At 12 years old, I pictured myself as a published writer, pushing through adoring fans at book signings and appearing on TV shows, sharing my wisdom with young Chuck Warren wannabes. Then, I spent the next four decades doing absolutely nothing to accomplish that goal. I did write a lot. However, I never dared to […]
When I first retired from teaching public school music, I relished days filled by long lunches with friends, afternoons spent leisurely reading Southern Living while sipping sweet tea, then preparing a nice dinner for my Silver Fox (a.k.a. my husband of 47 years). But after a while, a restlessness crept in… and I knew I […]
Before I became a travel writer at the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop, my 9-to-5 existence involved working as a corporate recruiter in the architecture and engineering fields. That meant spending the bulk of my day reviewing resumes and discussing job descriptions with engineering managers. Prior to my business card reading “travel writer,” my sexiest day […]
There it was. In my hand, staring back at me. The notification from the California State Board of Registered Nursing—it was time to renew my license. Something I’d been doing for 34 years. I’d always make sure I had all my ducks in a row with the required continuing education units. But, did I really […]
When an editor first asked me if I’d like to go on a press trip, I was excited immediately. Of course I would! The thought of an all-expenses-paid trip to sunny Florida meant that I could officially say I was a travel writer. But then she told me it was to a Club Med property. […]
Lori: Patti, How did you discover you were destined for this line of work? Patti: It was sort of an epiphany. I’d been traveling for my whole adult life and loved it. But it’s expensive, so I wanted to find a way to fund my passion. I’ve always loved writing, so with a little training, […]
Editors, when it comes right down to it, are looking for one most critical thing from any article a freelancer submits: They want an idea they know their readers will latch onto. If you can deliver that, you’ll sell your articles. The challenge, of course, is to do so. But there are a few easy, […]
I’ll never forget writing my first travel article. It was the initial piece in what became an established road trip series. It was Santa Fe, and it was beautiful. I had never been, and from the curious and adventurous appetite of a travel writer, the experience was all the more rich. It was an 80-minute […]
When Reggie Nelson wanted to make money, he decided to take a new approach. Instead of getting a job and earning a minimum wage he could barely afford to live on, he drove to one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in town and started knocking on doors. When the occupants answered, he asked them for advice […]
Attending the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in 2014 was the first step to launching my travel-writing career. As I sat in the workshop, I wasn’t sure if this was really the change that I was seeking. Then, over the next three days, I was overflowing with ideas, and I had a roadmap to create the […]
