Travel Writing 101

There’s a lot of secrecy about how the travel media works. Travel writers jet off around the globe writing stories about their experiences, but who actually pays for these trips and how do writers persuade editors to commission them in the first place?

Travel Writing 101 is the blueprint you need to understand exactly this. Whether you're sending pitches that get ignored or just starting out, Travel Writing 101 gives you the complete framework for getting commissioned consistently.

Our students have landed commissions with The Telegraph, National Geographic Traveller, BBC Wildlife, and The Independent.

No connections required. No journalism degree needed.

Commission-ready pitches written and ready to send
Contact details and pitching guidelines for 40+ paying publications
A pitch template you can use over and over
A pitch tracker to manage your submissions and follow-ups
A complete understanding of how the travel media ecosystem works
The confidence to pitch major publications like The Telegraph, National Geographic Traveller and Travel + Leisure
A clear strategy for building industry relationships
Realistic expectations about income and timelines

We introduce you to the three-part structure of pitches that actually get commissioned, share examples of our own successful pitches, plus a pitch tracker to help keep on top of your emails to editors. You'll learn how to position yourself professionally (even if you're a beginner), what information editors need before they can commission you and get access to real examples of pitches that landed commissions with The Independent, The i paper, and Adventure.com. Pitching templates mean you'll finish the course with commission-ready pitches.

A one-year subscription to Talking Travel Writing, our award-winning travel writing newsletter that's relied upon by 9,000 new, aspiring and experienced travel writers
A 10% discount on upcoming in-person travel writing retreats
A 30-day refund policy - no questions asked
Quarterly, one-hour, members-only live webinar delivered by Lottie and Steph, where you can ask questions about the industry and our experiences in it*
An exclusive Slack community for round-the-clock feedback from peers*
A three-month subscription to the Travel Pitching Index, with insights into pitching 37 top-tier publications around the globe

Hi, we’re Lottie Gross and Steph Dyson. We’re two travel writers who have authored guidebooks for Rough Guides, DK and Lonely Planet, penned opinion pieces for The Telegraph, written features for The Times, National Geographic Traveller, CNN and Afar and, between us, been paid to travel hundreds of thousands of miles around the world.

The thing is, for both of us, it’s been a long road to get here. Lottie found her way in after studying journalism at university, applying for an entry-level role at Rough Guides and beating 600 applicants to get the job. For Steph, the process was far less straightforward: she spent the first few years of her career absolutely baffled by the complexities of the industry and overcoming imposter syndrome because of her lack of professional journalism training.

We wanted to make the travel media a more transparent place and one where new voices, perspectives and ideas can be heard. As the authors behind a hugely popular and award-winning weekly newsletter, Talking Travel Writing, which is relied on by over 9,000 writers, we’ve achieved just that – and established ourselves as experts in how the industry works and, most importantly, how to build a successful career as a travel writer.

Who is this course for?
This course is aimed at new and aspiring travel writers. You might be completely new to the game, have sent a couple of pitches, or have been commissioned for one or two articles but are struggling to land commissions on a regular basis. If any of these sound like you, then you’ll take away plenty from this course.
What will I learn in this course?
This course is packed with helpful information to get you started as a travel writer. You’ll learn everything from how the travel media works, to a strategy for coming up with brilliant story angles and pitching them successfully to editors. We’ll also cover building relationships within the industry, tips for turning your copy from good to great and how to make travel writing work financially.
What if I've already taken other travel writing courses?
Most travel writing courses focus on the writing craft: how to tell a good story, how to describe places vividly.

This course focuses on the BUSINESS of travel writing: how editors think, how to pitch successfully, how to get press trips and, most importantly, how to make money.

If you can already write well, this course shows you the framework for turning that skill into paid work.
Is the course purely video-based or are there practical activities, too?
Through a mixture of videos and handouts with activities, this course aims to be as practical as possible. By the end of it, you should have multiple pitches written and ready to send out to editors.
Will I have a chance to ask questions directly to Lottie and Steph?
Yes! By buying the Professional tier, you’ll get access to a live, members-only webinar. This will be your chance to ask Lottie and Steph every question you might have about the course or your own experiences of the travel media.

You’ll also gain access to an exclusive forum where you can network with other course members and ask for support and answers from your peers.
What if I don't find the course very helpful? Can I get my money back?
We’re confident this course will give you the foundations you need to make travel writing a success. If this isn’t the case, just drop us an email within 30 days of purchase and we’ll return your payment – no questions asked.

The aim of the course is for you to finish with multiple commission-ready pitches ready to send to editors – and if you land just two commissions, you’ll have recouped your costs.
What if I've already got a paid subscription to Talking Travel Writing? Will it be refunded?
No; we’ll add the free annual subscription to your existing subscription. If you pay monthly, this will pause your payments for 12 months. If you pay annually, it will add an additional 12 months to your existing subscription.
How long does the course take to complete?
The video content is about 1.5 hours total, which you could technically watch in one day. But we recommend spreading it over 2-4 weeks to give you time to complete the practical exercises, write your pitches and let the concepts sink in.