The Art and Ethics of Writing Travel Memoir
Cost: $395 $335 Sign up by December 31 and get 15% off when you use the promo code EARLY at checkout.
Class Size Limit: 8
In a world that too often reduces travel content to Instagram-perfect moments and trendy hacks, there is a real need for creative, honorable travel writing. This five-week course, led by acclaimed writer and filmmaker Kerra Bolton, encourages authentic storytelling and inspires participants to create travel narratives that honor the people and places they encounter. You will explore the ethics of travel writing; learn to portray the essence of a place as a living, breathing character; and consider travel writing through the lens of cuisine, customs, and environmental impact. The Art and Ethics of Writing Travel Memoir is an invitation to reflect on the deeper meaning of travel—how it challenges, shapes, and ultimately transforms us.
All five weekly class meetings will include craft exercises based on the week’s lessons and provided readings. All students will also have the opportunity to submit one work-in-progress (up to 1,500 words) for peer review and feedback to help perfect their work and prepare it for publication.
This is the right class for you if…
You have inspiring travel experiences that you think are right for publication in travel magazines, newspaper travel sections, and other travel-centric outlets.
You want to ensure your writing is thoughtful, reflective, and respectful.
You want to explore the complexities of cultural engagement and responsible storytelling in a travel memoir.
After this class you’ll be ready to…
Write impactful first-person travel essays and submit them for publication at top outlets.
This five-week workshop takes place on Mondays from 7pm to 8:30pm ET. Class starts on March 10 and ends on April 7. All Narratively Academy classes are conducted online and accessible to students anywhere in the world.
This is a workshop-based class. All students must have a rough draft of a travel essay (up to 1,500 words) completed by the class start date, and all students are required to read and review 2 peers’ essays each week.
Instructor Bio: Kerra Bolton began her storytelling career as an office assistant in the famed Photography Department of National Geographic magazine. While there, she conversed with some of the world’s greatest photographers about visual storytelling, geography as character, and how to engage the world’s marginalized communities. Kerra integrated those lessons during her career as a newspaper journalist, where she wrote about post-apartheid health care in South Africa, and witnessing a small Honduran community rebuild after a devastating hurricane. Kerra won the New York Times Award for Outstanding Journalism for her series about the impact of migration on small towns in Mexico. Her four-year global quest to learn about restorative practices led to authoring the book (and part memoir) Restorative Communities: From Conflict to Conversation and producing the ground-breaking documentary web series, Detroit Rising: How the Motor City Becomes a Restorative City. Kerra’s work has been featured in CNN, MemoirLand, Hearst Digital, New Worlder, MSNBC, and Panorama: The Journal of Intelligent Travel.
Registration Details: Seats in this class are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. All purchases are final and nonrefundable. After signing up, you’ll receive an email receipt confirming your purchase. Prior to the start of your class you’ll receive an invitation to access the virtual classroom and view all class materials.
Questions? Email us at academy@narratively.com.
More: Check out all of our Narratively Academy online writing classes here.