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Breaking Into Travel Writing

Course is closed.
Breaking Into Travel Writing

WHEN Thursday, August 30, 6:30-9:30 pm

WHERE mediabistro.com, 494 Broadway (Spring & Broome), New York, NY 10012

DIRECTIONS subway directions, map

PRICE
$65 ($50 for )
more info

Course Details

Every square foot of Earth is a possible topic for a travel article. But how do you write them, sell them, and get assignments? And how do you discover the great untold place that only you know about?and then convince a publication to send you there? If you've ever wanted to write about the landscape outside your window or on the other side of the globe, this Get Smarter seminar may be for you.

In this introductory seminar, you will learn:

  • How to recognize ten different ways of spinning the same travel story
  • The most important elements of any travel article, and how to keep your articles from reading like hodgepodges of dates, descriptions, and facts
  • Ways of increasing your chances of having travel articles assigned to you
  • The tools of the trade, including those specific to travel-writing
  • The advantages and disadvantages of pegs
  • How to find travel publications to buy your work, and how to pitch to them successfully

Instructor Bio

James Sturz's Courses

Travel Writing Boot Camp – New York (Class starts October 22)

James Sturz
James Sturz spent three years on staff at Vanity Fair. In addition to his novel Sasso, he has written for more than 70 newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, International Herald Tribune, The New Republic, The New York Observer, The Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Adventure, Scuba Diving, Sport Diver, Islands, Caribbean Travel & Life, Men's Health, Playboy, Detour, Entertainment Weekly, Us Weekly, Glamour, Marie Claire, Redbook, and Saveur. His work has appeared online for SonicNet and Cigar Aficionado. James has also served as a guest editor for the adventure magazine Blue and as a contributing editor for Manhattan File and Lexus magazines. His journalism has also been anthologized in the sociology textbook Human Sexuality. James has appeared on NBC's Inside Edition, CNBC's Real Personal, Sky News's The Book Show, and on Fox's Good Day New York. Pieces he wrote are included in the anthologies Italy: The Best Travel Writing from The New York Times and Best Food Writing 2007.

Testimonials


Although I've worked as a copy editor and researcher for years, I wasn't sure how to properly pitch ideas to editors of other magazines. Thanks to James, I now know the proper way to propose stories. He provided great comments on my articles and gave me the impetus to submit my ideas for publication. -- Kathleen Kent, freelance publicist

"I have been writing for several years, but after taking James' class I felt that I could take my writing to the next level and pitch to bigger publications. Since completing the class I have landed travel pieces in The New York Times, Out Traveler, Flaunt, Clear, and Genre and logoonline.com. -- Cator Sparks

"James is a great instructor, mainly because of the things he doesn't do?he doesn't hold your hand, he doesn't tell you everything you do is good, he doesn't have any corny, touchy-feely advice on writing; he's just a smart, well-spoken guy who knows what he's talking about and can answer your questions. This was by far the best class of its kind that I've taken. " -- St. John Frizell, copy director, Bon Appetit

"I had just read about the seminar. On instinct, I grabbed a last-minute flight from Portland, Maine, so I could attend. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. His teaching style, like his writing, is unpretentious and dramatically effective. What a rare gift! In one fell swoop, James clinched the aspects of the business that I thought I knew, and opened my eyes to all that I did not know. Thanks to the way James filled in the nooks and crannies, pitching perfect proposals to major magazines no longer seems like a daunting, haphazard gamble. I'm eternally grateful." -- Pat Friedman

"James Sturz is fantastic. He pulls no punches and holds no hands. He lets you know when you've got something and when you don't. He teaches a course for the writer driven to break into travel writing, not for the dilettante looking to explore a new style. If you want to become a travel writer, consider this course your first journey." -- Ethan Todras-Whitehill, freelance writer and web designer

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