a writer getting carried away, putting himself in the way of the story:

“When I got off the metro in Paris, everything was wet from the rain, which was so romantic. The sun came out and shone off of the cobblestones which seemed to ripple in the shadows of the trees. I decided I was hungry, so I stopped into a little café to eat lunch. After that, I walked across the bridge to visit Notre Dame.”

Are you yawning? I am.

This writer could engage the reader better by taking himself out of the story:

“The best time to walk in Paris is in the fall, just after it’s rained. Cobblestones glimmer in the sunlight and seem to ripple in the shadows of the trees. Duck into any one of the cafes near the Chatelet Metro, and you can enjoy an unmistakably Parisian view as you lunch on a croque monsieur or a steak frites. Once rested and satisfied, walk across the bridge to Notre Dame.”

This week, go back through a story you’ve written and rework it, taking yourself — and any excess information — out.

READER FEEDBACK: Cayenne in Your Shoes Does More than Warm Your Feet

Lori,

Last month you wrote that cayenne in your shoes will keep your feet warm (True or False? Cayenne Pepper Keeps Your Feet Warm) but cayenne-in-the-socks goes further than just keeping you warm!

It’s a long-standing tradition to use cayenne in this manner to ward off a cold — helps with the circulation, warms the blood and has a ton of vitamin A (which is a much overlooked nutrient in dealing with colds and flus!)

There is a caveat however; unless you want to burn the bejeezus out of the soles of your feet, first put on a thin liner sock (silk is best; cotton will do) then sprinkle the cayenne generously into a heavier wool sock and pull it on. To make the treatment even more effective, climb in bed, drink a hot cup of peppermint/elder/yarrow tea (which helps open up the pores) and sweat it out. I’ve cured an impending cold overnight with this recipe!

Kristin Mineah

[Editor’s Note: Learn more about opportunities to profit from your travels (and even from your own home) in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.]