Perry Garfinkel has been on assignment for National Geographic Magazine, a contributor to the New York Times since 1987 and contributes regularly to the Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal off duty section. He is the author of “Buddha or Bust,” and “Travel Writing for Profit & Pleasure”. He is also a renowned travel writing teacher. He was my guest on Episode 16 and Episode 27 and today he is going to talk about how to turn your article into a book.
Perry Garfinkel at the famous Jaipur Observatory in Rajasthan.
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The Finer Details of Episode 66 with National Geographic and New York Times journalist Perry Garfinkel
If want to hear about Perry’s experience working on assignment for national geographic as well as what it’s like to work with the New York Times, Huffington Post and the Los Angeles Times and more about his background as a travel writer listen to episode 16 for the full interview.
Also, on episode 27 Perry and I talk about Finding Your Point Of View which is another great episode full of action packed tips to propel your travel writing and I recommend you take time to listen to this as well.
In this episode Perry Garfinkel shares how to turn an article into a book. In this episode we also discuss:
- How to take an article or a blog and turn it into a book
- The due dilegence needed before a media trip.
- Why you have to think big.
- The steps to write a proper pitch for an article and a book.
- Why you must study the outlet you want to pitch. [Click to Tweet]
- How to find a new angle on a story that has been told over and over. [Click to Tweet]
- Why a good proposal is the outline for your article or book.
- Perry’s National Geographic experience.
- How to pitch National Geographic magazine. [Click to Tweet]
- Understand what you can say differently than any other writer.
- Importance of outlining a book idea (even if your not pitching an agent).
- Why back reading and reading about a destination before a media trip is so important.
- Pitch and wait for an assignment vs. writing and submitting. [Click to Tweet]
- When to use the spray gun approach.
- How to find an agent or publisher for your travel book. [Click to Tweet]
- How to pitch a book agent or book publisher.
- The ingredients of a good book proposal.
- If you can come up with 10 chapter ideas, you probably have a book in you. [Click to Tweet]
- Why you should focus on what you learned from the travel experience. [Click to Tweet]
- Why Perry thinks an article should always come before writing a book.
- Why you should be clear about which chapters will be hard or easy to write.
- Always look for a lead that crystallizes what you want to express in the chapter.
- The three options for telling a story.
- Why you shouldn’t take a break while writing a book.
- Why deadlines are the muse that make you write. [Click to Tweet]
- And loads more!
Episode Resources
Perry’s book, Travel Writing for Profit and Pleasure
Perry’s book, Buddha or Bust: In Search of Truth, Meaning, Happiness, and the Man Who Found Them All
Perry’s travel writing workshop in La Paz Mexico
Perry’s travel wring workshop on Bainbridge Island
Perry’s travel wring workshop in Port Townsend, Washington
Perry’s travel wring workshop on Martha’s Vineyard
Costa Baja Hotel in La Paz
Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck
Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck
The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Books by Pico Iyer
Break Into Travel Writing Episode 16
Break Into Travel Writing Episode 27
Connect with Perry:
Perry Garfinkel’s website
Perry Garfinkel on Facebook
Perry Garfinkel on Linkedin
Perry Garfinkel on Twitter
Connect with Break Into Travel Writing
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
The Aspiring Travel Writer, the Facebook group
Hope you enjoyed this episode and please join me in thanking Perry for sharing such awesome information and actionable tips! Interested in hearing the full podcast? Click here to listen now!
Tweetables:
- Why you must study the outlet you want to pitch via @PerryGarfinkel on @writetotravel podcast http://bit.ly/1RDnEMW [Click to Tweet]
- How to pitch National Geographic magazine via @PerryGarfinkel on @writetotravel podcast http://bit.ly/1RDnEMW [Click to Tweet]
- Great interview with @PerryGarfinkel on Episode 66 of @writetotravel podcast http://bit.ly/1RDnEMW [Click to Tweet]
- Why deadlines are the muse that make you write via @PerryGarfinkel on @writetotravel podcast http://bit.ly/1QRAASh [Click to Tweet]
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This episodes sounds so helpful! I would love to be on assignment for National Geographic. I love that you discuss pitching, which can be so difficult.
Fantastic interview. Now I need to go back and listen to episode 16! Thanks so much!
What a thorough podcast. Funny thing…it was like my computer was possessed. I couldn’t stop the podcast. Your voice just kept coming out of my computer. 🙂 It’s good advice for those who already want to publish a book but it’s even better advice I think for those who don’t even realise right now that they could. One of the hardest things about blogging/writing is not knowing what you don’t know, and listening to this sets some of those thoughts in place early.