WORKSHOPS + SEMINARS
WORKSHOPS + SEMINARS
Excavating The Travel Essay
May 1, 12:00-5:00 p.m. ET // $345
Format: One lecture followed by 3-week self-paced online course and virtual writing community.
Write a literary travel essay in just three weeks! This course is for anyone who wants to write travel essays that are as vivid as they are insightful. We'll mine old travel journals, photos, correspondences, and conduct original research to write a rich and layered essay. Perhaps it's a story of transformation abroad, of a place that moved you or a stranger who changed your life, a journey that still haunts you, or simply of a distant meal you'll never forget. Or maybe it's a story of migration and identity in a foreign landscape. We’ll push the boundaries of the genre while remaining committed to the heart of the story.
We begin by reading a broad range of travel essays to understand how different techniques impact the reader. When would an anecdote be more effective than a statistic? How should a writer portray a culture they know little about? We'll break away from the clichés, tropes, and stereotypes that plague travel writing in order to tell an authentic and dynamic story.
Next, we'll dive deep into structure and craft. Whether you're writing a chapter in a memoir, a magazine feature, a letter, or deep captions for a photo essay, we'll cover the pillars of a solid travel story—curiosity, sense of place, a moment in time, local characters, rich context, narrative arc, sensory details—as well as techniques to illustrate it skillfully.
The course is formatted with a one-day Zoom session to deep-dive into the craft of the travel essay, followed by three weeks of virtual class that includes:
-
Daily writing prompts that correspond with the course material
-
Video lessons to guide you through writing a full essay
-
Live craft chats to help hone your skills and support your journey
-
Online community forum for group support and feedback
-
Virtual public reading to showcase your work
Each participant will write an original travel essay of up to 3,000 words and receive personalized feedback on their story, including a personalized list of recommendations for places to submit.
*One full scholarship is available for a promising writer with a background historically misrepresented or underrepresented in the travel writing genre.
VIRTUAL
Excavating The Travel Essay
May 1, 12:00-5:00 p.m. ET // $345
Format: One lecture followed by 3-week self-paced online course and virtual writing community.
Write a literary travel essay in just three weeks! This course is for anyone who wants to write travel essays that are as vivid as they are insightful. We'll mine old travel journals, photos, correspondences, and conduct original research to write a rich and layered essay. Perhaps it's a story of transformation abroad, of a place that moved you or a stranger who changed your life, a journey that still haunts you, or simply of a distant meal you'll never forget. Or maybe it's a story of migration and identity in a foreign landscape. We’ll push the boundaries of the genre while remaining committed to the heart of the story.
We begin by reading a broad range of travel essays to understand how different techniques impact the reader. When would an anecdote be more effective than a statistic? How should a writer portray a culture they know little about? We'll break away from the clichés, tropes, and stereotypes that plague travel writing in order to tell an authentic and dynamic story.
Next, we'll dive deep into structure and craft. Whether you're writing a chapter in a memoir, a magazine feature, a letter, or deep captions for a photo essay, we'll cover the pillars of a solid travel story—curiosity, sense of place, a moment in time, local characters, rich context, narrative arc, sensory details—as well as techniques to illustrate it skillfully.
The course is formatted with a one-day Zoom session to deep-dive into the craft of the travel essay, followed by three weeks of virtual class that includes:
-
Daily writing prompts that correspond with the course material
-
Video lessons to guide you through writing a full essay
-
Live craft chats to help hone your skills and support your journey
-
Online community forum for group support and feedback
-
Virtual public reading to showcase your work
Each participant will write an original travel essay of up to 3,000 words and receive personalized feedback on their story, including a personalized list of recommendations for places to submit.
*One full scholarship is available for a promising writer with a background historically misrepresented or underrepresented in the travel writing genre.
VIRTUAL
Excavating The Travel Essay
JANUARY 15, 2023 // 11am-5pm ET
APRIL 2, 2023 // 11am-5pm ET
$195 // one-day virtual course
Learn how to write a literary travel essay in just one day! Everyone has that one story that changed their life: Perhaps it's a story of transformation abroad, of a place that moved you or a stranger who transformed you, a journey that still haunts you, or simply of a distant meal you'll never forget. Or maybe it's a story of migration and identity in a foreign landscape. We’ll push the boundaries of the genre while remaining committed to the heart of the story.
This course is for anyone who wants to write essays that are as vivid as they are insightful. We begin by reading a broad range of travel essays to understand how different techniques impact the reader. When would an anecdote be more effective than a statistic? How should a writer portray a culture they know little about? We'll break away from the clichés, tropes, and stereotypes that plague travel writing in order to tell an authentic and dynamic story.
Next, we'll dive deep into structure and craft. Whether you're writing a chapter in a memoir, a magazine feature, a letter, or deep captions for a photo essay, we'll cover the pillars of a solid travel story—curiosity, sense of place, a moment in time, local characters, rich context, narrative arc, sensory details—as well as techniques to illustrate it skillfully.
This course is formatted as a one-day Zoom session to deep-dive into the craft of the travel essay, followed by material to guide you through the writing process at your own pace:
-
"Excavating the Travel Essay" E-book to guide you through writing an essay, step-by-step
-
Writing prompts that correspond with the material
-
Online community forum for peer support and feedback
-
Essay critique: Each participant will have three months to write an essay and receive personalized feedback from me, along with a list of publications to submit to
*One full scholarship is available for a promising writer with a background historically misrepresented or underrepresented in the travel writing genre. Apply here.
VIRTUAL
"Jenna offers a game-changing class. The daily prompts helped me focus and generate while delving into this new territory. Not only did I write a substantial draft of an essay during this time (one I have been putting off!), I feel that I can take what I have learned in this class and apply it to my future writing. I would take the class again simply to be in an atmosphere that helps me get the essay out of me. Jenna fosters a collegial and supportive environment where classmates come together to share work and ideas. The class material is well-organized, thorough, and meaningful, and peppered with inspirational words from those who have walked the path before. Plus, Jenna is knowledgeable, sincere, and a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend this class."
—Jennifer Kircher Carr (Excavating the Travel Essay 2021)
"This class was a delight! I'm a beginner and Jenna provided me with enough structured info, examples, daily prompts and community space to feel like a pro. In a short amount of time, she managed to dive deep on aspects of travel writing with refreshing ease. And it was fun! I definitely recommend this class for experienced writers as well as newcomers like me." —Turna Mete (Excavating the Travel Essay 2021)
VIRTUAL
Crafting the Perfect Pitch
FEBRUARY 5, 2023 // 11am-5pm ET
MAY 7, 2023 // 11am-5pm ET
$175 // one-day virtual course
What does it take to translate a good idea into an irresistible pitch? In this workshop we’ll learn how to get an editor to greenlight your pitch by covering the tenets of a solid story and matching it to the right publication. Whether you’re just starting or you’re a seasoned writer aspiring to bigger outlets, this course provides clear guidance on crafting effective pitches for quality publications.
This workshop will survey methods for generating story ideas and tips to make them successful. We’ll cover the essential components of a pitch letter, from a catchy subject line, to a captivating hook, and a walk-off that leaves the editor wanting more. We’ll also discuss editor etiquette, navigating the assignment process, and how to land the best placement for your story.
This course is formatted with a one-day Zoom session to deep-dive into crafting the perfect pitch, followed by material to guide you through the process at your own pace that includes:
-
"Crafting the Perfect Pitch" E-book to guide you through writing a compelling pitch, step-by-step
-
Online community forum for peer support and feedback
-
Pitch critique: Each participant will have three months to write and submit a pitch for personalized feedback from me, along with a list of publications to submit to
*One full scholarship is available. Apply here.
Individual Coaching & Consulting
Individual writing and career coaching is available for new and experienced writers looking to develop their skills, hone their craft, and determine the best career trajectory for them. Whether it's for writing articles, a book, or effective press releases, this coaching strategy is rooted in a structured, objective-oriented approach based on your goals.
Editing articles, manuscripts, or other copy is available on a case-by-case basis.
"Jenna takes the desire to be a writer and skillfully plots the course to make it real. In an encouraging, safe and stimulating environment she walks you through at a pace that allows you to develop and flesh out your ideas. Her breadth of knowledge in the field of writing allows you to sample writers and be inspired by their techniques. This is simply the best, most satisfying, practical and least pretentious writing course I have ever had the pleasure of joining." —Julia Booth, (private coaching 2020-2022)
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