For all the advances in digital media, the written word remains the most evocative, emotive and entertaining way to capture the experience of travel. This two-day masterclass is for anyone who wants to learn how to write first-person travelogue pieces to a high standard. Through a series of lessons, discussions and practical exercises – including using great travel writers’ work as a guide – Guardian and Observer travel writer Mike Carter will teach you how to structure a piece, write a compelling introduction, make a place come alive with your writing and how to avoid common pitfalls.
Class size has been kept small to allow for personal feedback and an informal and inspiring atmosphere, and you’ll leave the course with numerous suggestions for further learning. After the course has finished, participants have the opportunity, should they wish, to submit a 500-word piece to Mike for feedback.
This course is for you if...
- You’re a new writer wanting to turn your travel experiences into coherent narratives
- You’re an experienced writer in another field wanting to explore the world of travel writing
Course description
This course mixes practical and theory sessions, carefully designed to help participants gain confidence in their writing and find their own style. Topics covered over the weekend include:
- How to write arguably the most important part of any travel story: a compelling, dynamic introduction that has the reader gripped
- How to use the “building blocks” of our travel experiences to create the main body of a piece
- How to avoid cliché
- Writing great dialogue
- Taking effective and useful notes
Tutor profile
Mike Carter has been travel writing for 10 years. He writes regularly for the Guardian and the Observer newspapers, and had also written for the Financial Times, Sunday Times, Sunday Telegraph, Harper’s Bazaar and Daily Express. He is the author of two travel books – Uneasy Rider, which won the 2008 Oldie Travel Book of the Year, and One Man and his Bike, published in 2011, which documented his 5,000 mile cycle ride around the entire coastline of Britain.
Guest speaker profile
Jane Dunford is joint travel editor of The Guardian and a freelance travel writer and editor. She has worked in travel journalism for 15 years and was previously deputy editor of British Airways’ magazine High Life.
Details
Dates: Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May 2015
Times: 10am-4pm
Location: The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU
Price: £449 (includes VAT, booking fee, lunch and refreshments)
Event capacity: 16
To contact us, click here. Terms and conditions can be found here.
Returns policy
Tickets may be refunded if you contact us at least 14 days before the course start date. Please see our terms and conditions for more information on our refund policy.
