Seek professional help

"Who am I..? You know who I am - I'm your worst fucking nightmare!"

The whole class takes a collective intake of breath. The eyes of Matt, our tutor, have just doubled in size. It's possible to see the veins in his neck pressing against the skin. He's just told us how not to pitch to a commissioning editor. I believe him. We're all just a bit afraid.

How did that happen? It's the first day of a weekend course for budding travel writers. Twelve of us have given up a precious weekend to sit in a classroom at King's College, by the South Bank of the Thames. Surely this should be about describing gin-clear lakes, majestic mountains, breathtaking vistas and the ubiquitous land of contrasts? (Btw: that's the only time in this blog you'll read those cliches, honest). Instead we're being shouted at by an Andrew Lincoln look-a-like with anger management issues.

I'm here seeking professional help. I want to write about more than just 7 car pile-ups on the M25. So the purpose of the weekend is to try and gain the wisdom of three experienced writers. Between them they have written for most of the newspaper and magazine travel sections you've idly browsed through on a Sunday morning. Their life seems impossibly glamorous. Another one of our tutors, Ian, has just flown in from the Arctic Circle after observing the Northern Lights from a deserted mountain. Sophie our third sage, casually recounts tales of meeting heart-stopping Frenchmen while Camel Riding through Rajasthan.

Over the course of our two days, we cover everything to do with travel writing. From how to spot a good idea, researching a story, pitching to editors (hopefully less scary than Matt), to proper interview technique and how to avoid being sued. The vibe is fun and relaxed. Everyone has an anecdote to share or a pertinent question to ask. After both days we decamp to a near-by pub for a well earned pint or three.

Through a number of practical sessions I meet a few of my fellow class mates. It's pretty inspiring stuff, and everyone wants something different from the weekend. There's Aussie Mike who's setting off on a mammoth tour of Europe with his trusty dog, Bondi. He's here to get tips for his excellent blog
Catherine is about to set off on a one woman tour of the Trans Siberian Express and is fitting this course in whilst also learning Chinese. Laid back surfer Gary wants to document his trips to the reef. Jane wants to break out of profiling inane celebs for women's mags, into weighty double page travel features for broadsheets.

So what did I get out of the course? Well apart from being on permanent cliche-alert, and avoiding overblown adjectives, I've discovered it is possible to turn your travels into engaging stories. Hopefully that will show through in this blog. Also If I can conquer my new found fear of commissioning eds, maybe a story or two will appear in your next Sunday paper.

PS. Matt Potter is actually a lovely bloke, who buys you drinks down the pub. This entry is a direct steal from his template of how to use a strong quote as an intro... cheers Matt.

For more info on this course click here.