Country Article / Postcards
ARE YOU GUYS FOR REAL?
Date: 06/04/2003Dear International Living Reader,
Remember the e-mail that came through recently from International Living? It was titled "Dream Job...Dreamy Benefits...Travel Writers Needed Now." It drew some interesting responses:
-- "I am interested in your postcards, and also your real estate, but this sounds like a scam. I cannot believe that you are really interested in travel writers."
-- "Can you help me believe this is a legitimate course and not a gimmick?"
-- "Would love to sign up, however want more information as I can't see it being real."
I can understand why there are some skeptics out there--after all, we live in a cruel world. But yes, it's a legitimate offer. The opportunity for you to explore the globe as a travel writer--and get paid for it--is very real.
If anybody should know it's me. I've been writing for International Living for twelve years. In May they sent me to Mediterranean Corsica. Only last week, I was exploring Poland. Later this month I'm going back to Italy. And in July, I'll be in the land of cuckoo clocks and cowbells--Switzerland. If that's not a dream job, I don't know what is.
Now, I can already imagine those suspicious souls who are asking: "How do I really know you're a genuine travel writer? What guarantee do I have that you're not some kind of do-anything-for-a-few-bucks mouthpiece? In fact, you're probably International Living's bamboozler-in-chief." Well, I do have other writing credentials, you know. (Search for "Steenie Harvey" at www.amazon.com.)
You've probably seen the postcards IL publishes on the website, in e-mails and in the print edition of International Living. Although I write as many postcards and articles as is humanly possible, my byline doesn't appear on everything. IL is always on the lookout for new writers to cover destinations around the world.
Of course, you need to know how to string words together...illuminate stories with lots of color...learn the ability to write a killer lead. As a former IL editor herself, Jen Stevens (author of the Passport to Romance travel writing course) can teach you the secrets--and she knows exactly the kind of articles the editors at International Living (and elsewhere) are seeking.
I can promise you that Jen is a wonderful teacher. Again, I should know--I've seen her in action. As well as the writing course, she also organizes International Living's travel writing workshops. I've joined her and lectured at workshops in Paris and San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.
The "Passport to Romance: The Ultimate Travel Writer's Course" program has been put together specifically for people interested in taking up the travel writer life. You can read more here.
Steenie Harvey
Roving Euro-editor, International Living
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