Unlock your creativity with USQ Bookcase

Calling all authors, writers, readers and lovers of books! The University of Southern Queensland’s Alumni & Advancement Office recently launched its first-ever writers’ festival - USQ Bookcase – an off-the-page event highlighting the power of the written word.

To be held on Saturday 19 July at the University’s Toowoomba campus, the inaugural event will feature a jam-packed program workshops, book signings, readings, stalls and panel discussions – all free and open to the public.

Not only am I helping organise the event, I’ll also be taking part in a panel discussion on travel writing – See the World; Sell the Story. I’ll be joined by leading food, wine, travel and online expert Christine Salins and award-winning Toowoomba travel photographer and writer Cathy Finch. So if you have ever dreamed of being a travel writer, come feed your wanderlust with us as we discuss our writing careers and what makes good travel writing.

New Travel Writing Workshop

I'm holding a new Travel Writing Workshop for the Northern Rivers Writers' Centre this March. On this one day workshop you'll learn how to give yourself the best possible chance to earn an income from your adventures.

Travel writing is about engaging the reader and making the travel experience as real and exciting as possible. It's also about selling your work to publishers. This workshop will introduce participants to the requirements of this style of writing, from choosing destinations, to writing the article, to selling your work. Travel photography will also be discussed.

Where: SCU room, Byron Community Centre
When: Sunday, 18 March
What time: 10.00am-4.00pm
Cost: $70 NRWC members; $85 non-members

Only a few places are still available, so don't miss out. Contact the NRWC for details.

Feedback from my previous workshops include:

"Kim has a lovely presence & communicates exceptionally well - I like the ways she structured the workshop to lead us step by step through the process from thinking about the idea to how to get it published, as well as challenging us to actually write during the workshop. Her feedback on our efforts was very generous, positive and helpful." Virginia Clarke, Byron Bay

"Kim, I would recommend your workshops to any aspiring writers. Your experience and the friendly atmosphere made the weekend a very engaging learning experience." Sue Evans, Northern Rivers

"Kim Wildman lead a clear and inclusive travel writing workshop which not only focused on the skills of writing and storytelling but the business of travel writing and having your work published. A fun and valuable course by an experienced travel writer." Holly Galbraith, Go Future Media

"Excellent! The course was very useful and exceeded my expectations." Amy Dalguish, Travel Editor, Total Travel

"Inspirational and dynamic presenter. Engaging real life experiences of her travels and success in travel writing."

"A shame the workshop is over – onto the hard work now!"

PCFCT Guest Speaker Announcement

I'm happy to announce the first guest speaker for the upcoming Postcards from Cape Town Travel Writing Retreat - James Bainbridge. Since his first Lonely Planet gig in 2005 - updating the Togo & Benin chapters of West Africa – James has contributed to 20-plus guidebooks and coffee table books ranging from India to Ireland. He's the senior author of LP's guides to South Africa, Turkey and Morocco. James has also written for a range of publications, including Time Out South Africa and Mango's inflight magazine, and last year presented the TV series Lonely Planet's Best in China. Originally from the UK, he's been based in Cape Town for a year. James is aptly leading our session on 'Seeking Eden on a Lonely Planet: The ins and outs of guidebook authoring'. You can find out more about him here.

Byron Bay Writers Festival

It's that time of year again when Australia's writing community converges on Byron Bay for the annual Byron Bay Writers Festival. There are only three sleeps left until it kicks off this Friday, 5 August. This year I'm thrilled to say I am making the transition from festival goer to festival panellist. I'll be offering my insights on the topic 'Why travel broadens the mind – and creativity' along with Adrienne Ferreira & Julietta Jameson, author of Me, Myself & Lord Byron. Our panel - chaired by Michael Pelusey- is on Friday, 5 August from 4pm-5pm in the Red Tent. Hope to see you all there!

New Travel Writing Workshop

You asked for it. You've got it. Following the 2011 Byron Bay Writers Festival - where I'll be a guest speaker on a panel on 'Why travel broadens the mind & creativity' - and before I take off for Ethiopia, I will be running a new one-off, one-day Travel Writing Workshop.

Date: Tuesday, 9 August
Time: 10am-4pm
Location: A&I Hall Bangalow
Cost: $65/$55 Concession
Bookings: 0400 887 991 or kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au.

Feedback from my previous workshops include:

"Kim has a lovely presence & communicates exceptionally well - I like the ways she structured the workshop to lead us step by step through the process from thinking about the idea to how to get it published, as well as challenging us to actually write during the workshop. Her feedback on our efforts was very generous, positive and helpful." Virginia Clarke, Byron Bay

"Kim, I would recommend your workshops to any aspiring writers. Your experience and the friendly atmosphere made the weekend a very engaging learning experience." Sue Evans, Northern Rivers

"Kim Wildman lead a clear and inclusive travel writing workshop which not only focused on the skills of writing and storytelling but the business of travel writing and having your work published. A fun and valuable course by an experienced travel writer." Holly Galbraith, Go Future Media

"Excellent! The course was very useful and exceeded my expectations." Amy Dalguish, Travel Editor, Total Travel

"Inspirational and dynamic presenter. Engaging real life experiences of her travels and success in travel writing."

"A shame the workshop is over – onto the hard work now!"

STOP PRESS: Postcards from Cape Town Travel Writing Retreat now more affordable than ever!

Due to overwhelming demand, the Postcards from Cape Town Travel Writing Retreat is now being offered as a non-residential retreat. This means participants can stay anywhere in the city, bringing down the price down to a very affordable $600 (R4,500) per person. Participants will of course have to provide their own transport to/from Dunkley House, where we'll meet for workshops, and local restaurants.

Held from 5-9 September the retreat will take participants on a travel writing journey through the sights, sounds and scents of Cape Town. During the day we'll explore some of the city's most famous sights practising writing and researching skills learnt in workshops. Come the evenings, we’ll enjoy the tastes and flavours of the city’s best restaurants along with the company and conversation of leading travel writers, photographers, authors and editors.

If that's not enough, MSN NZ, the international media portal for the MSN Network in New Zealand, has offered to publish the best travel articles written during the course of the week on their popular Travel Bite website. So not only will you experience what it takes to be a travel writer, you might even get published! See the attached brochures for more details.

Any participants who choose to stay at Dunkley House, where workshops will be held, will be offered a 10% discount on accommodation.

If you need any more information I can be contacted on kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au or you can visit my website.

Five great reasons not to miss the Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience

There are only a couple of places left for the Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience. Held over the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June in the beautiful village of Bangalow, this unique writing event will awaken your creativity and indulge your senses.

If haven't already gotten your ticket to winter's hottest event, here are five great reasons why you won’t want to miss out:

1. You'll discover a true hinterland haven
Hidden in the lush, green hills of the Northern Rivers, Bangalow is a writer’s and foodie's delight. Just minutes from Byron Bay, this inviting hinterland village is where rural wholesomeness meets big city sophistication with CWA stalls and old-fashioned hardware and bric-a-brac stores rubbing shoulders with chic boutiques, cool cafes and gorgeous galleries.

2. You'll receive expert advice
Hosted by Bangalow-based writer Kim Wildman, this three-day retreat will take participants on a travel writing journey through the sights, sounds, scents and flavours of Bangalow. A seasoned travel writer with more than 15 guidebooks and 200 feature articles to her credit, Kim has spent the last 10 years continent hopping for the likes of Lonely Planet and Bradt Travel Guides and was recently voted one of Tripbase’s 100 Favourite Travel Writers in the World.

3. You'll sample delicious local produce
With food as well as writing a main focus of the weekend, tastebuds will be tantalised with many of the region's best restaurants and producers highlighted on the menu for the event. Participants will enjoy gourmet meals at three atmospheric local restaurants including Bangalow Dining Rooms, Fishheads @ Bangalow and the Harvest Cafe and will meet local producers on a half-day Foodscape hinterland tour and a guided visit of the Bangalow Farmers' Market.

4. You'll mix with the region's best writers, authors and providores
The program features a prominent line-up of local writers, authors, foodies, providores and identities including co-owner of Foodscape Tours, Karen Hirst, author of Boys' Home to Broadway, Kevin Palmer, publisher of Sample magazine, Remy Tancred, and TV presenter and author, Scott McGregor, who'll help me unearth the best of the region through a series of workshops, dinners and tours.

5. You might even get published
If a weekend of writing, reflecting and enjoying the tastes and flavours of Bangalow isn't enticement enough, Sample magazine - the epicurean bible of the Northern Rivers - has offered to publish the best travel article written over the weekend in the travel section of the spring edition of the magazine. So not only will you experience what it takes to be a travel writer, you might even get published.

All participants too will go into the draw for a three-day pass to the Bangalow Music Festival. So grab your pen and paper, bring your appetite and get ready for a fun weekend of good writing, good food and good company.

The three day event costs $450 per person and includes the three restaurant meals, tours and workshops. Accommodation can be arranged in a variety of local venues in and around the village. Places are strictly limited. Contact me on 0400 887 991 or kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au to make a booking. For more information visit Kim's website.

Postcards from Cape Town Travel Writing Retreat

Learn the art of travel writing in the world's No.1 travel destination.

Times: 4pm Monday, 5 September to 12pm Friday, 9 September
$AUD 600 (R4,500) excluding accommodation **

Bold, brash and beautiful, Cape Town is one city that doesn't disappoint. From the cloud-blanketed top of Table Mountain and the craggy peaks of the 12 Apostles to the sun-soaked, sandy beaches of Camp's Bay and the rolling vineyards of Constantia to its vibrant mix of cultures and buzzing nightlife, South Africa's 'Mother City' is an electric, cosmopolitan city that has it all. Little wonder it was recently voted the No.1 Travel Destination in the World by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards

Join veteran guidebook author, travel writer and some-time Capetonian Kim Wildman on a travel writing journey through the sights, sounds and scents of this sensational city. Based at the beautiful Dunkley House in the city's historic old quarter, you’ll spend five days learning the art of writing and selling travel stories while uncovering the heart and soul of Cape Town.

During the day you'll explore some of the city's most famous sights practising writing and researching skills learnt in workshops. Come the evenings, you'll enjoy the tastes and flavours of Cape Town's best restaurants along with the company and conversation of leading travel writers, photographers, authors and editors.

If a week of writing, reflecting and enjoying the sights and sounds of Cape Town isn't enticement enough, MSN NZ, the international media portal for the MSN Network in New Zealand, has offered to publish the three best travel articles written during the course of the week on their popular Travel Bite website. So not only will you experience what it takes to be a travel writer, you might even get published!

Included in the retreat: two restaurant dinners, a city centre walking tour, cable ride to Table Mountain (weather permitting), tour of Robben Island, and day trip to Cape Point taking in the beautiful seaside villages of Simon’s Town, St James and Kalk Bay as well as a wine tasting at Groot Constantia and a hamper lunch (inclusive of entry fees to Boulders Beach and Cape Point).

Not included in the retreat: accommodation, transport to/from B&B and restaurants, airport transfers, additional meals, alcohol and drinks, laundry, telephone, personal expenses, spending money, tips for guides, airfares, visas and travel insurance.

Participants can stay anywhere in the city. Any participants who choose to stay at Dunkley House will be offered a 10% discount on accommodation.

This fun and informative retreat is suitable for beginning writers upwards. Places are strictly limited, so contact Kim Wildman on kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au to make a booking now.

**Prices subject to currency fluctuations

Postcards from Bangalow: The countdown is on

It's now just over a month until the first-ever Postcards from Bangalow Writing and Gourmet Experience kicks off. Tickets for this unique writing event to be held in the beautiful hinterland village of Bangalow on the Far North Coast of New South Wales from 10-13 June are selling fast. Don't miss out - the clock is ticking!

The three day writing retreat will take participants on a travel writing journey through the sights, sounds, scents and flavours of Bangalow. Joining me for the journey are a prominent line-up of local writers, authors, foodies and identities including co-owner of Foodscape Tours, Karen Hirst, author of Boys' Home to Broadway, Kevin Palmer, publisher of Sample magazine, Remy Tancred, and TV presenter and author, Scott McGregor, who'll help me unearth the best of the region through a series of workshops, dinners and tours.

With food as well as writing a main focus of the weekend, tastebuds will be tantalised with many of the region's best restaurants and producers highlighted on the menu for the event. Participants will enjoy gourmet meals at three atmospheric local restaurants including Bangalow Dining Rooms, Fishheads @ Bangalow and the Harvest Cafe and will meet local producers on a half-day Foodscape hinterland tour and a guided visit of the Bangalow Farmers' Market.

If a weekend of writing, reflecting and enjoying the tastes and flavours of Bangalow isn't enticement enough, Sample magazine - the epicurean bible of the Northern Rivers - has offered to publish the best travel article written over the weekend in the travel section of the spring edition of the magazine. All participants too will go into the draw for a three-day pass to the Bangalow Music Festival. So grab your pen and paper, bring your appetite and get ready for a fun weekend of good writing, good food and good company.

The three day event costs $450 per person and includes the three restaurant meals, tours and workshops. Accommodation can be arranged in a variety of local venues in and around the village. Places are strictly limited. Contact me on 0400 887 991 or kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au to make a booking.

Postcards from Bangalow Guest Speakers

The program for the Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience, to be held in the beautiful hinterland village of Bangalow on the Far North Coast of New South Wales on the weekend of 10-13 June, is coming together nicely. A line-up of prominent local writers, editors, authors, foodies, providores and identities will participate in tours and special dinners throughout the weekend. So grab your pen and paper, bring your appetite and get ready for a weekend of fun, food and writing!

Places are strictly limited so be sure to book early. A discount of 5% is available for bookings made by 30 April, 2011. Contact Kim Wildman on 0400 887 991 or kim@wildwriting.com.au to make a booking now.

Guest speakers for the three restaurant meals include:

Scott McGregor, TV Presenter & Author
Scott has worked in the media for 30 years and is a well-known face from his work as an actor, presenter, writer and producer. He has appeared in numerous stage, film and TV roles and presented such programs as Room For Improvement, Better Homes and Gardens, and Australian Icon Towns. Recent projects include two books for Allen & Unwin, Fix-It and Big Boys Toys, and a new TV series on the history of the Post Office, Stamp of Australia, for the History Channel. Scott also hosts overseas railway tours for the Powerhouse Museum and Renaissance tours. Discussions: TBA

Kevin Palmer, Author & Theatrical
Kevin Palmer's autobiography Boys' Home to Broadway celebrates how Kevin rose - through a combination of talent, destiny and chutzpah - to forge an international theatrical career. At the Royal Shakespeare Company he worked with Dame Judi Dench, Dame Diana Rigg, and elsewhere with Joan Littlewood, Sir Ian McKellen, Judy Cornwell, Sir Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds. His career took him to many off-beat destinations such as Reykjavik, Iceland and Sweden, before finally returning to home Australia. Kevin has made a significant contribution to the evolution of theatre in Australia. Discussion: Tasty Tales from a Travelling Theatrical

Remy Tancred, Editor, Sample Magazine
Remy has worked in media for 15 years on well-known national and international magazines and newspapers. Since 2007 she has published her own monthly magazine The Lennox Wave in her hometown of Lennox Head. Remy recently launched Sample, a seasonal magazine showcasing the incredible range of food and produce that abounds in Northern NSW. As editor of the magazine, Remy's focus is on exploring the increasing emphasis on health and environment; in what we eat, how we grow it and how we sustain production. Remy is also the author of Ate Phat Ducks. Discussion: What an Editor Wants, What an Editor Needs

Postcards from Bangalow special offers

Great news: Local businesses in Bangalow and the surrounding areas are getting behind the Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience and showing their support by offering participants special deals on accommodation and transport. See below for details:

The wonderful staff at Bangalow Limousines, the premier business class transport service across the Byron Bay and Ballina Shires, are offering participants a 10% discount on airport transfers to/from the Gold Coast, Ballina and Lismore airports. So you can sit back and relax in luxurious comfort while you are chauffeured in style to your accommodation in Bangalow.

Participants staying at SummerHills Retreat will receive a 10% discount on accommodation. Located just minutes from Bangalow and cocooned in the lush Byron Bay hinterland, this private sanctuary offers accommodation in luxury cabins and spa villas. Each suite has great views, air-con, spa bath, kitchenette, bathrobes and gas BBQ.

Meanwhile, The Byron at Byron Resort & Spa has offered participants a special rate of $300.00 per night for two adults in their superior one-bedroom suites (standard rate $345.00). Located in close proximity to the resort's central area, these luxurious suites are ideal for those who wish to take advantage of the resort's many facilities including the pool, sauna, restaurant and the luxurious Spa and Wellness Centre.

For more information about the Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience click here.

An early bird discount of 5% is available for bookings made by 30 April, 2011. Places are strictly limited, so contact Kim Wildman on 0400 887 991 or kim@wildwriting.com.au to make a booking now.

Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience

Learn writing skills while eating well and enjoying new companions.

If you love writing, travelling and food, then you won't want to miss the Postcards from Bangalow Writing and Gourmet Experience. Held over the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June, this unique writing event will awaken your creativity and indulge your senses.

Hidden in the hills some 10 minutes drive from Byron Bay, Bangalow is a travel writer's and foodie's delight. Join seasoned travel writer Kim Wildman and learn what it takes to be a travel writer, while experiencing the smells, tastes, sounds and characters of this unique community.

Included in the weekend: three gourmet meals in atmospheric local restaurants, a half day Foodscape hinterland tour taking in three of the region's best producers and a guided historical walking tour of Bangalow as well as fun writing workshops and plenty of free time to allow your creative juices to flow. Each of the three included restaurant meals will be attended by a local writer, editor or identity who'll lead themed discussions on topics from how to capture the essence of a destination to how to pitch an article to an editor with questions and answers, readings and more.

If a weekend of writing, reflecting and enjoying the tastes and flavours of Bangalow isn't enticement enough, Sample Magazine, the epicurean bible of the Northern Rivers, has offered to publish the best travel article written over the weekend in the travel section of the spring edition of the magazine. So not only will you experience what it takes to be a travel writer, you might even get published!

This fun and informative weekend experience is suitable for beginning writers upwards with an interest in travel writing, food and good company.

Accommodation can be arranged in a variety of local venues in and around the village.

An early bird discount of 5% is available for bookings made by 30 April, 2011. Places are strictly limited, so contact Kim Wildman on 0400 887 991 or kim@wildwriting.com.au to make a booking now!

Date: 10-13 June
Times: 4pm Friday to 12pm Monday
Cost: $450 per person

Facilitator: Kim Wildman is a published travel writer and guidebook author with more than 10 years experience freelancing for a variety of media outlets around the world. She has authored more than 15 guidebooks, including Lonely Planet and Bradt travel guides, and written scores of travel features for the likes of The Melbourne Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Travel Africa, Voyageur and Ninemsn. When she's not continent-hopping, Kim runs travel writing workshops and mentors writers from her base in Bangalow. Recently voted one of Tripbase's 100 Favourite Travel Writers in the world, she also presents guest lectures on travel writing at universities and schools and speaks about her passion for the written road at international literary festivals and travel fairs. See her website for more details: www.wildwriting.com.au.


Testimonials from Kim's past travel writing workshops
"Excellent! The course was very useful and exceeded my expectations." Amy Dalguish, Travel Editor, Total Travel

"Kim Wildman lead a clear and inclusive travel writing workshop which not only focused on the skills of writing and storytelling but the business of travel writing and having your work published. A fun and valuable course by an experienced travel writer." Holly Galbraith, Go Future Media

Picture: Bangalow's main street, Copyright Michael King-Prime

It's a Wild, Wild World

I'm always being asked to supply a photograph of myself for work, especially one taken "on the road" that shows that I am a travel writer. As odd as it may seem, I don't have many pictures of myself. But as a photographer I'm usually behind the lens capturing what it is that I am seeing. On the rare occasions someone has managed to take my picture they're usually not very flattering (though, this probably has more to do with the model than the person taking the picture) or the picture has cropped so close that you can't tell what I am doing let alone where I am. Short of hiring a professional photographer to accompany me on my next work trip, I decided to organise a photo shoot over the weekend. Since the photographs in essence would be "staged", I thought it would be amusing to poke fun at myself and my work. Hence, I decided to dress up as an early twentieth century traveller – complete with modern hiking boots of course!

Introduction to Travel Writing - 2 Day Workshop

It's a New Year and with the New Year comes a new range of workshops and retreats. For my first workshop this year, I'll be running an introductory course in Travel Writing for the Northern Rivers Writers' Centre. So if you've ever dreamed becoming a travel writer this is the year for you.

Introduction to Travel Writing - 2 Day Workshop

Ever dream of being a travel writer, but don't know where to start? Travel writing is more than just keeping a diary of where you went, what you did and who you met. It's about engaging the reader and making the travel experience as real and exciting as possible. It's also about selling your work to publishers. This two-day workshop will introduce participants to the requirements of this style of writing, from choosing destinations, to writing the article, to selling your work. Travel photography will also be discussed. A very practical workshop, participants will have the intervening week to work on exercises set by Kim.

When: 9am-1pm, Saturday 21 and Saturday 28 May
Where: SCU room, Byron Community Centre
Cost: $95 NRWC members, $120 non-members
Suitable for: This workshop is designed for beginning and emerging writers with an interest in travel writing.

To find out more or make a booking, contact the Northern Rivers Writers Centre.

Tripbase 100 Favourite Travel Writers

I think I need to pinch myself. The very clever team behind the highly acclaimed travel website, Tripbase, have included me on their 100 Favourite Travel Writers list. I come in at No.78, so am a long way off No.1, but I'm very chuffed to be on a list that includes such great travel writing heavy hitters as Abbie Kozolchyk (No.1), Amanda Castleman (No.31), David Atkinson (No.61) and Rolf Potts (No.75).

What I love most about their tribute is the blurb they wrote about me:

Kim is a lover of adventure and this shines through whenever she puts pen to paper in order to narrate her spectacular travels. She is an advocate of solo travel and is equally as engaging when writing about canoeing the Zambezi River as when she is on a road trip through the States, though we get the feeling she is most in her element when exploring the most remote corners of the globe.

For someone who spends numerous hours locked in a study tapping away on a laptop, it's heartening to know that there are people out there who not only appreciate my work, but really get me. Thank you Tripbase!

You can see the full list of their favourite travel writers here.

Adventures with a guidebook author

Ever wonder what it's like to be a guidebook author? Want to know how to get your start in travel writing? During a brief break in between having just completed the update of Bradt Travel Guides’ Ghana and organizing my next trip to Ethiopia, I briefly sat down with Sherri from AdventureTravelGuidebooks.com to answer the tough questions about my most recent guidebook update on Ghana and what it’s like to be a travel writer. You can see the full interview, Adventures with Kim Wildman, here.

Tales from the road: An introduction to travel writing

Aspiring travel writers take heed. I'm running a new introductory course, Tales from the Road: An Introduction to Travel Writing, in early February. To be held in Mullumbimby on the Far North Coast of New South Wales, the course takes a practical approach to travel writing, giving an overview of the market from writing for newspapers, magazines and on-line, to authoring guidebooks. Students will learn how to write a great article, how to dress up articles with photographs and how to approach an editor with the perfect pitch.

Dates: 13 & 20 February
Time: 9am – 12.30pm
Cost: $63 Full Fee; $57 Concession

If you happen to be in the Byron Bay area around this time, I would love for you to come along!

Picture: Me assumning the pose in White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, USA.

New Frontiers: Travel writing in the digital age

Travel writing has long provided readers with a window to the world allowing us to see and experience faraway places without leaving the confines of our homes. Thanks to the world wide web, the field of travel writing has undergone a swift, head-spinning transformation in recent years. Starting February this year, I will be presenting a new six-week course for the Northern Rivers Writers Centre which will examine the art of travel writing within the context of the digital age. From contemporary e-guides, blogs and online forums to traditional newspapers, magazines and guidebooks, this course will show you how to build a career as a travel writer in the digital age. Participants need not be published but an introductory course [in any genre] will be assumed. So pull on your boots and get ready to walk a mile with me; if you plan to write travel it will be worth it!

When: Fridays, 12, 19 & 26 February; 5, 12, 19 March, 10am - 12.30pm
Where: Byron Bay
Cost: $255 (currently Members Only)

To find out more, contact the Northern Rivers Writers Centre.

Image sourced from FreeFoto.com

Here's to a wild, wild New Year!

I finally hit the send button for the last chapter of my Ghana travel guide update right on New Year's Eve, so I certainly had much to celebrate this year (or is that last year now?). Anyway, while I still have several months of edits to go through before the new Ghana guide is released, I've already launched into the New Year with renewed determination and focus to make this my wildest travel and writing year yet. I can't say too much, but I do have a number of exciting new projects on the horizon for the year ahead including travel writing classes and retreats for Byron Bay Regional Community College and the Northern Rivers Writers' Centre (more information to follow shortly). No matter where you are, I wish you all the very best for 2010!

Tales from the road II: New course in travel writing

Following on from the success of my first travel writing workshop, I'm running a second one in November when I return to Australia. The one-day course, Tales from the Road: An Introduction to Travel Writing, will be held in Mullumbimby on the Far North Coast of New South Wales, on Saturday, 14 November. The course itself will take a practical approach to travel writing, giving an overview of the market from writing for newspapers, magazines and on-line, to authoring guidebooks. Students will learn how to evoke a sense of place, how to dress up articles with photographs and how to approach an editor with the perfect pitch.

Date: 14 November
Time: 10am - 4pm
Cost: $60 Full Fee; $54 Concession

If you happen to be in the Byron Bay area around this time, I would love for you to come along!

Picture: Me hard at work in Ghana (not Togo as the flag may lead you to believe) August 2009.