Travel Writing is a ten-week intensive workshop combining instructional lectures, creative writing exercises, and constructive critique of student work. Designed for those beginning their travel writing journey as well as experienced writers looking to strengthen their fundamentals. A detailed course syllabus is provided below.
Through travel writing, readers can explore the world vicariously, journeying from ancient streets in European cities to pristine tropical coastlines. Travel narratives inspire wanderlust and motivate actual exploration, while also bringing distant locations into the comfort of home reading environments. The possibilities for travel writing destinations are limitless.
Producing quality travel writing demands adventure, observational skills characteristic of professional journalism, and the narrative flair of a skilled storyteller. Throughout this program, you'll explore the complete spectrum of travel writing genres and formats, including articles, memoirs, essays, blogs, and guidebooks, along with essential craft principles and professional marketing strategies.
Whether describing proximate or distant locations, you'll develop the ability to transform geographical experiences into compelling written narratives.
Program Information:
Gotham provides travel writing instruction at the introductory level. For continued development of travel writing projects beyond Level I, you have these pathway options:
- Memoir I or II courses for travel-related memoir development
- Essay and Opinion I or II courses for travel-related essays and critical reviews
- Article I or II courses for travel-related journalism and feature articles
This ten-week program builds essential travel writing fundamentals and enables students to complete one or multiple short pieces or an extended manuscript.
Program Components:
- Comprehensive lectures on travel writing forms and approaches
- Hands-on writing exercises and assignments
- Collaborative workshops on student projects (individual presentations twice per course)
Online Course Structure
- Week 1: Travel Writing Overview Understanding the contemporary landscape of travel writing; exploring diverse travel writing categories and subcategories; determining appropriate genre and destination for your project; identifying and developing unique story angles
- Week 2: Destination-Focused Articles Analyzing destination article structure and construction; essential components including opening hook, central thesis, body development, and conclusion; key elements such as location, atmosphere, human interest, factual information, personal perspective, and compelling headlines and subheadings; creating effective outlines; addressing variables in point of view and article length
- Week 3: Travel Memoir and Essays Understanding travel memoir structure; identifying thematic focus; creating compelling narrative arcs; balancing scene with reflection; integrating people and place; exploring travel essays; incorporating personal perspective and lived experience; analyzing the blurred boundaries in contemporary literary travel writing
- Week 4: Collection Articles and Guidebook Writing Understanding roundup article strategies; exploring roundup categories and construction methods; developing concise, impactful writing; guidebook exploration and composition; understanding guidebook conventions and reader expectations
- Week 5: Descriptive Language and Authorial Voice Description methodologies including sensory richness, precise detail, innovative language choices, avoiding clichés, and strategic modifier use; developing a keen eye for significant detail; understanding voice as a writing element; developing authentic personal voice; adapting voice for different publications; discovering your distinctive writing voice
- Week 6: Travel Blogs and Visual Documentation Understanding travel blog categories and content; strategic reasons for maintaining a travel blog, including monetization opportunities; establishing and launching a blog; audience development strategies; incorporating photography effectively
- Week 7: Travel News Coverage Understanding hard news reporting; feature article development; creating useful advice-focused content; understanding the "seven news values" principle
- Week 8: Travel Planning and Research Methodology Strategic travel planning for story discovery; conducting effective research; utilizing available resources; traveling economically; understanding public relations and ethical considerations
- Week 9: Professional Pitching and Marketing Marketing book-length work; selling shorter pieces; understanding the contemporary publishing landscape; targeting appropriate markets; developing professional query letters; professional submission protocols and response management
- Week 10: Building a Professional Travel Writing Career Collaborating effectively with editors; developing a sustainable career, including income generation, professional relationship building, and self-promotion; cultivating your evolving perspective on the world
Important Note: Course content varies by instructor and academic term.
About This Online Program
- Online classes bring together writers from throughout the world to study with Gotham faculty, representing New York City's most distinguished writing instruction
- Online instruction operates asynchronously, not in real time; participants can engage at any time while courses progress weekly with defined weekly objectives
- Online learning is accessible from any global location with internet access; while most students are based in the United States, we welcome participants from virtually every country
- Technical support services are available throughout
- In addition to temporal and geographic flexibility, you maintain complete access to course materials for downloading and retaining (materials include text and images, not video)
