Following an introduction to the course, and what to expect from it, the Travel Writing Business Course begins by explaining what travel writing really is (such as books, guides, brochures and more) and providing examples of some famous writers. This module then moves onto explain the necessary skills needed to succeed and how this course will help you to get there.
To increase your self-awareness and know your travel personality, which in turn will help your writing, the second module provides a short quiz. Here you will also be exposed to the different specialisms of travel writing, so you can understand which market you are planning to cater for, and the importance of knowing this.
Module 3 of the Travel Writing Business Course discusses how travel magazines function and operate and then moves on to the importance of researching the area you intend to travel to and write about, including any special features of your destination. It is likely that you will take photographs as a visual aid to your travel literature, so the basic knowhow of photography is covered here also.
If you would like learn more about travel photography, Centre of Excellence also offer a specialised Travel Photography Course.
To get the most from your trips, becoming an expert traveller is important to this career choice. Module 4 talks you through everything that you need in order to travel to different places: financial resources, bookings at motels and hotels, food, clothing, any special equipment and more. Also included here is the way in which you travel, such as how to create a detailed itinerary and the pros and cons of both group and solo travel. Without funding, you aren’t going anywhere, so this module also discusses the various ways in which you can acquire funding, if your personal resources will not cover the expense.
The fifth module is all about writing. Along with discussing the importance of strong writing skills, students are informed of several drills and skills pertaining to travel writing. Also here students learn about several basic rules of writing travel literature, such as ‘show but don’t tell’, knowing one’s transitions, knowing the characters, and having something to set them apart from the rest.
Once you have finished your travels and written some interesting and insightful work, module 6 of the Travel Writing Business Course will guide you in how to share and sell your work. It also advises you on how to get to know the editors whom you’re going to be working with to publish the travel literature.
The final module of the course aims to leave you with some inspiration for your own work, in the form of samples of important travel literature, which are discussed and dissected, to understand just what makes them stand out. Also discussed here is how and why the experiences of travel writers are usually very different from the experiences of an average individual.
