7 – 14 August, 2010

Earlybird discount: NZ$500 off if booked by May 8

The course
They pay you to do what? Like travelling? Like writing?
This travel writing course is run by the redoubtable kiwitravelwriter, well-known in New Zealand and expanding her readership rapidly. Her suggestion is compelling:

“Take a vacation-with-a-purpose, learn travel-writing, and then get paid to travel! Combine your writing and travel passions so you can earn money for even more travels by learning to write terrific stories at this travel writing workshop – and wonderfully, where all the topics we need will be right on our doorstep for us to experience – I believe authentic, ethical travel writers never write about things they haven’t done or seen.”

And of course you can also use the same skills for creating a setting in a novel, or short story, and to greatly improve your blogs, letters, and emails.

Topics will include (but not only):

• How to write specifically for various publications
• Know your market
• What works – what doesn’t?
• Where to sell your stories – locally and internationally
• Finding your own style and the secrets of style
• Use your senses; quotes; fact files
• Query letters and the taxman
• Considering other markets
• Photography and travel writing: along with exercises, daily expeditions, and lots of talking in-between.

By your last day you should have a perfectly formed (critiqued) article ready to pitch to an editor.

Course requirements: enthusiasm and curiosity are essential.

Add notebooks and pencils; a camera; perhaps your laptop or an audio cassette – and, as we are on a Pacific island – sunscreen and swimming costumes are highly recommended!

The teacher
Who is the kiwitravelwriter?

• Heather Hapeta is from Christchurch, New Zealand;
• She’s a late developer who got her first passport in her forties and has made up for lost time ever since, and calls herself the passionate nomad.
• During her colourful life, Heather has reinvented herself a few times: worked in real estate; been a model; a waitress on a Malaysian beach; an alcohol and drug counsellor; suicide bereavement counsellor, and once managed a cattle farm for three months.
• Heather now follows a childhood dream of writing and has published ‘Naked in Budapest: travels with a passionate nomad’ which tells of her solo adventures after running away from home on her fiftieth birthday
• In addition, she has many (300+) travel related pieces published world wide: magazines, newspapers and in-flight magazines.
• With this successful writing background she also tutors travel writing, and is a sought after motivational speaker on travel and life related topics
• She held her first photographic exhibition (“Searching for Buddha” at Christchurch Arts Centre – Cloisters Gallery) in May 2009.

See more on her website: www.kiwitravelwriter.com
Follow her on twitter: twitter.com/kiwitravwriter
She blogs here: kiwitravelwriter.wordpress.com

Programme

Day 1:  Saturday 7 August
Arrive: welcome ceremony and dinner.

Day 2: Sunday 8 August
9.30am – 12.30pm: Workshop – Introduction; discussion on interests etc; planning projects.
1.00pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Coconut demonstration
6.00pm – 7.00pm: Reading and feedback (Daily/optional)
7:00pm: Dinner

Day 3: Monday 9 August
9.30am – 12.30pm: Workshop
1.00pm: Lunch
Afternoon: visit to Savusavu town
4.00pm: Tapa making demonstration at Daku
6.00pm – 7.00pm: Reading and feedback
7:00pm: Dinner

Day 4: Tuesday 10 August
9.30am – 12.30pm: Workshop
1.00pm: Lunch
2.00pm – 4.00pm: Beach / boat outing
6.00pm – 7.00pm: Reading and feedback
7:00pm: Dinner

Day 5: Wednesday 11 August
9.30am – 12.30pm: Workshop
1.00pm: Lunch
Afternoon: free
6.00pm – 7.00pm: Reading and feedback
7:00pm: Dinner

Day 6: Thursday 12 August
9.30am – 12.30pm: Workshop
1.00pm: Lunch
Afternoon free for writing and own research trip
5.00pm – 6.00pm: Reading and feedback
6.30pm: Drinks at Savusavu Yacht Club and dinner in town

Day 7: Friday 13 August
9.30am – 12.30pm: Workshop
1.00pm: Lunch
Afternoon free: Tutor appointments if required for one-on-one discussion.
4.30pm – 5.30pm: Village visit and meke (traditional dance)
Final dinner and readings and celebratory drinks

Day 8: Saturday 14 August
Return home.