Welcome to your BONUS Travel Writing Special Edition Feedback Fiesta!

The Fiesta is from Saturday 11 January 2025 to Friday 17 January 2025. During that time, you access one-on-one laser coaching with Valerie to help you with your pitches and articles BEFORE sending them to an editor.

The goal of this laser coaching is to:

• hone your feature writing skills
• help you understand what is essential for a good pitch
• ensure you display the skills of an excellent freelance writer so that editors want to commission you again and again.

If you want coaching, you MUST read the information below.

Q: What can I get coaching on?

• Story pitches that you want to send to a real editor.
• Articles that have been commissioned by an editor.
• Articles that you want to send to an editor ‘on spec'.

Q: How long is each laser coaching session?
A: Laser coaching is 15 minutes. You'll be amazed at how much we can achieve in 15 minutes if we get down to business immediately and don't talk about your dog/cat/kids.

Q: How should I organise my coaching?
A: Email [email protected] during Saturday 11 January 2025 to Friday 17 January 2025. Any emails sent earlier than that will not be reviewed.

But read the information below carefully and follow the instructions.

I would like coaching on my pitch to an editor…
Valerie would love to help. Email her the pitch you would send to an editor.

• • Make sure it's in top shape and follows the guidelines you've learnt in the course.
  • Ensure you're pitching to a real person, find out their email address and put that in the pitch.
  • You must include your mobile number in your email or Valerie won't coach you.

I would like coaching on my article…
Valerie would love to help. Email Valerie the following:

• • your draft article
  • any correspondence you’ve had with the editor (just copy this into a single email and send this to Valerie. DO NOT forward Valerie every email you’ve received from the editor, please compile this into ONE email)
  • you must include your mobile number in your email or Valerie won't coach you.

Q: Will it cost me anything?
A: This bonus coaching doesn't cost you a cent. It's a FREE BONUS as part of your Travel Writing Special Edition course.

Q: When will Valerie respond?
A: If you DO provide all the correct information above, then Valerie typically responds within two or three days via phone (which is why it's vital that your phone number is included in your email to her). OFTEN, Valerie will respond the same day. We suggest that you have access to your pitch/article on your device at all times. If this is not possible, simply carry around a print out of it so you can make notes when Valerie calls.

If you DO NOT bother to provide all the correct information above (especially your mobile number), then Valerie can't help you.

Q: I'm a very busy person so can I book a specific time with Valerie instead of waiting for her call
A: No. I mean, you might phone tag with Valerie before you connect with each other. And that's ok!

Valerie is able to provide this generous and invaluable coaching for you as part of the Fiesta within her ever-changing and full-to-bursting diary. But, as mentioned, she will typically call you either the same day – or within two/three days. Which is pretty awesome. And you don't pay a cent because this Fiesta is a BONUS as part of your Travel Writing Special Edition course.

If you really do want to nail down a specific and dedicated time in her diary that you can book well in advance, then you will need to contact her business manager. This is outside of the scope of the Fiesta and you can do this at her corporate rate of $500 per hour. (So it really makes sense to just wait for Valerie to contact you and get your free coaching as part of the Fiesta.)

Q: What can I expect from Valerie?
A: Valerie loves to see people succeed and get published. She is very straightforward and she gets to the point. One of Valerie's key skills is that she can pinpoint exactly what needs to happen to achieve what you want. She conveys this efficiently.

Q: What should I NOT expect from Valerie?
A: Valerie is not your mum or your life coach, so she will not mollycoddle you. If you require this (and that's PERFECTLY fine if you do), please seek this elsewhere as the Fiesta does not provide this service.

Q: Can I get coaching on more than one pitch/article?
A: Yes! But you must send each article or pitch in a separate email. If you have 5 stories, that's 5 emails. Do not send then all in the same email.

Q: Can I get coaching on a pitch or article AFTER I send it to an editor?
A: No. If you could not be bothered to send it to Valerie BEFORE you sent it to the editor (where her coaching would have the most impact), you cannot send it to her AFTER you've sent it to an editor.

Q: Can I get coaching on an article that I've written but am unsure where I'd like to see it published?
A: No. A key part of what you've been taught in your course is that you write for a particular market or publication so you need to have some kind of idea of where you would like it published. Valerie provides feedback to you based on where you would like it published. After all, If your target publication is The Economist, Valerie's feedback would be completely different compared to if you wanted it published in Cosmopolitan magazine.

We're not saying that you can't write articles just for the sake of it. If that's your bag, then go for it! And if you do, feel free to publish them on your own blog, where you can write what you want. You're in charge of your blog so you don't need Valerie to advise you on this.