WHEN Saturday, September 13, 10 am-4 pm WHERE Meridian Gallery, 535 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94108 MORE INFO Email us or call 212-547-7890 PRICE $125 ($100 for ) more info

Course Details

Travel the world and get paid for it? Sounds too good to be true, but you can do it simply by building a base as a freelance travel writer. Whether you're writing about a long weekend in Mendocino or a long walk across Nepal, there's a market out there for your stories, and a proven path for successful travel writers to follow. With a sense of adventure, an open mind, an eye for the offbeat and some basic writing skills, you're well on your way toward getting your travel pieces published -- and having editors chase you down with repeat gigs!

This workshop will reveal the inner workings of the field, showing how travel editors think and what they want from their writers. We'll detail road-tested tips on ways to break in, diagram the many different styles of travel writing, survey the market (from magazines to newspapers, guidebooks to blogs), study the critical role of pitch letters, analyze key components to successful travel writing, and show a successful formula for turning your travel journals (and photos!) into sellable work.

• How anyone can break into travel writing
• Where to find story ideas in any place, and how to pitch them successfully
• Which specific tools and skills will help you sell your work more
• How to turn one trip into dozens of sellable story ideas
• Where to pitch travel articles besides travel publications
• Ways to sell, resell, and resell your pieces again

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Instructor Bio

Jay Cooke's Courses

Jay Cooke is commissioning editor (US East) for Lonely Planet, where he develops and manages 15+ travel guides, writes and edits print and digital content, creates and develops partner content and manages the syndicated column.

His writing and commentary has been featured in National Geographic Traveler, Business Traveler, the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Bay-Guardian, Cooking Light, Wired, Rick Steves Radio, Traveler's Tales, Publishers Weekly, The New York Times and others.

Jay is the founder and CEO of OutwesterMedia, a travel content and media consultancy firm. He blogs on the world of travel at www.outwester.com.

Testimonials

Jay is an engaging and eager to share his vast wealth of knowledge with his students. The class gave me both the tools and the kick in the pants I needed to get out there and start my freelance career. -- David Hennessy

"I sold my homework assignment from week 3 before the course ended, and I sold two other pieces that I brainstormed while doing Jay's optional homework assignments." -- Genevive Bjorn

"Jay is a fabulous teacher with tons of personality, enthusiasm and, of course, practical knowledge. The class provides a broad perspective on the industry, as well as very specific tips." -- Margaret Huang, director, Atomic Public Relations

"Jay's energy and humor were infectious. He shared his knowledge, and never once talked down to the class -- even those who were exploring travel writing for the first time." -- Tom Honig, executive editor, Santa Cruz Sentinel

"Jay is willing to share the secrets of the trade. I live six hours away from San Francisco, and I'd be happy to drive that distance again for an opportunity to attend one of his classes." -- Betsy Husband

"Jay teaches what he knows -- and he knows a lot. His class is loaded with practical insight and precious nuggets of advice that will help launch a freelance career." -- Michael Coren, former CNN.com science editor

"Jay's tips were great, the exercises productive, and we all left the class psyched and ready to get out there and start pitching, writing and traveling." -- Lisa Cecconi

"I've already received 4 commissions from ideas generated in the class. This course exceeded my expectations." -- C. Edrich

"Jay was thorough, stimulating, and comprehensive. His material, presentation, and involvement were excellent." -- Tom Bentley

"Jay was well-informed, organized, and engaging. I gained a lot of new and useful information to aid me in my travel writing career." -- John Anderson

"This is a fantastic class that will give you the confidence to start travel writing!" -- Monya De

"Jay is a great instructor with tremendous amount of experience. He was encouraging, patient and really organized in his approach. I hope to take another class with him!" -- Roopika Saran