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Want to become a travel writer? |
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Courses offered online and in-person |
Workshops taught (or co-taught) by Amanda Castleman:
Other options include tutoring, coaching and manuscript consultation. |
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Travel Writing Class.com, Rome, Italy |
Dates: Spring 2010 Discover details on Travel Writing Class.com. |
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Other topics include photography, narrative devices, research and interview techniques, new media as a marketing tool, and – perhaps the greatest challenge – how to earn a living wage. The class also covers ethical considerations (for example, subsidized trips alienate publications like The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times). Dates for 2010: January 4, March 22, June 7, August 23, November 1. Late-enrollment open until day ten, space permitting. Learn more on Amanda's site or Writers.com. Ongoing Travel Writing Workshop with Amanda Castleman (10 weeks) Dates for 2010: January 18, March 22, June 21, September 6, November 15. Late-enrollment open until day ten, space permitting. Recommended reading: Learn more at Writers.com. Dates for 2010: June 7
New Media: Explore the Publishing Frontier (10 weeks) The brave new media world has revolutionized self-expression, so even hobbyists can create professional-looking platforms for their prose, photography and graphic design. The instructors' wide skill-sets and wry styles help them painlessly coach any pupil to his or her comfort level, whether that's an intimate family chronicle, a monetized commercial site or a shingle in cyberspace for an author or communications expert. Students lab-test blogs, while learning about Web 2.0, social media and responsible citizen journalism. They explore the history of new media and its future, ethics, syndication and traffic generation. The workshop also focuses on literary aspects: developing a distinctive voice, thematic continuity, content pacing and shaping short narrative. It touches upon "other voices, other rooms:" adding diversity though interviews, memes, images, links and multimedia. From basic SEO to CSS-hacks, this class provides new-media newbies with the tools to grow more serious. New Media: Explore the Publishing Frontier runs on Blogger (lectures, comments) and Nicenet (feedback, calendar, messaging). More comprehensive than any other new-media class online – and likely the most affordable– this workshop provides any amount of challenge you crave. Dates for 2010: January 13, April 21, July 28, October 27. Late-enrollment open until day ten, space permitting. Learn more at Writers.com. |
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Hugo House, Seattle, WA |
The Written Road “We travel, initially, to lose ourselves,” Pico Iyer once said. “And we travel, next, to find ourselves.” Explore how to chronicle a journey—both exterior and interior, employing literary techniques such as plot and dialogue. Practice interweaving narrative, insight and analysis to capture the adventure that is uniquely yours. Date: 2010 dates to be announced Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Avenue, Seattle, WA; 206.3227030. Details here. |
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Hugo House, Seattle, WA |
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Tutoring |
Fee: $60 per hour via Writers.com. I bill one hour for a detailed line-critique of 750 words or for a more holistic overview of larger texts, depending on the student's needs, budget and word count. Money permitting, I would recommend at least one line-critique (where I edit the piece thoroughly and explain the rationale behind each suggestion). Most pupils – even experienced journalists for publications like the Los Angeles Times – consider this the most valuable service I offer. Please contact Mark Dahlby for further details. |
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Writing Coaching |
Fee: $60 an hour by arrangement with the instructor. For a larger, on-going projects, “bulk discounts” are available. |
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Manuscript Consultation |
Fee: $1 per double-spaced page by arrangement with the instructor. Please note, this service is only available for longer projects, 50 pages or more. Line-critiques cost $50 per 750 words. |
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| Payment |
Writers.com accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express for courses and tutoring. Personal checks in US dollars are accepted for independent study, coaching sessions and manuscript consultations. Paypal is also fine, but students are responsible for any related fees (usually 2.9%). |
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Comments |
"Amanda is a phenomenal editor and a patient teacher – precise but not nitpicky, critical but not harsh. My writing is clearer and more focused than ever before. I spent eight semesters in creative writing classes at UC Berkeley, and Amanda offered more guidance and carefully directed help than any professor I took there." "Her approach to teaching is clear and concise. I'll not be surprised if one day she writes a book on Travel Writing. ... She is an inspiration, an ideal to aspire to." "She is a dream teacher, just the right balance between a knuckle-rapping tutor and a mom full of hugs. Thanks again for Writers on the Net. The course fees are lots cheaper than a shrink!" "To have my first article accepted by the first publication I approached – the Christian Science Monitor – was like rocket fuel for me, and I have Amanda Castleman's expertise to thank." "After taking her class, I went on to publish a number of travel writing stories and currently have 20 travel assignments due to my favourite editor (Canadian Living's online presence: www.canadianliving.com) before July 1. I started picking up assignments while taking Amanda's class and have kept all my notes for easy reference. Cheers." |
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Resources |
I've posted some advice here, as well as a list of books and sites useful for travel writing, part of my curriculum. |
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Updated December 2009 |
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