I was reading through this morning's e-mails, and as it generally happens, I started looking for something in my old e-mails, and found something totally different. While I still haven't remembered what the initial search was for, I have been inspired to write to you about travel writing. I don't think I've touched on this subject in quite a while, but I was pleased to see the present day website of someone who published his first book at about the same time The Yachtie Bible, (predecessor to Crewing Aboard a Superyacht, www.extraordinary-jobs.com/crewing.htm), came out. The guy is named Tim Leffel. Check him out: www.timleffel.com. He has some great titles for those who want to adventure on not much money.

I think all of us who love travel also love to study the way people live in different places. We take lots of pictures, and often write journals to record what we have seen and done. What starts out as a way to preserve our own memories can very often become a secondary income source for us as well. I say "secondary" income source because it really takes a lot of work to earn enough to live on by writing alone. It's a sad state of affairs now days, but writers simply don't earn very much money, unless of course their name is "Stephen King". Besides, starting writing or photography as a secondary career is a gentle way to get into it. The pressure is off to "make it succeed", and more care can be given to the quality of the writing or photos.

I put together a few links to services I use to stay informed about the publishing industry as a whole. You'll find valuable information for writers of every experience level, as well as links to places where you can sell your stories. Not sure what to start writing about? How about your home town? You just need to look around as if you were seeing it for the first time. Where would you choose to stay and why? Where would you choose to eat and why? What would you do there to entertain yourself? What is the history of your home town? Write the information as if it were a letter to your cousin from far away. You're telling someone you like how to have a good time in your hometown, (without inviting them to your house!) Write at least 800 words, but not more than about 2000. 1200 words is a good length to shoot for for most publications. If you have high resolution photos to accompany your story, so much the better.

Check out the links below and subscribe for updates. All these publications are full valuable information for travel writers.

Online Writing and Publishing Discussion Groups:

John Kremer's Book Marketing Tip of the Week (e-mail newsletter), www.bookmarket.com

Marketing Travel Books (group),  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MarketingTravelBooks/

WritersWeekly.com (e-mail newsletter), www.writersweekly.com

Publishing Digest (group), http://groups.yahoo.com/group/publishingdesign/

Travelwriters.com (online community), http://www.travelwriters.com/