amanda castleman - writing instruction

Want to become
a travel writer?

I am unable to respond to all requests for career advice, due to a busy work schedule. My best (and admittedly biased) recommendation? Take one of my classes or independent study programs. But if budget woes prevail, here are some resources.

Click here to explore coaching options.

Hugo House,
Seattle, WA

On a Blogroll
Over 70 million blogs lurk in cyberspace now. Discover how to make yours stand out – and earn money. Explore the history of the genre and its future, ethics, syndication and traffic generation. We’ll also focus on the literary aspects: developing a distinctive voice, thematic continuity, content pacing and shaping short narrative. We’ll touch upon “other voices, other rooms”: adding diversity though interviews, memes, images, links and multimedia. This class provides a blog beginner with the tools to grow more serious.

Prerequisite: a blog or previous attendance at the one-day workshop “Baby”s First Blog.” Please bring a wi-fi enabled laptop to the second and third sessions.

Hugo House: July 28-31 (Monday-Thursday 4-6 pm). Members $130, general $145.

Travel Writing
Class.com,
Rome, Italy

Travel Writing and Photography Workshop, Rome, Italy
Study as you plan to continue – on the road. Start in the Eternal City this spring...Join Marcus Donner and Amanda Castleman for a travel writing and photography seminar in Italy's capital. Travel Writing Class.com offers a week-long $1,200 course from from April 19–25, 2009. The Susan Tifft Scholarship provides a 50% tuition discount for the winner of our essay competition, which has a February 28 deadline.

Dates: April 19–25, 2009.
Fee: $1,300, if paid in full before February 25, 2009. Prices then rise to $1,600. These small courses fill quickly. Pre-register to reserve a spot.

Discover details on Travel Writing Class.com.

Writers.com

Free Trips to Flat Tires: Introduction to Travel Writing
The glamour of travel writing attracts many people. After all, who wouldn't want free trips to exotic destinations? But it's not all easy living. Journalists must concoct ideas, sell them, plan the trip, research extensively and then craft a gripping article. It's work. Nice work, if you can get it, but a far cry from slobbing on the beach with a margarita.

The ten-week course prepares you to enter this competitive arena. Explore the different types of travel writing, including first-person memoirs, destination guides, historic reflections and news flashes for globe-trotting executives. Learn to devise appealing pitches and target the right editors. Discover the tricks of the trade, from filing taxes to building a journalism portfolio.

Other topics include narrative devices, polishing prose, research techniques and – perhaps the greatest challenge – how to earn a living wage. The class also covers ethical considerations (for example, those cushy subsidized trips alienate publications like The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times).

You don't need to be a world traveler to become a "writer about place". Reveal the secrets of your hometown for visitors. Record an exceptional hike or festival. Share family holiday hassles and tips on how to avoid friction. The important thing is to learn how to capture a journey's sensations – even the frustration of a flat tire – then spin them into published work and paychecks.

This course takes you through the process step-by-step, with feedback from the teacher and other students. It can help amateur and seasoned writers alike discover a new voice and inspiration. By the last lesson, you should have a polished draft ready for submission – and be on your way to making vacation a vocation.

Next dates: May 12, 2008; July 21, 2008; September 29, 2008.
Fee: $310 via Writers.com

Learn more on Amanda's site or Writers.com.

Hugo House,
Seattle, WA

Baby's First Blog
Come on in – the water's fine! Learn how to set up and brand a blog. Designed for the tech-intimidated, this workshop covers the basics, including posts, links, blogrolls, images, tags and comments. We'll also explore tactics – literary and otherwise – for a strong blog.

Hugo House: Further 2008–9 dates forthcoming...

Independent
Study

Some students are unable to commit to ten consecutive weeks, due to scheduling conflicts. Work through the curriculum at your own pace. Independent study includes ten lectures (posted online or emailed) and ten critiques. Assignments may be modified to best suit your project.

Fee: $400 by arrangement with the instructor

Tutoring

Private instruction allows one-on-one relationships between instructors and writers at all levels. I can critique and hone texts; help with plot and structure; tune dialogue; aid research; teach the fundamentals of craft; or prepare a manuscript for submission.

Fee: $53 per hour via Writers.com. I bill one hour for a detailed line-critique of 750 words or for a more holistic overview of larger texts, depending on the student's needs, budget and word count.

Money permitting, I would recommend at least one line-critique (where I edit the piece thoroughly and explain the rationale behind each suggestion). Most pupils – even experienced journalists for publications like the Los Angeles Times – considert this the most valuable service I offer. Please contact Mark Dahlby for further details.

Writing
Coaching

Even experienced authors sometimes need guidance: an external eye and cheerleading voice. I work with writers on voice development, plot structure, grammar and rhetoric, data mining, marketing, pitching (articles and book proposals) and – often the greatest hurdle of all – just getting started. We confer online or in coffeeshops in Ballard, Seattle.

Fee: $50 an hour by arrangement with the instructor. For a larger, on-going projects, “bulk discounts” are available.

Manuscript
Consulation

I devise a three- to five-page report, outlining suggestions for improved clarity, style and marketability. Most effectively, this is paired with a line-critique: a detailed edit, which reveals a writer's unconscious patterns and explains the rationale behind changing them.

Fee: $1 per double-spaced page by arragement with the instructor. Please note, this service is only available for longer projects, 50 pages or more. Line-critiques cost $50 per 750 words.

Payment
Writers.com accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express for courses and tutoring. Personal checks in US dollars are accepted for independent study, coaching sessions and manuscript consultations. Paypal is also fine, but students are responsible for any related fees (usually 2.9%).

Comments

"I haven't taken Amanda Castleman's class – I already make a living as a travel writer – but because she's a friend, she just looked over a 6,000-word piece I was doing for National Geographic Traveler. Plain and simple, her comments and suggestions were the best I have ever seen from any editor, anywhere. Amanda's a genius."
– Edward Readicker-Henderson
Winner of a 2004 Lowell Thomas Award.

"Amanda is a phenomenal editor and a patient teacher – precise but not nitpicky, critical but not harsh. My writing is clearer and more focused than ever before. I spent eight semesters in creative writing classes at UC Berkeley, and Amanda offered more guidance and carefully directed help than any professor I took there."
–Jenna Williams

"She is a dream teacher, just the right balance between a knuckle-rapping tutor and a mom full of hugs. Thanks again for Writers on the Net. The course fees are lots cheaper than a shrink!"
– Linda Petrucelli

"To have my first article accepted by the first publication I approached – the Christian Science Monitor – was like rocket fuel for me, and I have Amanda Castleman's expertise to thank."
– Anne Clippinger, PhD
Adjunct Lecturer, Department of English, Montgomery College, Md.

"After taking her class, I went on to publish a number of travel writing stories and currently have 20 travel assignments due to my favourite editor (Canadian Living's online presence: www.canadianliving.com) before July 1. I started picking up assignments while taking Amanda's class and have kept all my notes for easy reference. Cheers."
– Dee Van Dyk
Professional Member
Periodical Writers Association of Canada
Travel Media Association of Canada

Read more reviews

Resources

I've posted some advice here, as well as a list of books and sites useful for travel writing, part of my curriculum.

Updated June 2008

Back to the main page

Want to become a travel writer?		I am unable to respond to all requests for career advice, due to a busy work schedule. My best (and admittedly biased) recommendation? Take one of my classes or independent study programs. But if budget woes prevail, here are some resources. Click here to explore coaching options.
Hugo House, Seattle, WA		On a Blogroll Over 70 million blogs lurk in cyberspace now. Discover how to make yours stand out – and earn money. Explore the history of the genre and its future, ethics, syndication and traffic generation. We’ll also focus on the literary aspects: developing a distinctive voice, thematic continuity, content pacing and shaping short narrative. We’ll touch upon “other voices, other rooms”: adding diversity though interviews, memes, images, links and multimedia. This class provides a blog beginner with the tools to grow more serious. Prerequisite: a blog or previous attendance at the one-day workshop “Baby”s First Blog.” Please bring a wi-fi enabled laptop to the second and third sessions. Hugo House: July 28-31 (Monday-Thursday 4-6 pm). Members $130, general $145.
Travel Writing Class.com, Rome, Italy		Travel Writing and Photography Workshop, Rome, Italy Study as you plan to continue – on the road. Start in the Eternal City this spring...Join Marcus Donner and Amanda Castleman for a travel writing and photography seminar in Italy's capital. Travel Writing Class.com offers a week-long $1,200 course from from April 19–25, 2009. The Susan Tifft Scholarship provides a 50% tuition discount for the winner of our essay competition, which has a February 28 deadline. Dates: April 19–25, 2009. Fee: $1,300, if paid in full before February 25, 2009. Prices then rise to $1,600. These small courses fill quickly. Pre-register to reserve a spot. Discover details on Travel Writing Class.com.
Writers.com		Free Trips to Flat Tires: Introduction to Travel Writing The glamour of travel writing attracts many people. After all, who wouldn't want free trips to exotic destinations? But it's not all easy living. Journalists must concoct ideas, sell them, plan the trip, research extensively and then craft a gripping article. It's work. Nice work, if you can get it, but a far cry from slobbing on the beach with a margarita. The ten-week course prepares you to enter this competitive arena. Explore the different types of travel writing, including first-person memoirs, destination guides, historic reflections and news flashes for globe-trotting executives. Learn to devise appealing pitches and target the right editors. Discover the tricks of the trade, from filing taxes to building a journalism portfolio. Other topics include narrative devices, polishing prose, research techniques and – perhaps the greatest challenge – how to earn a living wage. The class also covers ethical considerations (for example, those cushy subsidized trips alienate publications like The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times). You don't need to be a world traveler to become a "writer about place". Reveal the secrets of your hometown for visitors. Record an exceptional hike or festival. Share family holiday hassles and tips on how to avoid friction. The important thing is to learn how to capture a journey's sensations – even the frustration of a flat tire – then spin them into published work and paychecks. This course takes you through the process step-by-step, with feedback from the teacher and other students. It can help amateur and seasoned writers alike discover a new voice and inspiration. By the last lesson, you should have a polished draft ready for submission – and be on your way to making vacation a vocation. Next dates: May 12, 2008; July 21, 2008; September 29, 2008. Fee: $310 via Writers.com *Learn more on Amanda's site or Writers.com.*
Hugo House, Seattle, WA		Baby's First Blog Come on in – the water's fine! Learn how to set up and brand a blog. Designed for the tech-intimidated, this workshop covers the basics, including posts, links, blogrolls, images, tags and comments. We'll also explore tactics – literary and otherwise – for a strong blog. Hugo House: Further 2008–9 dates forthcoming...
Independent Study		Some students are unable to commit to ten consecutive weeks, due to scheduling conflicts. Work through the curriculum at your own pace. Independent study includes ten lectures (posted online or emailed) and ten critiques. Assignments may be modified to best suit your project. Fee: $400 by arrangement with the instructor
Tutoring		Private instruction allows one-on-one relationships between instructors and writers at all levels. I can critique and hone texts; help with plot and structure; tune dialogue; aid research; teach the fundamentals of craft; or prepare a manuscript for submission. Fee: $53 per hour via Writers.com. I bill one hour for a detailed line-critique of 750 words or for a more holistic overview of larger texts, depending on the student's needs, budget and word count. Money permitting, I would recommend at least one line-critique (where I edit the piece thoroughly and explain the rationale behind each suggestion). Most pupils – even experienced journalists for publications like the Los Angeles Times – considert this the most valuable service I offer. Please contact Mark Dahlby for further details.
Writing Coaching		Even experienced authors sometimes need guidance: an external eye and cheerleading voice. I work with writers on voice development, plot structure, grammar and rhetoric, data mining, marketing, pitching (articles and book proposals) and – often the greatest hurdle of all – just getting started. We confer online or in coffeeshops in Ballard, Seattle. Fee: $50 an hour by arrangement with the instructor. For a larger, on-going projects, “bulk discounts” are available.
Manuscript Consulation		I devise a three- to five-page report, outlining suggestions for improved clarity, style and marketability. Most effectively, this is paired with a line-critique: a detailed edit, which reveals a writer's unconscious patterns and explains the rationale behind changing them. Fee: $1 per double-spaced page by arragement with the instructor. Please note, this service is only available for longer projects, 50 pages or more. Line-critiques cost $50 per 750 words.
Payment		Writers.com accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express for courses and tutoring. Personal checks in US dollars are accepted for independent study, coaching sessions and manuscript consultations. Paypal is also fine, but students are responsible for any related fees (usually 2.9%).
Comments		"I haven't taken Amanda Castleman's class – I already make a living as a travel writer – but because she's a friend, she just looked over a 6,000-word piece I was doing for National Geographic Traveler. Plain and simple, her comments and suggestions were the best I have ever seen from any editor, anywhere. Amanda's a genius." – Edward Readicker-Henderson Winner of a 2004 Lowell Thomas Award. "Amanda is a phenomenal editor and a patient teacher – precise but not nitpicky, critical but not harsh. My writing is clearer and more focused than ever before. I spent eight semesters in creative writing classes at UC Berkeley, and Amanda offered more guidance and carefully directed help than any professor I took there." –Jenna Williams "She is a dream teacher, just the right balance between a knuckle-rapping tutor and a mom full of hugs. Thanks again for Writers on the Net. The course fees are lots cheaper than a shrink!" – Linda Petrucelli "To have my first article accepted by the first publication I approached – the Christian Science Monitor – was like rocket fuel for me, and I have Amanda Castleman's expertise to thank." – Anne Clippinger, PhD Adjunct Lecturer, Department of English, Montgomery College, Md. "After taking her class, I went on to publish a number of travel writing stories and currently have 20 travel assignments due to my favourite editor (Canadian Living's online presence: www.canadianliving.com) before July 1. I started picking up assignments while taking Amanda's class and have kept all my notes for easy reference. Cheers." – Dee Van Dyk Professional Member Periodical Writers Association of Canada Travel Media Association of Canada *Read more reviews*
Resources		I've posted some advice here, as well as a list of books and sites useful for travel writing, part of my curriculum.
Updated June 2008		*Back to the main page*