Do you want to write travel articles that sell? This course will teach you how to craft interesting and useful travel articles that fit today’s market. Articles about destinations are still the staple of travel writing, but the trend in recent years has been for more stories to get published about other aspects of the total travel experience. This pattern has widened opportunities and made it possible to write travel-related articles without necessarily traveling.
In this course you will:
- Understand the range of possible material and the specific factors that go into writing all kinds of travel articles
- Break down the structure of articles starting with how to come up with a compelling lead in your opening paragraph or paragraphs
- Choose a controlling theme
- Learn to flesh out articles, assess details, and come up with good endings
- Write one 1,500-3,000 word article and a one-page query letter based on this article; and to begin preliminary work on a second article.
Course Structure
The workshop will consist of six one-week sessions. Each session will include online lectures and associated textbook reading assignments, along with a writing assignment to be submitted to the instructor for private review. In addition, material will be posted for group review and feedback. Throughout the workshop you’ll be able to participate in asynchronous lecture discussions and be encouraged to take advantage of ongoing informal discussions and posted self-directed writing and creativity exercises. (1.2 CEUs)
| Workshop length: |
6 weeks |
| Textbook(s) to purchase: |
Travel Writing (2nd edition) (by L. Peat O’Neil, Writer’s Digest Books) |
| Course Developer: |
Jack Adler |
| Tuition: |
$250.00 |
Workshop Outline
Session One: Markets and Focus
- Include a brief overview of the travel field—markets, material, income potential, and competition.
- Examples of destination as well as topical service-oriented articles
- Article structure, and how to choose a good focus and find a fresh angle.
Writing Assignment: 1) Choose two subjects, one a destination and the other a topic that you can research at home without flying, cruising or driving somewhere. 2) Write brief summaries, around 250 words each, about each article.
Session Two: The Outline And Lead
- Using an outline to frame your article
- Potential elements to include in outlines
- Moving from outline to lead, body, and ending;
- Types of attention-gathering leads
- Developing a theme graph
Writing Assignment: Choose one of the two topics from Session One. Write an outline of around 250 words, and the lead for this article (up to 250 words).
Session Three: The Body Of The Article
- Evoking the essence of a destination
- Selecting details
- Providing pointers based on your experiences
- Using quotes and historic material
- Devising a strong ending
Writing Assignment: Write the opening of one article, up to 1,500 words.
Session Four: Interviews, Research and Photography
- Setting up and conducting interviews
- Conducting research before, during, and after trips
- Taking good travel photos
- Writing good captions for your photos
Writing Assignment: 1) Write the second half of your article, up to 1,500 words. 2) Submit a list of five questions you would ask a source for your article. 3) Submit captions for at least two photos you plan to use with your article.
Session Five: Query Letters and Sidebars
- Writing an effective query letter
- Suggesting possible sidebars
Writing Assignment: 1) Write a query of 250-300 words for your article to a magazine of choice. 2) Write a brief query of around 100 words for a possible sidebar to your article.
Session Six: Polishing Your Article/Query; Second Article Outline/Lead
- Making sure your article is ready for submission
- Detecting and handling possible holes in your article
- Double-checking facts
- Proofreading
- Keeping records
Writing Assignment: 1) Submit the final, finished article, approximately 1,500-3,000 words, and the final version of your query letter. 2) Submit an outline and lead for the second article you selected (up to 500 words each).