ISTANBUL WRITING HOLIDAY
Develop your travel writing in this year's must-see destination
"Like a good travel article, the course was precise, to the point and lacking in any waffle or jargon." – Eleanor
DISCOVER the city that everyone is talking about.
BUILD your travel writing with the experts.
PRACTICE essential skills among the highlights of the city.
ENJOY an insider's view of a historic city, with a group of fellow spirits.
Overview
Based in a boutique hotel in the very heart of the old town, we spend three days building your skills at writing and selling travel stories.
Istanbul is a dazzling setting for this, an intoxicating blend of East and West, medieval and modern, of exquisite mosques and trendy restaurants, in the most dramatic harbour setting in Europe.
Our days are spent practising in the streets and souks, writing about the great sites, with help from two tutors. Working walks are supported by theory and feedback in the classroom, allowing you to learn more and improve your work, whatever level you're at.
Our evenings are spent enjoying the food and night-life in a range of great nightspots known only to insiders.
As with all our residential courses, you are free to attend or miss whatever sessions you like. And you are most welcome to bring along a non-attending partner or friend to join in the social side of things.
What's in the trip?
DAY 1 You can check in at our boutique hotel near the Topkapi Palace from noon onwards, and spend solo time exploring the city. In the evening we will meet for drinks and dinner in an atmospheric restaurant nearby – a fun way to meet the group and enjoy tasty Turkish cuisine.
DAY 2 We practise key writing and observational skills in the buzzing Covered Bazaar, the largest in the world, which offers a wealth of material for describing places and people. Lunch is in a café there, then we return to our hotel to write up and hear what you wrote, and look at how published authors use the same skills. Dinner is at a restaurant on the shore, with sweeping views over Istanbul's ancient skyline.
DAY 3 A working visit to the dazzling Topkapi Palace, centre of the Ottoman empire and harem of the sultans. Here we practice the skills of capturing atmosphere and using symbols. The afternoon is back at base, writing up from the morning, hearing what people wrote, and looking at published authors. There is also tuition on how to create and sell a travel book. In the evening we cross the famous Galata Bridge over the Golden Horn to the see the sophisticated modern quarter and its vibrant nightspots.
DAY 4 The focus today is on writing travel articles, looking at style and structure, what editors want and how to reach them. Then you face a challenge: write a travel article based on this trip, for comment by the group. Finally we discuss what everyone has learnt and next steps in travel writing.
Expert tuition is provided by two top tutors. Dan Linstead is the editor of Wanderlust magazine. Jonathan Lorie is the former editor of Traveller magazine, and founder of the only literary festival devoted to travel writing. Together they offer the editor's as well as the writer's view on how to write good travel articles and sell them.
One-to-one advice sessions are not available on this course, but you are welcome to grab a tutor at any time to discuss your own creative work and plans. We are at your disposal 24/7.
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JUNE 18-21, 2010
A Wanderlust Weekend
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Availability
Course completed. Please join our
email list for next year's course.
Learning level
- Suitable for all levels, from absolute beginners to Travellers' Tales veterans.
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Suitable for those writing for fun or for publication.
Booking notes
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An early booking discount is not available on this trip.
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Price excludes flights.
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We do not operate a deposit payment system.
- What the price includes.
Includes 3 days' tuition and 3 nights’ accommodation and breakfast.
Excludes flights, travel from airport and insurance.
Excludes lunch and dinner (pay as you go, at modest levels: any group meals will be split equally).
'Shared room' books a twin room shared with a same-sex fellow student.
'With single room' books a room on your own.
'With partner' books you both a shared room and breakfast and any in-country transport that is part of the course. Your partner does not attend teaching sessions.
- You must have travel insurance.
It is an absolute condition of booking that you have full travel insurance, including medical cover, cancellation, losses and public liability. This is to protect yourself, as well as ourselves.
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To pay by cheque.
- To use a currency converter.
- By booking you are accepting our
terms and conditions.
Getting there
Click for details.
Full joining instructions will be emailed to you 4 weeks before the course. We do not give out our venue names or details until after booking.
We ask you to book your own flights because this allows you maximum flexibility on dates, times and costs.
Budget flights run on the relevant dates and cost around £120 return from London.
Direct flights are available on most days with the budget airlines (Easyjet, Pegasus or Turkish Airlines) or with British Airways.
On Day 1 you should aim to arrive on the afternoon or evening, which is when our accommodation starts. You can check in from noon, and we will meet informally with whoever is around for dinner that evening. If your flight gets in later, that's fine: the formal course starts next morning at 9 am sharp.
On Day 4 our course and accommodation end in the late morning, when you can depart.
Extra nights should be booked direct with the venue. We can provide their contact details, on request, after you have booked onto the course.
Non-attending partners
Click for details.
You are welcome to bring a non-attending partner
or friend along. They can join us for our evening fun, or you can go off together
to explore the sights when you're not attending course sessions.
The price 'with a non-attending partner' provides you both with bed and breakfast and any in-country transport that is part of the course. Your partner does not attend teaching sessions.
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