“A large part of success is just not screwing it up!” – Lori Allen
This week in part two of a three-part series with the editors’ panel from the recent Ultimate Travel Writers’ Workshop in New Orleans, host Jody Mayberry and Director, Lori Allen, pose the question: What are some of your pet peeves in working with freelancers?
Lori explains…
“It’s really just about following the rules. As a travel writer, you’re not just competing against other writers who write travel articles. You’re also competing against other freelancers who are sending editors the wrong stuff in the wrong way and the wrong format. About 80% of freelancers don’t follow the rules…and that gives you an advantage if you just don’t screw it up!”
A highlight at the Ultimate Travel Writers’ Workshop each year is the editors’ panel. A group of editors from a variety of publications are on hand to discuss what they need from freelancers and what they don’t like.
For more background on the editors that were in New Orleans this year, listen into our last podcast episode here.
When it comes to this year’s panel, it’s the little things that make a big difference…
***Like addressing an editor as a Mr., even when their website photo clearly shows she is a female…
***Or freelancers who get a great assignment and then miss the deadline…
The list goes on.
In fact, this portion of the editors’ panel almost becomes an editors’ therapy session as they vent their frustrations!
Jennifer Stevens, Editor-in-Chief for International Living and the architect of the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program for us, is the panel moderator. And, as an editor, she can’t help but chime in too…
“What drives me crazy is assigning a story to a writer and then receiving a horribly written article. And I can’t send it back or trash it because I NEED the piece for the magazine. I end up rewriting it to make it a nice article. The writer gets paid, gets a byline and then goes on to submit queries to other editors using the piece I rewrote as a writing sample. I feel bad because some very nice overworked editor is going to get screwed!”
Listen in for more freelance writing blunders and how you can avoid making the same mistakes.
And to get more information on what it takes to be a travel writer, go to dev.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.
You can also put your name on the hotlist for next year’s Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop here. We’ll announce details next Spring.
Tune in next week for part three of our series on the editors’ panel.
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