Operation Dream Job

I spilled the beans a while ago how a dream job for me would be to write for Lonely Planet. Brilliant job .. maybe not as good as one with National Geographic but maybe a stepping stone .. anyway I got excited when I read recently that LP have decided to hire more guide writers. So after a check of their criteria I have implemented a phased campaign to see if I can turn a dream into reality. The campaign is going to go something like this:

Phase 1: Fire off emails to Travel sections in major newspapers, asking for information about submitting articles for publication. This has been done and I have so far received a response from The Australian, still waiting for Sydney Morning Herald.

Phase 2: Bombard them with reworked Mount Wilhelm article - one that will really blow their mind and written in a Travel section style way. Then wait for an assessment and cross fingers that they like it. I think a Wilhelm article would be good for a Travel section, not many people in Australia know that there is a mountain 4509m high that is quite easy to climb and not far from Australia. It is also the highest mountain in Australasia (depending on your criteria) and I think that might prick their interest.

Phase 3: Dance victory loop of joy if someone publishes, if not go back to Phase 2 and try again with another paper/magazine.

Phase 4: March along two major hiking trails here in PNG - the Black Cat Track and the Kokoda taking plenty of notes. Black Cat is planned for next month and Kokoda is happening at the start of July with a friend from school and my old man.

Phase 5: Rework write-ups in a LP look for Mount Wilhelm, Black Cat and Kokoda.

Phase 6: Submit request to LP to update a new edition of "Bushwalking in PNG" sharing the reworked sections. Send CV as well with details of newly published article(s). No request for authors for this title are listed on their list, but seeing as it is 12 years since the last one, I think they may be interested in me being in the country and ready to update one.

Phase 7: Thank Buddha, God, Allah and any Hindu gods I can think of if they come back saying "yes" and then plan to hike all the other tracks listed in Bushwalking in PNG. If they say "no" ask for a job with them anyway and go back and submit more article for publication with other newspapers.

So there you go, my attack plan. A phased campaign. Let me know if you can see holes in it, and I will keep posting about how things are going.