Course Details

"We travel, initially, to lose ourselves," the travel writer Pico Iyer writes. "And we travel, next, to find ourselves." Writing about travel takes us even deeper. It's a way to engage with the world and to build a bridge that brings faraway places home. Great travel writing wakens the senses and stands everything we take for granted on its head. This class is an advanced look at the romance and realities of travel writing. Over the course of eight three-hour sessions, the seminar will consider the various forms of the field, from heavily-reported service pieces to first-person essays from the road. Be warned, though. This is not a course for people looking to score free trips or work their way onto the travel junket circuit. It is a rigorous course that requires a commitment of at least eight hours a week of outside work.

In this class, you can expect to learn:

• How to use where you live to break into the travel market
• How to grow your career as a travel journalist, no matter what field of journalism you're in now
• Which sections of travel magazines are easiest to break into and most "freelancer-friendly"
• How to write perfect pitch letters
• What to do when you get to your destination
• How to negotiate your assigning editor to compensate you for travel (eventually!)

By the end of class, students can expect to have:
A complete portfolio of publishable articles (including a travel-related news item or trend story; a service round-up on hotels or local attractions; a destination piece on a cultural landmark; a day trip within the region; a historical research piece on a neighborhood, local tradition or attraction; an article on the tourism business; and a personal travel essay) that will impress any travel magazine editor.

Students who have taken this class have been published in::
Travel + Leisure; The New York Times "Escapes"; The New York Times Magazine; Blue: The Adventure Magazine; Vogue; The Los Angeles Times; The Los Angeles Times "Travel"; The New York Times "Travel"; The Los Angeles Times Magazine, and more.

Instructor Bio

David Hochman's Courses

David Hochman has been writing for newspapers and magazines for 10 years, from both Los Angeles and New York. He writes frequently for Esquire, The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Harper's Bazaar, Details, TV Guide, T+L Golf, Outside, Men's Journal, Food & Wine, and many other publications. With a pitching hit rate of 88 percent (well, at least on a good week), he is the happiest freelancer on his block.

Testimonials

Even a seasoned essay writer can benefit from David Hochman's insightful comments and advice. The class was highly beneficial and resulted in my sale of a humorous commentary to Public Radio International's Weekend America -- Wendy Dale, author and journalist

"I found Boot Camp invaluable in helping me sharpen my skills as a freelance writer and as an on-staff editor. I forced me to look at the entire process - from story idea to final draft -in a whole different way, and I got lots of practical tips that I can use on the job every day." -- Doug Newcomb, executive editor, Mobile Entertainment

"David's class was amazing. He is a talented writer and excellent teacher with a "tell-it-like-it-is" approach. I took away a lot of good information on both the writing and business sides of the freelance world. I think his class has given me the tools to (hopefully) fast-forward my freelance career. I also had a lot of fun in class which made me look forward to showing up for class each week." -- Lizbeth Scordo, freelance writer, Boot Camp for Journalists alum

"David was great. He's smart, charming, open-minded, and helpful. His stories were fascinating, he had excellent insider tips, he was complimentary without pandering to anyone, and gentle when giving feedback that might be tough to handle. He encouraged an atmosphere of student contribution, which helped to develop our critical skills. At the beginning of the class, I didn't know how to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of an article. Now I have a foundation to build on." -- Rick Danenberg, screenwriter

"David is knowledgeable, credible, friendly, warm, and generous. He genuinely wants to help us and to see us succeed." -- Maureen Kingsley, Personal Essay Boot Camp alum

"If you love to write and want to break into the magazine industry, Travel Writing Boot Camp is a good place to start. You'll learn industry basics like pitching to an editor, fashioning an article for travel readers, and how to use LA as your exotic travel destination. More than this, though, you will have the opportunity to learn from your writing peers and all under the instruction of David Hochman, who allows you to breathe through the whole process of learning. The class is hard - as any writing and critiquing class can be - but it will give you the tools you need to survive in the world of magazine journalism." -- Carol Turpen, author and journalist