Podcasts about great escape publishing director

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”― Mark Twain   Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen discuss what’s on Lori’s mind right now. Always having her finger on the pulse of what’s happening at Great Escape Publishing, Lori’s constantly looking for new things to teach members. And, she’s eager to discover what they’re interested in. Lori shares what that’s like… “I’m constantly trying to figure out what challenges we need to face. How can we best help people? People are out there doing great things and we want to continue to help them.” Lori followed a recent Facebook conversation in one of Great Escape’s closed groups. People were wishing they could do one of our expeditions but couldn’t afford it. Lori came up with the idea of creating a Great Escape Meetup in an interesting destination. Listen in as she shares this interesting new concept. If this new idea and experience interests you, visit the www.greatescapepublishing.com events page for more information.

“Take off on a quest or a personal search until you find yourself. You either find yourself or decide to go home.”--Bel Woodhouse Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen introduce us to Bel Woodhouse. “Bel is quite the spitfire,” says Lori. “She’s an ex-Navy kick butt woman!” Bel makes an indelible impression on everyone she meets. With her combination of British and Australian slang, she inspired the attendees at last September’s Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Austin, Texas where she was on the success panel. Formerly in the Royal Australian Navy, she now lives in Mexico. “I left the Navy, sold everything, went on a walkabout, and ended up in Guatemala teaching English for a couple of years.” Bel attended her first Travel Workshop in Washington DC and decided she was going to write full time. Today she’s living in Cozumel and loving the life she’s created. She’s added photography and creating travel videos to her skills too.  Listen in as she shares her entertaining and inspiring story. You can get started in Bel’s footsteps when you join us at The Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop this year. Live seats are SOLD OUT. But there’s a way to attend from the comfort of your home—and get access to every insider tip and secret—at a fraction of the price. Details here.

“You don’t have to know all the steps to getting where you want to be, you just have to know the next step.” ―Valerie Young Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen introduce us to Valerie Young. Lori introduces us to Valerie… “Valerie describes herself as the “dreamer in residence” at changingcourse.com. I go to her when I have questions for people interested in transitioning to new careers.” Valerie shares her insights into what it means to follow your passion and the role passion plays in the work that we do. “I’m of the mind that it is important generally speaking that we find something we enjoy doing. But sometimes people get really hung up on finding their true passion.” Valerie encourages people to think about what they want their lives to look like first and then figure out how to make that happen. Listen in as Valerie shares her insights and advice on how to focus on life first and work second as a means to creating the life you want. If you’re interested in pursuing a career that allows you to live life on your own terms go to www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting and explore the ways travel writing can help you do that.

“I went all the way across the world and realized people there are just like me.”—Jody Maberry Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen reflect on Jody’s first international trip. Jody had never left the country before his recent trip to Kuwait. It was a “go big or go home” jump into international travel starting with 14 hours of flight. His first impression—he didn’t like it. He didn’t like flying with 300 people. He was bored and he couldn’t sleep. As a result, he suffered severe jet lag after arriving. Lori shares a similar experience she had when she first visited Shanghai. Although she found a restaurant with a menu in English, the choices were something she would never eat. Hippo and bird nest soup were both offered—and that wasn’t going to happen! Between the unacceptable food choices, trouble with taxis, jet lag and the overwhelming pace of the city, she cried the first night. Ultimately, Jody and Lori both adjusted to their destinations and enjoyed their respective experiences. Listen in as they reflect on their experiences and what travel has taught them. Lori is a big believer in digging deeper into travel to explore new cultures and places. If you’re interested in learning how to do that in your travels, the Great Escape Publishing travel writing and photography courses are the place to start. Visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting  and www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/photography for more information.

“Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets planning.”—Thomas Edison Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen talk about the recent Ultimate Photographer’s Workshop in St. Louis, Missouri. Lori shares her thoughts on the event… “This was our 174th live event and I think it may be my favorite one yet!” From the outstanding staff at the Chase Park Plaza where the workshop was held to the enthusiastic attendees, the event was a huge success. YouTube sensation and photographer Nigel Danson and National Geographic photographer Jad Davenport joined the already spectacular line up of presenters. Both were very popular with the attendees. They even had Lori taking notes during their presentations. Listen in as Lori shares more about the workshop and other live events presented by Great Escape Publishing. Next year’s event will be in Alexandria, Virginia in the Spring so it’s possible the attendees could catch the annual cherry blossoms.   The next event coming up is the Ultimate Travel Writers Workshop which will be held in Little Rock, Arkansas in September. Tickets are on sale now. For more information about Great Escape Publishing events, visit www.greatescapepublishing.com.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”—Helen Keller Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen talk about Jody’s first international trip. Believe it or not, Jody’s starting his experience with international travel with a trip to Kuwait. As he says, “the most exotic place I’ve ever been is Duluth, Minnesota!” Lori asks Jody what he has done to prepare for this trip. His response: “I bought a plane ticket and got a passport!” Jody definitely needs some tips to prepare for his big trip. Lori starts with the basics… …passport and visa requirements …vaccinations …contacts for the US Embassy …tips for using credit cards overseas …packing and clothing tips Lori has extensive international travel experience. The tips she shares with Jody will benefit anyone planning for international travel. For more information about Great Escape Publishing, visit www.greatescapepublishing.com.

“Listicles are like the ‘crack’ of travel writing, we just have to read them.” –Kyle Wagner Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen bring Kyle Wagner to the show. To listen in to a previous episode with Kyle, go here. Lori introduces us to Kyle… “Kyle has a lot of spunk and I would imagine that’s why she’s such a great travel writer. She’s enthusiastic, funny and always entertaining. And she wants people to live a full life and love what they do.” Kyle has 30 years of journalism under her belt. She spent 12 of those years as an editor at the Denver Post.  Now she’s freelancing and loving the flexibility and freedom the freelance life brings. She joins Jody to talk about “listicles” and the place they hold in today’s journalism… especially online. “Listicles are a list of the ‘top 10 (or some other number) this or that’ held together by an introduction,” explains Kyle. “They’re just like the popsicles they’re named for—easily digestible.” For a writer who’s in love with the narrative and wants to tell a story, listicles can be frustrating. However, they sell better than any other stories out there. Listen in as Kyle gives tips on how to make your listicle ideas more valuable and unique which will make the publications love them. Kyle has worked with Great Escape Publishing to develop an intern program for members who prefer small group travel writing instruction. Through this program, she teaches members how to write queries that will get their articles noticed and published. If you want to learn more about GEP’s internship program with Kyle, go to www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/intern.

“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.”— Virginia Woolf Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen bring Connie Pearson to the show. Lori introduces us to Connie… “Connie is this sweet Alabama Christian grandmother that has not only had several travel articles published in a variety of outlets, she also has her own blog.” Jody talks with Connie about her blog and how it started. “I started blogging in earnest in May 2015 a few months before I attended the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Denver. I had used the Great Escape Publishing blogging program by Paula Pant to get started.” It’s a program that Connie highly recommends as it helped her set up her blog and taught her how to manage it. After Connie began pitching travel articles to various outlets, she began to realize how important her blog is in the process. Listen in as Connie shares the ways her blog has enhanced her travel writing career. She also shares why she loves blogging and having the opportunity to let her personality shine through her words as she shares inspiration with her readers. If you’re interested in exploring blogging, visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/blog where you’ll find more details about GEP’s program on creating your own money-making blog.

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all: Read a lot and write a lot.”—Stephen King Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen bring food blogger Nathan Aguilera to the show. Lori introduces us to Nathan… “Nathan is a blogger that I found when we were looking for someone who was blogging about food. I found him on Instagram and reached out to see if he would help some of Great Escape Publishing’s members that were interested in blogging and building a social media following.” Nathan has been solo traveling for the past five years. About 18 months into his travels, he decided to start his blog to document his travels. Today Nathan works with tourism boards and companies around the world to promote destinations and brands. Listen in as Nathan explains the benefits of having a blog and the type of writing you should publish on your blog. Nathan also offers advice to those considering starting a blog. If you’re interested in starting your own blog visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/blog and check out GEP’s blogging course.

“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.”—David Bowie Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen bring back Janette Tepas to the show. You can listen to our last episode with Janette here. In the past, people came to Great Escape Publishing to either study travel writing or photography. Generally, the two didn’t overlap. But things have changed, and Janette is a great example of that change. Janette is living the “gig life” which means she’s doing multiple things at a time. She doesn’t have a corporate job that pays her a salary every two weeks. Instead, she’s doing all types of things which is fairly common with creative types. Janette leads tours, takes photographs, dabbles in digital painting and she’s a seasonal stylist. Baby boomers like Janette have been taught to value longevity but many boomers are changing direction and learning to value creativity over longevity. Listen in as Janette shares more about her life and why the “gig life” appeals to her. She also offers advice to others who are interested in pursuing a life less ordinary. If you’re interested in pursuing something different, one of our favorite opportunities is travel writing. You can visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting and check out the video to learn more about getting started.

“That the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.”—Ray Bradbury Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen share some of the advantages of attending a live event. In recent podcasts, Jody has spoken with Tracey Minkin, Travel Editor for Coastal Living magazine. He has also shared portions of her presentations from the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Austin, Texas last September. You’ll find one of those previous episodes with her here. Great Escape Publishing’s most successful members are those who attend live events. Lori shares why live events are so helpful… “It’s the power of a group—doing things in a group is motivating. And it’s also the creative spark that can ignite from a comment made by one of the presenters like Tracey.” Jody shares a small portion of one of Tracey’s presentations about finding your story lede where she gives us the four questions we should always ask ourselves when we’re out in the field traveling and reporting to find that perfect story lede. For more information on getting started with travel writing, visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour.”— John Heywood Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry brings us the first in a series of episodes highlighting segments from the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Austin, Texas On this episode, you’ll hear from Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen as she delivers the opening message to the workshop attendees. We join Lori live on stage at Austin as she tells us it’s an amazing time to be a travel writer. “One of our attendees, Caroline brought me something we gave out in 2007 about what it takes to be a travel writer. Back then we told people to buy stationary to send query letters and to put slides in folders to submit with articles,” says Lori. Things have really changed! There was a time when Lori was concerned that all the changes with blogs and online magazines would destroy travel writing. But, it’s done the opposite. Now there are even more places to get information which means it’s an awesome time for travel writers. Listen in as Lori shares the importance of using the tools you already have to get started in travel writing. For more information about how to get started with travel writing, visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

“Taking action attracts people and attracts opportunities.” –Jody Maberry Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry talks with Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen about the great things that can happen when you put yourself out there. It’s the life of a travel writer… or in Jody’s case, a podcaster. Jody shares a recent experience... “I was invited to visit the Indianapolis Zoo for a behind the scenes look at the dolphins and walruses to see how things are done.” This visit included Jody’s entire family and it was an incredible experience for all of them—especially his daughter who loves dolphins! It’s these kinds of experiences that make the life of a travel writer so rewarding. Travel writers often have experiences that aren’t available to the average tourist. And, as Jody experienced, realizing that the work you’ve done resulted in a special memory for your child is absolutely priceless. Listen in as Jody and Lori discuss how asking questions can lead to richer experiences and deeper insights into the destinations you visit. Put yourself out there and good things happen. It’s not rocket science… and it’s not something that will cost you a lot of money. You can start from anywhere. If you’re interested in getting started with travel writing, visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting for all the information you need to get going.

“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one!” –Dolly Parton Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen introduce is to Kim Wilson. “At Great Escape Publishing, we create a safe place for beginners to start in travel writing and photography,” says Lori. “But our audience is growing and now we are also a place for professional photographers.” Kim Wilson was already a professional photographer when she attended Great Escape Publishing’s stock photography workshop a few years ago. She was interested in learning more about ways to use her photography skills. Now Kim has branched off into something else…videography. “Kim is the perfect poster child for when you’re standing at a crossroads and don’t know which road to take.” Kim shares with us how she started in photography at the young age of 14 and how choosing to change direction in her career led to success and even challenged her to rethink her identity. In this podcast Kim offers practical tips and advice for finding your own niche and building it into a successful business.   If you’ve been inspired by Kim’s story and want to consider transitioning into video, visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/video for more information on getting started.

“I get more out of a trip than any vitamin has ever given me in my life.” –Lori Allen Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen discuss the recent Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Austin, Texas. The workshop has just concluded and Lori is still recovering. “It’s a lot of excitement, and even life-planning and I’m still coming down from it,” says Lori. People typically come to Great Escape Publishing at a pivotal time in their life. Perhaps they’re transitioning out of a career… or out of a place they didn’t want to be… and into a world of travel. “We’ve all had trips that changed us as a person. You know when you come home from certain places, you’ll never be the same… you’ll never look at the world the same way.” The Great Escape live events affect people in a similar way. The environment rejuvenates and energizes the attendees and encourages them to continue on their journey toward a new life of travel or photography. Listen in as Jody plays the testimonials he recorded from some of the attendees at the recent event. For more information about upcoming events with Great Escape Publishing, visit the Events page on their website at: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/events

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour.”—John Heywood Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen talk with Jed Vaughn live at the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Austin, Texas. Lori invited Jed back to the workshop to be on the success panel for a second time. Jed’s travel writing success is unique in that he hasn’t chosen a specific niche to focus on. He’s written about sailing, fishing, coffee, wine and beer. He’s also written about music. “I think I haven’t narrowed and focused on one niche because I get bored easily. But I’m also passionate about a wide variety of things,” Jed explains. When Jed discovered the Great Escape travel writing program, he hadn’t written anything since high school. He started by taking the travel writing course at home—which provided the formula. But attending the workshop brought networking into the mix and that’s what launched his career. As Lori explains… “Our editors and speakers give you the formula and the writers speaking on the success panel show you the formula really works.” Listen in as Jed shares some of his experiences and why he thinks not having a niche works best for him. If you’d like to get started with travel writing, like Jed, you can learn more here: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travel-writing/.

“To see your name for the first time in print is a thrill.” –Cynthia Notti Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen introduce us to Cynthia Notti who is in Austin, Texas attending the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop as a member of this year’s success panel. Lori talks about the success panel… “This is one of my favorite parts of our annual workshop. We hear from editors, writers and others who have had very large successes… and who’ve been writing for a while. But the success panel includes former attendees who have found success after attending the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop.” The stories shared by the success panel are an inspiration to attendees. It’s motivating to hear from people who were in the audience not too long ago. Cynthia is one of those people. She attended the Denver workshop in 2015 and within one month she had her first article published. “Being a travel writer means a lot to me,” says Cynthia. “I came from a finance and accounting background, but it’s always been my dream to write… and I love to travel.” Cynthia shares more about her recent successes, talks about how her work has progressed and what she believes are the benefits of attending the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop. By attending Great Escape Publishing’s Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop you’ll experience the inspiration and energy Cynthia and Lori are talking about—and you’ll receive an actionable plan for starting your own travel writing career. To add your name to the Workshop Alert List for first details on next year’s event go here: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/events. Or to get started with GEP’s home study travel writing program, visit: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/program/travel-writing/.

“It doesn’t matter how many years you’ve been writing, it’s always inspiring to see your byline in a magazine.” –Ian Aldrich Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry talks with Ian Aldrich, the Deputy Editor of Yankee Magazine, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen live from the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Austin, Texas. (You can listen to last week’s episode with him here too.) Jody asks Ian what he likes about speaking at this event. “Coming to an event like this, meeting other writers, talking story ideas and being with like-minded people recharges my batteries,” Ian explains. Lori agrees… “These events provide a creative spark—you can see it in the eyes of the attendees and you can feel the energy in the room.” Ian and Lori also share more about finding your way around writer’s block, using a creative spark as inspiration to finish projects and the benefits of being around the positive energy generated at live events. By attending Great Escape Publishing’s Ultimate Travel Writing Workshop you’ll experience the inspiration and energy Ian and Lori are talking about. For more information about upcoming live events, https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/events/. Or for more information about getting started with travel writing at home, you can learn more about their online Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program here: http://www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

“We are all, each and every one, unique in the Universe. And that uniqueness is what makes us valuable.”—James A. Owen Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry talks with Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen and Deputy Editor of Yankee Magazine, Ian Aldrich live from the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Austin, Texas. Jody poses the question, “Can anyone be a travel writer?” Ian answers with a resounding “Yes!” “The idea that magazines have their set writers and aren’t open to new writers isn’t true,” says Ian. “We’re looking for good ideas and welcome the opportunity to work with new writers.” Ian shares the story of a woman who pitched Yankee Magazine an idea for a story on the Cape Cod National Seashore. “We’ve written about Cape Cod and the National Seashore many times, but this writer pitched a story about the places her husband, a park ranger and his colleagues go when they’re hiking the area.” She had no clips, had never written for Yankee Magazine but they gave her the assignment because it was a great idea… and she made the case for why she was the one to write the story. Ian shares the importance of looking at things through your unique perspective and presenting fresh ideas from places that have been written about many times. By attending a live event like the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop, you can gain access to editors like Ian Aldrich and learn firsthand what it takes to get published in their magazines. For more information about upcoming Great Escape Publishing events, go here: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/events/.  Or to get started at home with their online travel writing program, visit http://www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

“A rising tide lifts all boats.” –John F. Kennedy Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen talk about what’s new in stock photography. “It’s my job to notice trends and stock photography is a conversation that comes up a lot with new photographers as well as those who’ve been very successful.” Lori looks at someone like Carli Davidson, author of the New York Times bestselling photo book, Shake. “I started working with Carli when she wasn’t as well-known as she is today. Now she’s doing commercials for Friskies, Pedigree and other huge companies. She’s also doing some work for Great Escape Publishing on the side—leading workshops and interacting with beginners to pull them along on their journey.” It’s Lori’s job to explore what people like Carli and other successful photographers can do to encourage members who are just starting out on their photography journey.  That’s where stock photography comes in. Professional photographers often talk about shooting the things they’re passionate about. Stock photography can help beginners discover their passion and more. Listen in as Lori shares the latest trends in stock photography as well as its benefits… especially for new photographers. If you’re interested in learning more about stock photography, visit https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/sign-up/breakfast-stock-club/ to sign up for the free Breakfast Stock Club newsletter.

“Each day is a new chapter in your life, and you get to decide what chapter comes next.” –Lori Allen Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen explore the idea of freedom. People want freedom. Lori shares a recent example she heard in the news… “Two elderly men broke out of their nursing home to attend a heavy metal concert. They were just a couple of old “metal heads” seeking freedom from their lives in the home. After the men were located and returned to the nursing home, the festival organizers tweeted about it saying, ‘You’re never too old to rock!’”   These men aren’t unlike many others…no one likes feeling trapped. Lori shares her experiences growing up in a family of prison guards. It was a good job that came with benefits. “What it was to me was a constant reminder of what happens when people are trapped…when their freedoms are taken away.” Loss of freedom comes in many forms…a job you hate…a toxic relationship…lack of options for change. But the truth is, you control the destination of your life…you get to choose the next chapter. Sometimes it just takes a little encouragement or inspiration from others to realize you can regain the freedom you crave. Listen in as Jody and Lori discuss some of the ways people are finding the keys to the new chapters of their lives. If you’re looking for your own type of freedom, explore the options Great Escape Publishing offers to help you on your journey. A great place to start is with their travel writing program. You’ll more details about it at www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

“Travel is like a giant blank canvas, and the painting on that canvas is only limited by one’s imagination.” –Ross Morley Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen introduce us to Kevin Wenning. “Out of all of the get paid to travel opportunities we publish at Great Escape Publishing, I REALLY love our tour program,” says Lori. “It’s super trendy to go on unique, customized, non-touristy tours—which makes it very profitable right now.” Kevin is a true entrepreneur who has combined two of his passions into tours: biking and photography. He shares with us the back story… “I used to commute to work by bike, so it was natural for me to want to jump on a bike when I would travel to a new destination.” Renting a bike to get where he wanted to go became a regular part of Kevin’s travel style. Later, he added photography to his biking trips. Over time, he began to piece his ideas together. He talked to some friends who were also taking international biking vacations and discovered there was a market for this unique travel style. Listen in as Kevin shares with us several things including… What inspired him to create his tours His marketing strategy The types of people who are interested in his style of tours (it wasn’t what he expected) The excitement of traveling with like-minded people The importance of staying prepared for opportunities that come your way If you want to learn more about creating your own customized tours, visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/tours for information about Great Escape Publishing’s program, Leading Tours for Fun and Profit.

“There’s a lot of the world I have left to check off my list, but I keep wanting to go back to Africa.”—Lori Allen Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen talk about her recent trip to Kenya. Kenya is usually the first country people go to when they go on an African safari. Lori did it backwards. “I visited South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana and Namibia before making it to Kenya,” says Lori. Lori thought it would be more of the same things she had already experienced. But she was wrong. “I didn’t think I would see anything different in Kenya than I hadn’t already seen in Tanzania. But you drive a mere two or three hours and it feels like you’re in a different world.” “There’s something about Africa that calls you back. I’ve been eight or nine times now and every trip blows me away.” Listen in as Lori shares some of the new experiences she had on her most recent trip to Africa where she explored Kenya. She even had a fun celebrity spotting experience when she met Ellen DeGeneres in the restroom! Africa is becoming one of the top tourist destinations in countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia. The time to go is always now. Great Escape offers photography expeditions to these locations and others throughout the year. To learn more about upcoming trips visit their events page at: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/events/ and sign up for the Workshop Alert List to receive “first alerts” about future events.

“You have a choice to look for rainbows or look for dirt, I choose to look for rainbows.”—Janette Tepas Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen introduce us to Janette Tepas. “After attending the Great Escape Photography Workshop last year in San Diego I was inspired to try something new with my photos,” says Janette. Focusing on her hometown of Chicago, Janette photographs local points of interest and uses her artistic skills to create unique art as note cards, jewelry, ornaments and paintings. “I print my photos in black and white then, using watercolors, I hand-paint color directly onto the photos.” And… she’s selling them! “The workshop in San Diego helped me focus on what I could do by combining photography with the art skills I’ve developed over the years. It gave me inspiration and direction.” Listen in as Jody and Janette talk more about her work and the various paths it has taken her so far. Lori also talks more about how we can take things we have special access to and turns those into a unique photography niche. If you’re interested in getting started on your unique path to photography, Lori suggests checking out a “Power Hour” recently created by Bonnie Caton, on her path to earning $10,000 from her photos in her spare time. You’ll find it at www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/10k.

“Above all, enthusiasm sells.” –Steve Roller Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen introduce us to Steve Roller. Steve has always loved traveling but only recently started profiting from his travels by leading tours. Steve says his parents were his inspiration for getting started. “Four years ago, my family and I spent the summer in Ecuador. My parents visited us for two of the weeks while we were down there. I played tour guide to them while they were visiting despite my concerns that their expectations would be too high.” It turns out Steve’s parents were thrilled with his tour guiding skills and encouraged him to lead tours for other people. Steve was inspired, and that inspiration really caught fire when he discovered Great Escape Publishing’s program, Leading Tours for Fun and Profit. “The program provided me with a step-by-step process for putting together a tour and running it with all the details I needed.” Listen in as Steve shares the simple ways he markets his tours…without spending a penny on advertising! He also shares what appeals to him about running tours…and it’s not just about making money. If you’re interested in organizing a tour to a destination or leading a small walking tour around where you live, you can learn more about getting started with Great Escape Publishing’s program, Leading Tours for Fun and Profit here: http://www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/tours.

“You make your own luck.” –Ernest Hemingway Host, Jody Maberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen talk with travel writer, Tricia Pimentel. Lori introduces us to Tricia… “Tricia came to Great Escape Publishing expecting her journey toward travel writing would be like some of the success stories she had heard from other members. But, like the algorithms of the birds that take one step toward the flock and one step out on their own…Tricia found her journey to be one of stepping out on her own.” Tricia shares her story… “I started my writing career with a blog where I posted stories from my travels with my husband.” Tricia had no idea where that blog and her love for travel and writing would lead her. “My husband and I had sold our house outside of Park City, Utah and were touring the Pacific Northwest and the National Parks when we decided to go to San Francisco.” Tricia’s husband had read about the Ultimate Travel Writers’ Workshop in International Living—which he had subscribed to for many years. “We needed to go to San Francisco to get our documentation in order for the move to Portugal, so it made sense for me to attend the workshop while I was there.” Tricia’s intent was to learn more about how to improve the writing on her blog, but she found much more. The workshop opened the door for her to write for International Living and now she is a regular contributor as an expat living in Portugal. Listen in as Tricia shares more about how she landed the International Living gig, what she loves about Portugal and what advice she has for others interested in travel writing. The best place to get started is by attending a live event. To sign up for the upcoming Ultimate Travel Writers’ Workshop in Austin, Texas this September at www.greatescapepublishing.com. If you can’t attend, check out the blogging program at www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/blog.

“I had nothing to lose, so I answered the call and landed a fulltime writing gig!”—Jessica Pickett Host Jody Mayberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to Jessica Pickett. When Jessica came to GEP’s Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in 2014, she didn’t see herself having much in common with other attendees because she was working full-time and would be traveling and writing in her limited spare time. But now, Jessica has already had more than 100 stories published—an ambitious undertaking for someone who works full-time. She says, “I was 29 when I first attended the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop, married to a farmer and working in a fulltime career. Many of the people I met at the workshop were retired or getting ready to retire and I thought there was no way I would be able to do this.” Using the skills she learned at the workshop, she sent a query to a regional publication that was looking for writers. “I had nothing to lose, so I answered the call and landed a full-time writing gig!” Although Jessica can’t travel long distances often, she started with weekend trips and has managed to land another position as a writer for her local tourism office. Listen in for more information on how Jessica has managed to balance her full-time career and home life while following her dream of travel writing. If you’re interested in building a career as a travel writer, you can learn more about getting started here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

“Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen.” –Wayne Huizenga Host Jody Mayberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, bring Noreen Kompanik back to the podcast to talk about aspects of her travel writing career. (You can listen to Noreen’s last podcast interview with fellow member and writer, Theresa St. John here.) Noreen has had hundreds of articles published and is a great resource for beginners. She’s helped other writers get past their first two or three articles and into the hundreds. She’s consistently positive, hard-working and helpful to others. Noreen shares how she transitioned from her career in nursing to travel writing. “I was a presenter at the Ultimate Travel Writers Workshop in Washington DC last September,” says Noreen. “On the break, some of the attendees asked me how I got to this point and I told them I re-wired my brain.” She also shares her thoughts on Robert Sperry’s theory of right brain/left brain dominance. She believes learning to use both sides of her brain has helped her to succeed. If you’d like to learn more about getting started with travel writing, you can sign up for a free video here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

“A good first impression can work wonders.” –J K Rowling Host Jody Mayberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, talk with travel writer, Terri Marshall about the importance of networking. Once a tax accountant, Terri transitioned to a part-time travel writer before making the leap to full-time travel writer a couple years ago. Having been writing for about a decade now, she’s a great person to talk to at Great Escape Publishing events. Terri shares her tips for successful networking and what it can mean for a travel writer. “Live events are excellent networking tools,” says Terri. “I’ve met most of the editors I write for at live events—either conferences, media marketplace events, or tourism and public relations events like cocktail parties and luncheons.” Terri shares with us the benefits of developing relationships through networking. Her suggestions for making a good impression and successfully navigating networking events include… …Presenting yourself as a professional …Dressing appropriately …Mingling and making small talk …Asking questions and really listening to the answers …Courtesy and good, common-sense manners Listen in for more of Terri’s networking tips. She also shares what’s new in her travel writing career for 2018. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a travel writer, you should start with the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program to build a strong foundation then sign up for a live event to build on that, like Terri did. Visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting for more details on how to get started.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” –Benjamin Franklin Host Jody Mayberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to Betsi Hill. Lori shares her insight into Betsi… “People like Betsi are attracted to travel writing because that’s what drives them. Betsi loves the idea of having fun, living life, loving what she does and not being bogged down with commutes and other ordinary career issues.” Betsi’s quest for fun in her life has brought her success as a freelance writer, blogger and now as an editor-in-chief of a new publication. A key component of her success has been a result of attending trade shows and events. “As a travel writer, blogger and a new editor-in-chief of a start-up magazine, I go to trade shows, media marketplaces and other specialized shows with a three-pronged approach,” explains Betsi. “I’m interested in meeting people for the possibility of writing about a destination, garnering that precious perk called free travel, and finding out destinations and products that we could potentially review in the magazine I’m editing.” Betsi shares with us how she maximizes the benefits of the trade shows and media marketplace events she travels by… …Researching the destinations and products in advance …Developing a 30-second elevator pitch that presents the “who, what and why” every destination wants to know …Maintaining a press or media kit that showcases her work and illustrates how her work can benefit brands and destinations Betsi also shares how she follows up after an event and what has helped her achieve an 80% success rate of working with the contacts she’s developed.  If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a travel writer or a photographer, Lori suggests starting with the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program to build a strong foundation then sign up for a live event to build on that foundation. Visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting for more details.

“If you want to be a travel writer, this is what you need to know. Does it work? YES!” – Jen Stevens Host Jody Mayberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to Jen Stevens, Executive Editor at International Living and architect of The Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program. Jen Stevens tells us how it all started… “Working at International Living, I spent a lot of time working with writers who were not professionals. We were working with expats to get their expertise and experiences and to get them to share their stories about what it was like to live in the places we were featuring.” Jen spent a lot of time working with these expats and writing and rewriting the stories she received. Then an idea struck her… “I thought, it’s not that hard to write a good article. If these people understood the fundamentals, they could write these articles on their own.” International Living and Great Escape Publishing teamed up and asked Jen to architect The Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program to share the fundamentals of travel writing. Jen created a program that “pulls the curtain back” and shows people the basics… …How to know what an editor is looking for …How to write a story the way and editor will want …Whose door to knock on to get that article published …How to knock on that door It’s been 17 years since The Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program was first published. The program ultimately led to the live event, The Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop and has seen many revisions to incorporate the changes brought on by online publishing and the wealth of opportunities it provides for writers to get published. Listen in as Jody and Jen discuss the program, the live workshop and other interesting trends in travel writing. For more information on travel writing, go to: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

“Why should I pick a favorite destination for photography when I can enjoy them all?” – Daniel Nahabedian Host Jody Mayberry and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to professional photographer, Daniel Nahabedian. Light is so important to Daniel that Lori refers to him as the “Master of Light” and looks to him on a regular basis for his post-processing techniques in Lightroom… “Daniel approaches photography from an artistic point of view and puts a lot of time and thought into his images.” Daniel talks to Jody about how it all started… “I studied law in France then moved to Abu Dhabi and worked for 5 years in Human Resources. But I was bored and wanted to do something creative.” A case of camera envy led Daniel to buy his first camera although he had no prior experience in photography. “Photography became my passion and a year after I bought that first camera, I quit my job and became a fulltime travel photographer.” That was 10 years ago. Listen in as Daniel shares with us some advice for beginners and… …the importance of practice …the importance of sharing your photos for feedback …the importance of shooting in the right light. He also talks about what’s up next for him in travel and why Tanzania was the country that surprised him most. Daniel will be at Great Escape Publishing’s Ultimate Photography Workshop in Baltimore this April. The event has been sold out for months, but there’s a backdoor way to get in... For the first time ever, this year’s event will be live-streamed, so you can access all the information the attendees receive, but for significantly less, from home. For more information and to sign up, visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/livestream.

“Imperfect action always trumps inaction.” –Lori Allen Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, talk about a recent Great Escape Publishing newsletter that went out in reference to the story, Finding Garcia. The simple message of the story is this: When you’re asked to perform a task, don’t ask how and don’t ask why—just do it. Lori and Jody discuss how this relates to the tasks we are assigned in life. As an editor, photo buyer and employer, Lori just wants someone who can get the job done. “It’s always refreshing when someone just calls it and says ‘I’ve got this and I’ll get it to you’,” says Lori. Listen in to the discussion and see why it’s important to act…to call the fly ball…and to make decisions without excessive questioning and research. It’s what editors want in the travel writers and photographers they work with. Editors are looking for anyone who can find a Garcia. To sign up for Great Escape Publishing’s free newsletter, The Right Way to Travel, and receive messages of encouragement and opportunities, https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/subscribe/. It could change your life for the better.

“Paying it forward is the right thing to do, it’s the good thing to do and for me, it’s the only option.” Theresa St. John Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, bring Noreen Kompanik and Theresa St. John back to Great Escape Radio. Noreen and Theresa met through GEP and formed a friendship—despite being from completely different locations and backgrounds. That friendship has resulted in collaborations for press trips and articles. They share how they collaborated on one trip in particular together - to New Orleans.  By splitting up the tasks of reaching out and scheduling tours, reserving hotels and securing restaurant reservations, they were able to plan a very successful visit much more efficiently. By pooling their resources they were able to get 11 published stories from that one trip! Noreen and Theresa also work together to encourage other Great Escape Publishing members who are finding their own way in the travel writing world. It’s all about paying it forward—and they use Great Escape Publishing’s Travel Writers’ Café to focus on helping others. Noreen says, “Every time a new writer posts about getting an article published, it’s like reliving that experience.” “It’s a real tribe—everybody wants everyone to be successful,” says Theresa. Listen in to hear more about their experiences in collaboration for trips, articles and the encouragement of other writers. If you’re interested in meeting other travel writers to build the foundation for relationships, the Travel Writers’ Café is a great place to start. The purpose of the café is for new writers to be a part of a supportive, inspiring community as they work together to get their first 100 bylines. You can learn more and join the café by visiting https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/cafe.

“There are two sides to travel writing—the income side and the side of loving what you do, the side that makes you wake up happy every day.” – Lori Allen Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, bring Gwyn Goodrow back for a second time as a guest on Great Escape Radio. You can listen to our last episode with Gwyn here. Gwyn was one of the travel writers on the success panel at the 2017 Ultimate Travel Writing Workshop in Washington DC.  She spoke about a moment when things went from being about the nuts and bolts of travel writing to being about the heart of travel writing. “There are two sides to travel writing—the income side and the side of loving what you do. The side that makes you wake up happy every day,” says Lori. Gwyn has discovered both sides and she shares her story with us. Listen in to hear how meeting a cat named Mrs. Bentley in a New Orleans rug shop led Gwyn to the realization that the true heart of travel writing are the connections she makes with people along the way. She also shares with us what it was like being on the success panel just one short year after being a new attendee at the workshop and how she benefitted from being at the workshop a second time.  Gwyn’s husband is also interested in travel writing and attended this past year’s workshop in Washington DC. She shares with us how they plan to incorporate their mutual love of travel and travel writing into their lives individually and as a team.   To get started writing your own stories from the heart, visit https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting to watch a video that shows you how the travel writer’s life works. For more information about this year’s Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Austin, visit: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/events/the-ultimate-travel-writing-workshop/.

“When you think you know everything, you stop learning.” Efrain Padro Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, bring Efrain Padro back to the podcast to discuss the myth of talent. Efrain is one of GEP’s most popular instructors, and recently taught two sessions to writers at the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in D.C. about how to become better photographers. The marriage of travel writing and photography is a necessary union. If a writer can submit articles and photos as a package, he or she is more likely to get published (and can earn twice the income). But many writers don’t think they have the talent for photography. Efrain explains the “myth of talent” that often holds us back from attempting something new. He was first introduced to the concept of the myth of talent back in 2001 when he attended a lecture by Craig Tanner. “Craig said everyone starts out not being very good, including him. I knew I wasn’t very good and since Craig Tanner started out not being very good, I knew I was on the right track.” Now Efrain is labeled as a talented photographer. “As Craig Turner said in his lecture, being talented only means you survived being untalented.” It’s not about talent, it’s about two things: Acquiring information Practice Listen in as Efrain and Jody discuss the concept of the myth of talent more and how you can move beyond that myth to become a better—even talented—photographer. For more information about selling your photos, you can visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/photography where you’ll find a video about the various markets you can get started.

Great Escape Radio Episode 88: Lift the curtain “A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.” ― Moslih Eddin Saadi Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to Great Escape member, Ken Staeck, another attendee from this year’s Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in D.C. Ken shares what led him to the DC event… “Photography is my first love. Growing up my dad, my brother and I always had cameras. Our dad even had a dark room in the house. I was looking for a way to use travel writing as a bridge to photography.” Ken found information on Great Escape’s travel writing programs through Facebook. “The information talked about photography along with travel writing. I knew I could take photos but I was a little concerned about the writing. But, I do some writing in my work, so I thought I’d give it a try.” Ken was able to sandwich the Ultimate Travel Writing Workshop in Washington DC between two business trips. Now he feels that he has the tools to work toward a future after retirement that blends photography with travel writing. “When I arrived at the workshop my thoughts were: How am I going to write these stories? What am I going to do? So I took a lot of notes and listened to the speakers—many of whom started with nothing and made things happen. Once I sat down and followed the steps, it wasn’t as hard to write a story as my brain told me it was.” Listen in for more of Ken’s story and to see why he believes traveling with your children helps create solid relationships with in a family. By attending the workshop, Ken lifted the curtain to discover the process of travel writing. He followed the steps he found behind the curtain and is on his way to a new career as a travel writing and photographer. Which curtain are you the most curious about lifting: travel writing, photography, blogging or video? Consider that question and then you’ll find… -details about travel writing here:  www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting -more about photography here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/photography -how to get started with blogging here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/blogging -how to create saleable travel videos here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/video Lift the curtain of your choice at the above links.

Great Escape Radio Episode 87: That family feeling “The family feeling I felt at the Ultimate Travel Writers Workshop is the closest feeling to home anyone can get while on the road.” – Brenda Nelson If you’re interested in learning more about travel writing, go here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to Great Escape member, Brenda Nelson. Like a lot of members, Brenda was looking for a way to reinvent herself. With her four sons now grown and out in the world on their own, it was the right time for her to join GEP in D.C. for their annual Ultimate Travel Writers Workshop this past September- something she had wanted to do for years. Listen in as she shares more about her story, her experiences and the “family” she found at that event—a family that has offered her encouragement and support to embark on a career in travel writing. “After attending the workshop and speaking to editors and others who have been where I am now, I realize I have what the editors are looking for. I know I can do this—I have confidence.” If you’re interested in learning more about travel writing, go here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting or, if photography is more your style go here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/photography.

Great Escape Radio Episode 86: Begin with the end “Start with the end in mind.” – Stephen Covey For more information on getting started with travel writing, visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to Great Escape member, Scott Kendall. Scott attended the 2016 Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in New Orleans and had so much success in just one year, he was invited back to this year’s success panel in D.C. to share his story. Scott comes from a self-help background—having been a certified coach for the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People series by Stephen Covey. And he is now using travel writing to improve his life, be more interesting and to travel.  He is still teaching full-time and is the high school tennis coach so he does his writing on the weekends and on summer breaks. But already he has experienced numerous perks in the form of complimentary lodging, dining, and special experiences.  He shares with us more about his story, his success and why he believes you should always begin with the end in mind. He also tells us how meeting travel writers who found success with Great Escape Publishing gave him a clearer picture of exactly what the “end” looks like. Getting involved with other members is one of the best ways to find success and encouragement. If you’re not yet connected to us on Facebook, you’ll find our page here: https://www.facebook.com/GreatEscapePublishing/. For more information on getting started with travel writing, visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

Great Escape Radio Episode 85: Invest in Yourself “If you don’t have a plan, then you plan to fail.” – Cat Holladay For more information on getting started with travel writing, visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to Great Escape member, Cat Holladay. Lori starts us off… “We’re talking about the different types of people that are attracted to Great Escape Publishing. From highly professional skilled photographers, writers, and journalists all the way to people who have never tried anything remotely like this up until this point in their life. We have adventure seekers and knitters, golfers and whitewater rafters. Cat represents the younger side of our members that are attracted to this ideal.” Cat falls into the millennial category. She left a high-pressure corporate job a decade ago to do something more exciting. She initially started consulting but realized that with all the travels she and her husband were doing, she had tons of tips to share. She began blogging about her family’s experience and that led her to travel writing. Cat recently attended the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Washington DC. Here’s her thoughts on the workshop… “Several things brought me to the workshop. There are plenty of workshops that promise different things, but the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop stood out to me because I felt like its claims were realistic. And the past attendees seemed satisfied and successful. After attending, I know that I chose the right program.” Investing in yourself isn’t something a lot of millennials do, but this seminar gave Cat all the tools she needed to get started and to add an income stream to her bottom line. Just 10 days out of the conference, Cat has already had one query and one pitch accepted. Cat is not taking a traditional approach to her work/life balance. She shares with us the plan she and her husband have devised to allow them to escape the “live to work” mentality that is so prevalent in the USA. It’s a plan that will give them more time to teach their young son about the important things in life. If Cat’s story has inspired you, there’s more information on getting started with travel writing at www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting. Or if you’re not yet on Great Escape Publishing’s free e-letter, The Right Way to Travel, you should sign up for more get-paid-to-travel tips and secrets here: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/.

“Instead of putting things on a bucket list, I decided I needed to live my bucket list.” – Becky Breshears For more information on getting started with travel writing, you can visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to Great Escape member, Becky Breshears. Lori met Becky at the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Washington D.C. and found her story and message inspiring. “I love Becky as a person. She is indicative of the kinds of people who are attracted to this life of getting paid to travel.” Becky had a stressful career before retirement. Her husband was in an equally stressful career. They put off planning for retirement until the stress died down. But that time came sooner than expected because the stress of it all took her husband’s life. While it’s a sad story, Becky’s approach to dealing with the changes in her life is inspiring. Becky shares her story… “I started in travel writing because I love to travel. For much of our business lives we are coached to put things on a vision board—to write down a bucket list for the future. But I decided I needed to live my bucket list instead of just writing it down.” Becky’s losses in life made travel almost vital to her survival. She started blogging about her travels because people told her they were living vicariously through her Facebook posts. “Out of tragedy sometimes comes a different perspective on life,” Becky says. “You need to make those memories you want in your life. Don’t put it off.”  Always interested in immersing herself in the local culture when she travels to find the stories no one else has found, Becky shares with us how she plans her travels. And she also shares her plans for a remote year where she’ll be living in different cities over the course of the year—an experience that is bound to boost her travel writing career while helping her grow as a person. If Becky’s story has inspired you, there’s more information on getting started with travel writing at www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

Great Escape Radio Episode 83: There’s no stopping Verna “Travel writing gives me a reason to get up. It gives me an identity, and it gives me a different viewpoint when I travel.” – Verna Bevens For more information on getting started with travel writing, visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to Great Escape member, Verna Bevens. Lori says, “I thought it would be fun to start looking at who some of our members are. It’s a varied group with everyone from people like Joe Sindorf, an award-winning photographer, to retired grandmothers looking to reinvent themselves. Verna is a good example of someone that I might call part of the ‘upset apple cart group.’ She thought she knew where she was going in life, but things changed.” While in college, Verna took a job at a hospital just to pay the bills. She was majoring in journalism and studied magazine writing and photography. She got busier at work and ultimately stopped her studies for a while. It wasn’t until she turned 50 that Verna quit working, went back to school and finally finished. Even after obtaining her degree, she returned to work in healthcare amid concerns she wouldn’t find a job in journalism. Now she’s retired but that hasn’t turned out as she planned either. Due to her husband’s illness, they are unable to travel as they had hoped. But none of that is stopping Verna. Listen in as she shares her story—one that may resonate with and inspire you to keep following your passions no matter which road leads you there. If Verna’s story has inspired you, there’s more information on getting started with travel writing at www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting or, if photography is more your style go to www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/photography. An excellent way to get started right away is by ordering the recordings from the recent Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Washington DC workshop here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/workshoprecordings.

Great Escape Radio Episode 82: Art vs. Marketing “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic. It takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” – Colin Powell To get your hands on all the information shared at the recent Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop, go to: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/workshoprecordings. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, talked about the recent Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Washington DC in the last few episodes of Great Escape Radio. (Listen to Episode 80 here: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/podcasts/become-a-travel-writer/great-escape-radio-episode-80-ultimate-event/ and Episode 81 here https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/podcast/become-a-travel-writer/great-escape-radio-episode-81-ultimate-attendees/ to listen in.) This week, Lori talks about the next steps to success. Jody poses a question: “Lori, have you ever seen an article or photograph jump off the computer and publish itself?” “Not once,” says Lori. “People need to recognize that writing travel articles and getting them published are two different skills. The same is true for photography. Taking photos and selling photos are two different skills.” In fact, the same is true for all types of art—musicians, painters, etc. What it takes to be successful and what it takes to create art are often two different things. Lori explains… People often attend a travel writing or photography workshop with the mindset that they need to learn how to write a good story or take a good photo. But, you also need to take the time to learn how to market those stories and photos. A lot of people respond to the romance of travel writing—getting paid to go to a destination and write about it. But it’s important to carve out the time to research publications, write queries and handle the business side of travel writing. And for photography, setting aside time to edit and upload images for stock agencies. The Great Escape Publishing programs and workshops provide all the information you need to cover the art and business side of travel writing and photography. Listen in as Lori and Jody discuss the process in more detail. And to get your hands on all the information shared at the recent Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop, check out this special offer: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/workshoprecordings.

Great Escape Radio Episode 81: The Ultimate Attendees “If you want to be a travel writer, you need to be here!” – Diane from Chandler, Arizona For information on Great Escape Publishing’s upcoming live events, visit https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/events/. And to learn more about travel writing, go to: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, talked about the recent Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Washington DC in the last episode of Great Escape Radio (https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/great-escape-radio-episode-80-ultimate-event/). This week we hear exciting testimonials from participants who came from all over the world and from all types of backgrounds. “I have a travel blog now and I wanted to figure out how to monetize my blog. I always thought I could write but I didn’t know how to get it to the right people. Now I know I can do this!” – Becky from Boise, Idaho. Candace from San Diego says, “Thank you for all the expert advice. It was phenomenal! I’ve had lots of experience writing but not this kind of writing experience. The handouts were really really good and the food was excellent!” Chuck Warren from Michigan didn’t know what to expect from the workshop.  “I almost canceled due to some family matters, but I’m so glad I didn’t. I’ve done some online courses with Great Escape Publishing but I had no idea what a live workshop would be like. I love the energy from everyone and can’t wait to get started. How I have the tools I need and the parts I was missing to take that first step.” You’ll hear in these stories so many reasons to attend a live workshop like… ***Support groups that spring up around the workshop ***It’s about collaboration not competition ***Honest insight from editors ***All the tools you need to be successful Listen in for more inspiring and motivating testimonials! For information on Great Escape Publishing’s upcoming live events, visit https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/events/. And to learn more about travel writing, go to: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.  

Great Escape Radio Episode 80: The Ultimate Event “The heart of travel writing is the stories of people who live all around the world.” – Lori Allen For more information about how you can get started with travel writing, visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, talk about the recent Ultimate Travel Writers Workshop in Washington DC. “The Ultimate Travel Writers Workshop was full of intense days, late nights, cocktails, good conversations, networking and talking with editors,” Lori shares. “It was a full three days.” Lori is still recovering but she also feels very strong, encouraged, motivated and powerful as a result of her experience at the workshop with people from all around the world. “It’s empowering in a way that you can’t duplicate when you take a course at home.” Every time Great Escape Publishing has one of these events there are always a few themes that emerge. “Every year we invite back members who have had success after attending a previous workshop for the success panel. Some of those people are getting more than 200 bylines published. Others are balancing travel writing with a full-time career. It’s one of my favorite things about the workshop.” Lori shares more about how these success stories resonate with attendees and encourage them as they are starting their travel writing journeys. She also introduces us to the instructors who led sessions at the workshop including Jennifer Stevens, International Living’s Executive Editor and the architect of the workshop. Listen in to learn more about this year’s workshop and some of the amazing opportunities for travel writers today. And for more information about how you can get started with travel writing, visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.  

Great Escape Radio Episode 79: Start where you are “The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” – Ellen Parr For more information about getting started with travel writing, visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, introduce us to Mary Charlebois. For Mary, getting started with travel writing was a solution for avoiding a boring retirement. She has always loved traveling, ever since she was a child, earning her the nickname “Mary Go” from her mother. So after retiring as a technical writer, she decided to combine her two loves—writing and traveling. But an injury prevented her from getting started as fast as she would have liked. “I retired early—before the usual retirement age—with the plan to travel. But in less than a year, I broke my neck. That took my time and money,” Mary shares. She regained her health but she was broke and bored, with no money to travel. Her friends kept pushing though and in September 2015, she borrowed the money to attend the Ultimate Travel Writer’s Workshop in Denver. There she saw all kinds of people from all walks of life and that set her on fire. “I believe all things come to be in their own time, we have to believe in ourselves in our own time. I really thought that you had to be somebody who is a world traveler. I believed I wasn’t a good enough writer. I didn’t really think I had the ability to write about the exotic destinations I thought I had to go to.” But all she really had to do was walk out of her front door and start writing about her hometown. As Mary says, you should, “Grow where you’re planted. Start where you are.” Since that Denver event, she’s now had over 100 stories published, and each new byline is as exciting as the first. Listen in as Mary shares her experiences and adventures that have taken her retirement years from boring to fun! For more information about getting started with travel writing, visit: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

Great Escape Radio Episode 77: Fear of Overflow “Yes, you can be overwhelmed. You can have too much on your plate. But if it gets to be too much, you’ll stop, regroup and make a new plan.” – Lori Allen For more information about getting started with travel writing, visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, discuss how to manage the fear of overflow. It starts with a personal story about overflowing toilets… How do overflowing toilets relate to travel writing? It’s about fear. Lori explains… Sometimes people buy into the idea of travel writing. It’s a romantic way to travel and share their stories. They’ll travel and even write the article, but when it comes to pulling the trigger by sending it to an editor—they’re afraid. They are worried about overflow. What if they don’t have the time to support this new travel writing career they want to develop? What if it’s too much? Listen in as Jody and Lori discuss how to tame those fears, pull the trigger and manage the overflow. For more information about getting started with travel writing, visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

Great Escape Radio Episode 76: It’s about choice “It’s a relief to know the professional photographers are better than we are because they’ve made a choice—a choice to do all the right things required to make a good photograph.” – Jody Maberry If you’re inspired to make the choice to become a great photographer, you can get started at www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/photography. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, discuss photography and how you can be a better photographer just by making a choice. Lori recently wrote a newsletter about how good photos aren’t just born- they’re made with the right mix of learning your camera, understanding good composition, light, exposure and post processing. “A lot of people want the answer to be in the camera. They want to be able to buy a piece of equipment and have that transform their images,” explains Lori. “Some of that is true. You buy a certain level of quality, focus, stability, color saturation and all those things when you upgrade to a professional level camera. But there’s another magic formula—and it’s not in the camera.” It’s about choice. Choosing to make a photograph instead of a snapshot. It’s what happens before and after the click of the shutter that makes a snapshot into a photograph. Lori explains… “A professional will walk up, see where the light is coming from, kneel down, get behind a tree, shoot between something—they will look at everything in layers.” By choosing to learn the pre and post decisions that go into making a good photograph, Lori has enhanced her photography skills. You can too. By following the simple steps Lori outlines, you can have better photographs quickly. If you’re inspired to make the choice to become a great photographer, you can get started at www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/photography.

Great Escape Radio Episode 75: It comes down to decision “The act of taking the first step is what separates the winners from the losers.”- Brian Tracy For more information on getting started with travel writing, go here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/travelwriting. Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Lori Allen, Great Escape Publishing Director, discuss the importance of making a fast start—even if it isn’t perfect. Lori started thinking about the importance of taking a first step—even when you’re not ready or trained—while watching her daughter in the swimming pool. “When my daughter Charlie was four years old, she wouldn’t put her face in the water. But by the next year, she was diving to the bottom of the pool.” She wasn’t actually swimming, just doing a dog-paddling type of move. Lori knew she could learn how to really swim with the help of lessons and she promised Charlie she would get her lessons and goggles. “You’ll be swimming all the way across the pool after you take lessons.” But Charlie had other ideas—she swam across the pool THAT day. She didn’t have training or the right goggles, but she made a decision she was going to do it and she did. “Watching Charlie in the pool that day, I realized this is kind of how everything important happens in our life. It comes down to decision. The decision to do something.” It’s not necessarily the people with the best skills, the best equipment, the most training that get things done. This is true in sports, in life and in photography and travel writing. The stories Lori and Jody share are inspiring. And, if they inspire you to get started—to jump in the water quickly—you can find more information on photography here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/photography and travel writing here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/travelwriting.

Great Escape Radio Episode #69: Making a Difference through Photography “There are stories that need to be told. People need to get out there and tell the stories in a way that compels people to take action.” – Joe Sindorf Great Escape Radio host, Jody Maberry, and Great Escape Publishing Director, Lori Allen, bring Joe Sindorf back to GEP radio and he’s definitely back by popular demand. Joe Sindorf is an international humanitarian filmmaker who has worked in more than seventy-five countries around the world. He goes into the places where people are suffering: victims of tornados, tsunamis, social injustices, and other tragedies. His still photographs have been published in National Geographic Traveler, Outside, American Photo, World and Professional Photographer among others. His video work has won international film festivals, the NATAS Emmy Award, the George Foster Peabody Award (commonly referred to as the Pulitzer Prize for Television) and others (You can learn more about Joe and listen to his previous podcast here: https://www.greatescapepublishing.com/great-escape-radio-episode-43-creating-great-stories/) Last time Joe was on Great Escape Radio he was heading to the Middle East. He’s still making those trips and continuing to work with NGOs who serve refugees. Joe has seen the worst of humanity. If there is a natural disaster, he’s been there. And it’s not just natural disasters but also man-made disasters: slavery, human trafficking, and so many other horrific situations. “I typically see people at their worst: natural disasters, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis or whatever. Or it may be due to human neglect, slavery, human trafficking, other injustices. I go on behalf of a NGO or charity to document what life is like in those places,” explains Joe. Joe doesn’t want to just take pretty pictures or pictures that make people cry or tell entertaining stories. His goal is to make a difference, to put an end to poverty, human suffering, and injustices. He has traveled the world’s most dangerous road, had a gun held to his head more than once, and he’s been abducted. For him, it’s worth it if his photographs and videos can help bring an end to human suffering. Joe shares several deeply personal stories about his experiences over the years and how what he has experienced and seen has affected him personally. His stories are riveting and also inspiring for the difference he is making in the world. This is Joe’s vocation. Photography and video allows him to make a living– he’s thankful that he gets paid, but he’s not doing it just for the money. He’s doing it to try to make a difference in the world—to give a voice to people who are voiceless. He shares his thoughts on how others can develop their skills in photography and video to make a difference in the world. For more information on breaking into photography visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/photography Or for information on breaking into videos visit www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/videos