Course tutor, Daniel Scott

Daniel is a professional travel writer, born and bred in England, now living in Boomerang Beach, NSW, Australia, where he writes for a variety of publications including The Sydney Morning Herald. In his 15 years in travel journalism his work has been published in such countries as the UK, Ireland, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Hong Kong, and in a variety of media. Daniel has also written a novel, 'The Colour Of Love', seven plays, which have appeared in theatres in five countries to date, and two screenplays. On radio, he has a regular travel slot on Australia's ABC station, and has also contributed to BBC Radio Five Live's "Up All Night". You can read a selection of Daniel's travel writing here.

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Introduction to Travel Writing course

This course, designed and taught by Daniel Scott, has had considerable success over the five years that it has been running to date, for reasons that are clear to see. It provides a unique opportunity to learn about the whys and wherefores of travel writing from an award-winning professional. Covering getting started, writing introductions, story structure and getting your writing noticed, the course also includes photography and marketing tips. And, in a relaxed yet stimulating environment, you will have plenty of opportunity to try your hand at various forms and lengths of travel writing, including first-person narrative and guide book format. Class size is small, so there is plenty of time and space for personal tuition and feedback. As part of the package, Daniel will critique up to three pieces of your work at any time in the six months following the Alpujarra course.

Course outline                                                                                                   

      Getting Started

• Turning your travels into stories
• What is good travel writing?
• How to write an introduction that will really grab the reader's attention
• The importance of detail
• How personal should our stories be?

      Getting Noticed/ Story structure

• What is it about your experience and your story that will get it noticed?
• Why is a theme to your story so important?
• What types of story structure can you use?
• How can you get your story noticed?

      The Bigger Picture

• Detailed feedback on your work
• Some useful tips on travel photography
• What makes for a shot that will be published?
• What about other types of travel writing? - How to write for guide books/ the internet/ travel books

       Getting into Print

• Marketing yourself and your stories
• Knowing when and how to contact travel editors
• How to package and present your work
• Feedback on up to three pieces of your writing during and after the course

Past students have said about the course...

• "Dan's travel writing course was great! His feedback has been immensely helpful in shaping and refining my stories. I've always found writing the introduction to be difficult, but his writing tips have helped simplify it all. I feel confident enough now to market myself in the travel writing industry." Susan Jones, Canada

• "Dan provided a supportive and non-judgmental environment. He is sensitive and perceptive to intentions and feelings and inspires creativity wherever it may be hiding. I found his course liberating." Carolyn Arnold, Cape Town, South Africa

• "The course has given me the confidence to write and try to sell some of my stories. I learnt about structure, what makes a story interesting, marketing and how to take photographs to accompany my stories. I would definitely recommend the course to anyone who has an interest in travel writing." Annika Dash, Canberra, Australia

• "The holiday exceeded my expectations: I learned so much and now have a clearer focus on my writing. I loved the food, felt quite pampered and definitely got my money's worth. Thanks!"    Sarah Nicola, San Diego, USA (September 07 course, Alpujarras)
• "My focus and confidence have improved.  Dan is very positive in his feedback.  He makes it all seem possible.  Granada is a great place to do the course. And thanks for the sunshine." Tessa Honey, Kent, England (March 06 course, Granada)

Alpujarras, September 2006

Granada, March 2006

Course venue

The setting for the Travel Writing course is a family-run hotel built in the traditional style of the Alpujarra region, in Granada Province. Set on a hillside overlooking the village of Capileira, the hotel has wonderful views from its terraced gardens and a pool for the hot afternoons of summer. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, there is a large dining room for breakfasts and a sitting area for cosy autumn evenings. The course takes place in a brand new meeting room set in the gardens of the hotel, moving outside into the gardens themselves in fine weather. NB We are also offering an alternative accommodation option in a small, welcoming two-star hostal (independent hotel) in the village, 2 minutes walk from the hotel itself.

Capileira is one of the highest villages in the Alpujarra, at over 4500 feet above sea level, and is one of the prettiest, preserving much of its traditional architecture, its squat white houses with their flat roofs and conical chimneys evoking a heritage from the Berber peoples who occupied these parts in the Middle Ages. From Capileira there are easy walks to the neighbouring villages in the Poqueira Ravine, Bubión and Pampaneira, as well as to a beautiful picnic spot by a mountain stream, with which we round off the programme. There are also longer trails which criss-cross the steep slopes of the ravine, and which we will follow on the optional guided walk on the free day during our stay in this tranquil region.

Travel Writing: "Musings of a wandering mind", by Sean Clarke

Read what The Guardian had to say about one of the previous Travel Writing courses, held in Granada...

"Before we begin, a word of apology. Although this piece concerns a trip to Granada, there may not be much time for discussion of its history as a pivot-point between the European Christian world and the Muslim civilisations of North Africa. Nor will we spend long on the jewel in Granada's crown, the Alhambra - "the red fort" - probably the most impressive piece of secular Muslim architecture in Europe, a complex of staterooms, royal palaces, fountain-sprinkled courtyards and exquisite summer gardens sitting high above the town [ read on...]."