Not everyone uses Textedit on Mac, but I know a blog of bloggers that do. The problem is changing Textedit to HTML by pasting it into the WordPress visual editor doesn’t work very well. So, one day I sat down and figured out a super fast way to convert Textedit into clean HTML for WordPress, and, at the same time, to make some fast formatting changes, such as changing all links to open in a new window, and changing bold text into header (h2 or h3).  

Disclaimer: This hack requires a bit of HTML editing. It helps if you know a bit about HTML, but you really don’t need to know anything at all as long you follow my instructions carefully and exactly.

What The Textedit to HTML for WordPress Hack Will Help You Do

This hack enables you to:

1. Remove all redundant HTML a post written in textedit when moving it to WordPress
2. Change all bolded text (which I use for subheadings in textedit) into h2 or h3 tags at the push of a button
3. Change all links in a post to open in a new window/tab at the push of a button (if you have a lot of outbound links).

What You Will Need

1. Textedit and WordPress (obviously)
2. Internet access so you can use the online CKEditor Demo
3. A text search and replace extension for your browser (I use Search and Replace for Chrome)

Hope you find this helpful!

How To Quickly Convert TextEdit To HTML For WordPress

If you found this post useful, and would like to receive more tips like this, as well tips about awesome travel jobs and sponsorship opportunities, you really should sign up for my blogger love newsletter.

The post How To Quickly Convert TextEdit To HTML For WordPress appeared first on XpatMatt.

The longer I blog (I’ve been doing it for a while now) the more I feel the need to increase my daily productivity. I mean, who doesn’t? Fortunately, app developers have recognized this widespread need and have been creating efficiency apps to help people like us increase our productivity. I’ve already written a couple of tutorials about improving efficiency (How to Edit Photos at Lightspeed in Photoshop and How to Use Asana to Stay Organized).

Here are a few of the apps that I use to get more done in a day, and why I like them.

CoSchedule

Type: Web-based / WP Plugin

This is a wonderful app that basically combines the social post scheduling functions of apps like Hootsuite with the blog post scheduling functionality of a WordPress editorial calendar plugin.

So, it’s a single application that enables you to keep track of scheduled blog posts and to schedule social posts (whether for that blog post or not) right from within the calendar.

And it integrates into WordPress, so within WordPress you have the option of viewing and working on all of your scheduled blog and social posts in a drag-and-drop calendar view or, after you’ve finished writing a post, you can scroll down to the CoSchedule box and schedule social posts to promote the blog post right there. Or, you perform all of the same functions through your account on the CoSchedule website.

Brilliant.

This is a paid app, but at $10/month it’s totally worth it. And you can try it out for two weeks for free.

Self Control

Type: Mac

This simple free app helps with a problem everyone who works online has: staying focussed on the task at hand. Self Control allows you to create a blacklist of websites that distract you while you’re working. Then, all you do is start the app, set the amount of time you want those websites blocked, and hit start.

Once you block the websites there is no way to access them (on that computer) until the time is up. A little timer will appear to let you know how much time you have left, which is also handy for keeping track of how much time you’re spending on a task. For example, I know that this blog post has taken me around two hours to write and post.

Focus Booster

Type: Mac or PC

Focus Booster is a tool based on the pomodoro productivity technique. Basically, the idea is that you can be more productive if you work in short sprints with little breaks in between. A common split is 30 minutes working and 5 minutes of break time.

Focus Booster is a free simple desktop app that allows you to set your work and break times. You also have the option of hearing the clock tick (maybe that’s motivational for some, but it annoys the hell out of me) and having an alarm go off when each period of time ends. So, it’s basically an alarm clock to keep you on your pomodoro schedule which I’ve found not only to help me stay focussed, but also to track the amount of time I’m spending on tasks, which is essential to increasing productivity.

Asana

Type: Web-based, Android, and IOS

Asana is a free web-based project management application that also has IOS and Android apps. It’s incredibly powerful. It’s basically a glorified to-do list that offers enough organizational features to satisfy even the most OCD person.

Your can create numerous projects, each of which has a to-do list. Each item on the list can have sub-items to break the task down into steps. Each item can also have other people added to it, who will be updated every time progress is made on the task. Files, Dropbox items, or Google Docs can all be attached. Deadlines can be set and viewed on a calendar.

Asana is good to use alone, but is amazing when you’re collaborating with others.

To learn more, check out my introduction to Asana tutorial here.

Photoshop

Type: Mac, PC, or Web-based

Photoshop is not just a photo editing software. It’s an enormously powerful tool for creating workflows that can save hours of time. Unfortunately for most people, only advanced users ever really learn how to make Photoshop do the work for them.

That’s why I created this tutorial, which explains how you can set up and execute a workflow that I often use, which enables you to literally edit a dozen photos in just a few minutes.

If you don’t have Photoshop, worry not. The tutorial includes a link to an older, free version of Photoshop. Also, the cloud-based version has become quite affordable (right now it’s only $9.99/month), and is well worth checking out.

I hope you found this helpful! If you have a question, or if there’s anything you’d like to see me write about in the future, please just leave it in the comments below!

The post 5 Productivity Tools To Help You Blog Better Right Now appeared first on XpatMatt.

I emailed Beth to ask her about her inspiration, favorite writers, and the dangers of solo travel.

Matt Gibson: What was your first solo trip?

Beth Whitman: When I was in college, I took a semester off in my senior year and traveled around the country for 3 months. I drove from New Jersey, down the east coast, across the south to San Diego and then up the West Coast and across the center of the country.

That trip was what really what hooked me on travel. I had been staying with friends who were in colleges across the country and in youth hostels. At the hostels I met people from all over the world and I just knew I needed more of that in my life.

MG: What jobs did you have before you started writing professionally?

BW: Oh gawd. Early in my travels, I would cobble together a few jobs at a time in order to save as much money as possible so that I could then leave for a few months at a time to travel. In those days, I worked office temp jobs, delivered pizza and was a DJ at an easy-listening radio station. I also worked in Bristol Bay, Alaska (very remote) processing salmon in order to save money to travel to India, Nepal and Thailand for 3 months.

Just prior to diving into the travel business full-time, I was working in sales at a company that was, to say the least, ethically challenged. I was making oodles of money but really hated the job. One day I got fed up and just gave my notice (much to the surprise of everyone) and decided that I would never work for someone else again.

MG: Most women are warned not to travel alone. Were you frightened?

BW: Well, I do remember my legs literally shaking on that first road trip around the country, but my desire to go was stronger than the fear. And, I have found that to be the case on every journey since. Not that my legs still shake, but there’s always a tiny bit of concern on many of my adventures – but the fear of NOT going is always overridden by the desire for new experiences.

MG: How did your experience differ from your expectations?

BW: I had no idea I was going to meet so many people on that journey. Of course I was in awe of this beautiful country we live in, but the experience was enriched by the people – both the locals I came in contact with and the foreigners that I met.

MG: What’s the most popular post on Wanderlust and Lipstick?  Why do you think that is?

BW: One of the more recent popular posts was one I wrote about 6 months ago about TSA body scans. I had no idea what a storm this topic was going to stir up but my timing was great. By the time everyone was searching for info about body scanners, my post had ranked relatively well and I was getting traffic from around the world.

MG: What is the most frightening experience that you’ve had on the road?

BW: Well, early in my travels I was in Cambodia. This was in ’92 when there were few travelers there (and I mean like 6 of us) and the government was in disarray. I was traveling overland at a time when it was actual illegal to do so (for good reason, it turns out) and had a hand grenade pulled on me at a military-post stop in the middle of nowhere. It was definitely the scariest experience of my life.

MG: Do you think that your being a woman was part of the reason this happened?

BW: Definitely not. It was simply because I was a foreigner in a place I wasn’t supposed to be.

MG: Are there any destinations that you would recommend that solo women travelers avoid?  Are there any you recommend they visit?

BW: Nope. Some people might say, “Come on, Beth, what about Afghanistan?” Sure, I wouldn’t go there myself, but I have a friend (in her 80’s!) who goes there once a year to do volunteer work – supporting orphanages. Do I think she’s crazy? Definitely. But I’d never tell her not to go.

MG: Has traveling alone as a woman ever limited your travel experience?  In what way?

BW: Probably, but I pay attention to the ways that being a woman opens opportunities up for me.

MG: Most cultures have much more traditional ideas about gender roles than are found in the United States. How do you deal with sexism on the road?

BW: I’m not one to be super aware of sexist issues and how I’m treated differently than men. If there’s a rare occasion when it does happen (such as an India waiter ONLY talking to my husband in a restaurant and ignoring me), I try to let it roll off my back. I’m in their world and have to accept the circumstances – I’m just passing through.

MG: What are you asked most often by first-time solo female travelers? How do you respond?

BW: “Don’t you get lonely?” No way. As I said early in this interview, meeting people along the way is one of the biggest perks to traveling solo. There’s never a shortage of people to connect with.

MG: You are now a role model for solo female travelers around the world. Who inspired you?

BW: First, thank you for the compliment. I don’t necessarily see myself that way. I’m just doing what I love to do and feel fortunate that I can make a living doing it.

I’m not sure that I can point to a person that inspired my travels. It was more likely the pages of National Geographic (which my parents subscribed to) that sparked an interest.

I do remember my great Aunt saying she always wanted to travel but she didn’t want to be on a plane when someone else’s time was up. In other words, she was afraid to travel! I was likely just as motivated to not stay at home as I was to travel the world.

MG: Which travel blogs, if any, do you read?

BW: While there are a lot of great travel bloggers out there, I’m actually more inclined to regularly read blogs that are off the travel topic. Some of those that I enjoy include Vegan Lunch Box and Just Bento.

MG: Who, in your opinion, is the most successful travel blogger (from a business perspective)?  Why do you think that is?

BW: I can’t really say. There are some popular bloggers out there such as Nomadic Matt and Gary Ardnt but I haven’t seen their tax returns to know if they are actually financially successful (Gary is famous for not wanting to necessarily make a ton of money from his site). Meanwhile there are some travel bloggers I know who are making $5K+ a month on their blogs because they’ve managed to figure out the SEO world and are selling a crazy amount of products through affiliate programs. These are blogs you’ve likely never heard of (and I don’t think they’d want me to reveal who they are).

MG: Who are your favorite travel writers? What are your favorite books?

BW: I’m a big fan of Pico Iyer as well as the cultural anthropologist, Wade Davis. My favorite books change every month and they likely won’t appeal to many others. More recently I read a book about Papua New Guinea called The Last Men, which is, in my opinion, the best book written about the country and its tribes.

MG: What are your favorite blogs?

BW: See above

MG: What equipment do you carry for working on the road?

BW: I have an Asus Eee netbook which I use for work. Although I carry my iPhone with me, I rarely use it. I also carry an SLR digital camera with 2 lenses, a small digital camera and a video camera. I consider all of these integral for my business.

MG: Is there a particularly good book, article, or author that you read recently you’d like to recommend?

BW: Well, since you’ve asked a number of questions about travel writing, I would recommend Tim Leffel’s book, Travel Writing 2.0. This is an excellent resource for both beginner and established writers.

The post An Interview with Female Solo Travel Writer Beth Whitman appeared first on XpatMatt.

The concept is simple.  Go to the Passports with Purpose website and donate as much or little as you like.  For every $10 USD you donate, you will be entered into a draw for a prize of your choice. Prizes include Airline tickets, electronics (including a Kindle and an iPad), tours, gift certificates, and luxury getaways.  Most prizes seem to range from about $150-200 USD, but the most expensive is “3 nights in an ocean view room at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, a luxury resort on Hawaii Island’s sunny Kohala Coast”, with a price tag of $2250 USD.

Not a bad reward for getting in the Christmas spirit and pitching in to help to put a roof over somebody’s head.

DONATE AND CHOOSE YOUR PRIZE NOW

More About PWP

PWP was founded by Debbie Dubrow, Pam Mandel,Beth Whitman and Michelle Duffy in 2008.  That year they raised $7,400 for Heifer International.  In 2009 they blew away their goal of  raising $14,000 to build a school in Cambodia, and raised $30,000, so they threw in a vegetable garden, a clean well, and a school nurse, in a addition to building the school.  The school, which was built with help from American Assistance for Cambodia, is already finished.

This year they have set the bar high.  PWP plans to build an entire village for Dalit (untouchables) in India.  To do this they are working together with LAFTI International, founded by Krishnammal Jagannathan and S. Jagannathan, which has won both the Right Livelihood Award and the Opus Prize for it’s humanitarian work. You can donate directly to LAFTI International here.

The post This Year Give a Gift to Somebody Who Needs It appeared first on XpatMatt.

This is the third time my blog has been ranked on a toplist by a website specializing in online education. None of these lists appear to rank blogs according to traffic or popularity (otherwise I would not be on them).  These lists do, however, usually include many of the blogs that, popular or not, have the best writing around, such as Galding, World Hum, Rolf Potts’s Vagabonding, Contemporary Nomad, and Tranquilo Traveler.  Although I suspect that these lists are a ploy to get links from blogs with related content, I would rather just ignore that and take it as a compliment.

Yesterday my blog was placed alongside some of the best out there, and it totally made my day.

The post Matt-Gibson.org Chosen One of the Top Twenty Travel Writing Blogs appeared first on XpatMatt.

Dunn, a former financial planner, distinguishes herself from other travel bloggers (in both practice and writing) with her thriftiness.  In addition to writing about ways to stretch a dollar, she stretches them herself—remarkably well—by traveling slowly and saving money through novel methods such as house sitting and caretaking.  I e-mailed Dunn in Australia, where she had just arrived after finishing a the pilot for a travel TV show in Nepal, to ask her about solo travel, saving money, and inspiring books.

Matt Gibson: You’ve been working on a pilot for a TV series recently. Can you tell me about that?

Nora Dunn: Well, it’s pretty top secret stuff (no really, it is!), but I can tell you that in September I filmed a travel TV series pilot in Paris and Nepal, and we stopped traffic (literally). It’s for a North American broadcast audience, and I’ll be sure to share more on that as soon as there’s news to share!

MG: You started traveling with your boyfriend, but later continued alone. What was your first solo trip?

ND: My first solo trip was a six month streak through New Zealand and Europe. I got my solo travel groove on, and I’m having a blast now.

MG: Most women are warned not to travel alone. Were you frightened?

ND: One of the things I’ve discovered through travel is that 99% of the people out there are fundamentally good. There are heaps of awesome female solo travelers! I’ve never been frightened about it, beyond getting butterflies in my tummy (which I actually quite enjoy – it means I’m doing something good).

MG: You use several unique strategies for saving money on the road, such as house sitting and volunteering.  What have you found to be the most effective ways to save money on the road?

ND: My money management techniques are less about saving money, and more about making full-time traveling financially sustainable. With a freelance writing income I don’t earn a huge amount, but I write what I want for whom I want which is well worth it. In order to get by on this income, I volunteer in trade for my accommodation in many of the places I go (house-sitting, caretaking, etc). This keeps my expenses low and allows me to travel slowly, often experiencing a slice of local life wherever I go.

MG: Your writing appears in many places. May I ask what proportions of your income come from books, articles, your blog, and other sources?

ND: Most of my income comes from columns I write for Wise Bread, AmEx, Care One, Transitions Abroad, and other one-off articles I write online and for magazines. I also make some money from affiliate sales, my blog, and even the occasional donor.

MG: What non-monetary benefits, professional or personal, do you get from blogging?

ND: Being part of a community as tight-knit as travel bloggers and writers has many perks, which include the occasional chance to meet up on the road – a very rewarding experience. There’s also lots of moral and professional support when I need it, which can be comforting in the sometimes isolated world of travel.

MG: What’s the most popular post on The Professional Hobo?

ND: I’ve had a couple of popular posts, including “Is Full-Time Travel an Act of Withdrawal”, and “What to Pack for Full-Time Travel”.

MG: Has traveling alone as a woman ever limited your travel experience?

ND: I’ve actually found solo travel to be more liberating than limiting. It’s easier to meet new people, easier to get invitations for homestays (whereas putting up a couple isn’t always possible), and it becomes more necessary to interact with others (ideally locals), which often creates a more authentic travel experience. The sense of accomplishment I get from pushing my boundaries as a solo traveler is brilliant. The only limiting factor is a constant consideration for safety, and not getting into a situation I can’t get out of.

MG: You are now a role model for solo female travelers around the world. Who inspired you?

ND: Rita Golden Gelman wrote a book called Tales of a Female Nomad, which was a great inspiration for my own solo travels.

MG: What equipment do you carry for working on the road?

ND: I have a laptop, iTouch, unlocked cell phone, camera, and external hard drive for back-ups. I also carry a slew of cords and chargers for everything, as well as a few extra parts just in case.

MG: Is there a particularly good book, article, or author that you read recently you’d like to recommend?

ND: I’m currently reading The Patagonian Express by Paul Theroux, where he hops on a train in Boston and rides it to the bottom of Patagonia. It’s about the journey rather than the destination, the writing is superb, and it further stokes my love of international train travel.

The post An Interview with the Most Professional Hobo: Nora Dunn appeared first on XpatMatt.

I’m in the process of permanently moving to Southern Italy to write professionally while teaching English.  I’m writing you this email in hopes that you might give me a tip on how to get started with writing professionally.  You appear to have found success and I’m taking a shot in the dark asking for a tip or a recommendation.  Do you know of a particularly informative book?  Is it necessary to begin blogging in order to entice publishing opportunities?

Thanks,
Faith

Hi Faith,

If you’re starting from scratch, then you are going to have to invest some time and money into getting things started properly.  I did my minor in professional writing and spent about 8 years freelancing to get where I am (which is nowhere nearly as successful as it may look on my website), so be ready to put in a lot of time and effort to start making money.  That being said, if you follow the instructions and advice from the following resources carefully and remain diligent you can probably make a go of it.

First, to get an idea of what you’re getting into, start by reading these articles I wrote for Transitions Abroad. They focus on blogging, but give you an idea of one potential income stream and what it takes to get started.

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/shortterm/articles/professional-travel-blogging-jobs.shtml

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/shortterm/articles/building-a-travel-blog-getting-started.shtml

Then, buy and read these three books, written by two of the most successful contemporary travel writer/bloggers, which contain a wealth of  information about travel blogging and writing travel articles for publication:

http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-tips/build-your-own-travel-blog/

http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-tips/make-money-with-your-travel-blog/

http://travelwriting2.com/

Next, consider taking this relatively inexpensive online travel course. They have turned out some very good travel writers in the past (including Nomadic Matt) and also offer some support to help you get started:

http://matadoru.com/

Finally, work your ass off, persevere, and keep chipping away until you’ve found a niche that works for you and makes you money.  Good luck!

The post Ask Matt: Getting Started as a Travel Writer appeared first on XpatMatt.

The post <a href=http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/travel/travel_writing/travel-blogging-nora-dunn-professional-hobo.shtml target="_blank">A Professional Hobo: An Interview with Traveler, Author, and Blogger Nora Dunn | Transitions Abroad</a> appeared first on XpatMatt.

Passports With Purpose is a charity run by travel bloggers that I got involved with this year after interviewing one of the founders.  PWP was founded by Debbie Dubrow, Pam Mandel,Beth Whitman and Michelle Duffy in 2008.  That year they raised $7,400 for Heifer International.  In 2009 they blew away their goal of  raising $14,000 to build a school in Cambodia, and raised $30,000, so they threw in a vegetable garden, a clean well, and a school nurse, in a addition to building the school.  The school, which was built with help from American Assistance for Cambodia, is already finished.

This year they have set the bar high.  PWP plans to build an entire village for Dalit (untouchables) in India.  To do this they are working together with LAFTI International, founded by Krishnammal Jagannathan and S. Jagannathan, which has won both the Right Livelihood Award and the Opus Prize for it’s humanitarian work.  At the bottom of this post is a video about the founders of LAFTI.

This is a reputable charity working for a good cause. I hope that you will consider helping out.  Anyone can help by donating through their website here.

Bloggers: please help out by signing up and helping to spread the word here. It costs nothing but a little bit of your time.

The post Bloggers: Help us Build a Village in India appeared first on XpatMatt.

The post My Interview on the Working Traveller appeared first on XpatMatt.