Mini-Course: Polishing and Pitching

by Jennifer Roberts

Polishing and Pitching: Break Through With Your Travel Writing

 

A mini-course by Intrepid Times

 

Dates: August 14-21, 2022: Update: Registration is now closed! Students who have registered will receive an email on Sunday August 14 with course materials and further information. We’re excited to learn with you! If you have any questions, please email us at editor@intrepidtimes.com – 

You have a great travel story…maybe many of them. You’re ready to get it out into the world, but there are a few things you need to do first.

In this Intrepid Times mini-course, we’ll help you learn how to edit a piece to (near) perfection. Then, we’ll guide you through writing a pitch that will make editors sit up and pay attention. If you are ready to get your first travel story published, or if you’ve already sent out dozens of pitches only to receive cold, two-sentence responses from busy editors, this mini-course is for you.

In this mini-course, you’ll receive two masterclasses, presented by Intrepid Times’ editors. You’ll also have the opportunity to send in and receive feedback on your own travel story and/or pitch. Plus, you’ll be invited to participate in a one-on-one video call with an editor from Intrepid Times to discuss your writing goals.

After making your way through this one-week mini-course, you will have the knowledge and confidence to write pitches that work.

 

What’s Included

 

Masterclass 1: Be Your Own Editor [Audio]

As the saying goes, writing is rewriting. A lot of writers dread the editing part of the writing process… but as you’ll learn in this masterclass, doing editing the right way can actually be fun and rewarding.

In this masterclass, we’ll look at the three critical editing stages: Structural Editing, Copy Editing, and Stylistic Editing, and explore precisely how you can navigate the entire process from rough draft to polished masterpiece…. without going insane!

 

Masterclass 2: The Art of the Pitch [Audio]

It would be great to live in a world where the quality of your writing was the only factor in determining whether or not you get published. But we do not live in such a world.

Busy editors, bombarded with submissions, need to be handled with tact. A good pitch can guarantee your story an attentive pair of eyes and form a long-lasting professional relationship, even if the story in question does not get accepted. A bad pitch = delete.

In this masterclass, we talk about writing a pitch that will get you published.

 

Writing Exercise: Submit a Pitch for Professional Feedback

You will be invited to send in a professional pitch for a travel story (real or imagined). We will offer line-by-line feedback on how it can be improved, depending on your goals as a writer.

 

Meet with Intrepid Times’ Editors on Zoom

As a mini-course member, we’ll invite you to join us via video call to discuss where you’re at on your writing journey and where you hope to be in the future. We’ll provide advice and guidance on how you can achieve your writing goals and how to start (or continue) getting published.

The call will take place for all participants on Tuesday, August 16th, at 4PM GMT (that’s 9AM in California, 12PM in New York, and 5PM in London). Note: We keep numbers strictly limited to ensure all participants have the opportunity to share your story and ask your questions.

Can’t attend live? Don’t worry: You can email in a travel writing question to us in advance, and we’ll ensure it is answered on the call. The call will be recorded and shared with all students afterwards.

 

Bonus: Receive Feedback on a Travel Story [$75 value]

Do you have a travel story that is almost ready, but you think there is still room for improvement? We love helping writers work on their craft, so send in a draft of a travel story, and we’ll offer actionable feedback that you can use to continue working on your piece.

Article feedback normally costs $75 per story, but is included free with this mini course. Upon registering, you have until the end of August to send in your story, and you will receive your helpful feedback approximately one week after sending your story in.

 

Secure Your Place Now

Registration is open until August 13th. You will receive all course materials and instructions on August 14th, and have until the end of August to send in a travel story for detailed feedback.

The “Register Now” button, found below, will take you to our secure registration and payment portals, where you will pay a one-time, upfront payment of USD $59. If USD is not your home currency, an automatic conversion will be applied upon purchase. A receipt will be sent automatically to your email upon purchase. Please note that in the extremely unlikely event that we do not feel a student is able to benefit from the course, we reserve the right to remove them, and a full refund will be issued in this case.

If you have any other questions before registering, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Jen and Nathan at editor@intrepidtimes.com. You can generally count on them to respond within a day or two.

[Registration Closed]

Here’s What Previous Intrepid Times Mentees Have Said…

One aspect of the process that was enlightening was the tenor of the relationship between writer and editor. It reminded me of ballroom or swing dancing – there is a certain necessary level of tension and opposing pressure, but that aspect is what creates the incredible elasticity and dynamism of a great performance, or, in this case, piece. It was fluid, friendly combat, and I can clearly see that the piece grew in leaps and bounds under Jennifer’s guidance. I am thankful for this supportive environment for my first foray into this sphere, and I am already percolating on my next article!

Kayleigh Powell

The feedback provided by Nathan and the team was incredibly quick and valuable. Nathan explained how to describe a scene rather than merely stating how it made me feel. While remaining positive at all times, he showed me where I was wasting words and how to reallocate them towards writing a story that truly transports the reader. Most importantly, I learned how to take a real-life journey, strip it down, and then rebuild it as a compelling story.

Thom Brown

I am endlessly grateful for my mentorship with Jennifer and Nathan of Intrepid Times, as it helped me sift through the noise and share my true written voice. Writing about adventure is an adventure unto itself, and I am thrilled to launch into the publication world!

Sarah Kelly

The most crucial thing I’m carrying forward from this process is about creating as much value and meaning as possible for the reader. It’s so easy to fall into a diary-style trap when telling travel stories, especially as the essence of them is often rooted in the writer’s personal experiences. This is something I was struggling with; leaving too many breadcrumbs and not enough space for interpretation. But working with the editors at Intrepid Times has allowed me to start moving past that! I feel I can now convey my passion and honesty as an author much better, whilst feeling more connected with my audience.

Hannah Foster-Roe

About Intrepid Times

Intrepid Times has been publishing travel stories continuously since 2014, from both new and experienced authors. A 2021 Travel Media Awards finalist in the category of Consumer Publication Online, Intrepid Times is a recognized and respected name in the travel writing space. Editors Nathan James Thomas and Jennifer Roberts know what it takes to develop a good travel story and get it published, and they want to help all writers who are serious about improving their craft do the same.

Nathan Thomas founded Intrepid Times in 2014 as a vehicle for sharing stories from the road and as an excuse to meet and interview his favorite writers. His own travel writing has been published in places like Roads and Kingdoms and Outpost Magazine, and he recently published Travel Your Way: Rediscover the world, on your own terms.

Jennifer Roberts, senior editor at Intrepid Times, has traveled to over 15 countries and developed a love of travel writing while living and working in Thailand in 2016. She’s had stories published on Intrepid Times (of course!), International Living, Transpacificism, Verge Magazine, and more.

Together, Nathan and Jennifer co-edited Fearless Footsteps: True Stories That Capture the Spirit of Adventure (2020).

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Contact Info

editor@intrepidtimes.com