ARLINGTON, Va. – Jerry unpacked his small, old suitcase on the teacher’s desk as coffee-slurping students shuffled into the classroom on an early Saturday morning.
Arlington’s Clarendon Center was ground zero for Travel Writing – A One-day Short Course available through the county’s Adult Education program. Our teacher was Jerry Haines, a former lawyer and college journalism teacher turned Washington Post columnist. The class was made up of 7 women and 3 men, ranging in age from early twenties to late forties.
By the time roll call was taken, it was apparent our teacher had a good-natured, humor streak. As if the subject matter and insider tips weren’t exciting enough, Jerry’s silly jokes and anecdotes from a lifetime of world travel, and 12 years of writing about it, would permeate the series of lectures during the 6-hour class.
Our introduction to travel writing began with a rundown of the most common categories:
- The Destination Piece – A class article detailing a specific locale
- The Fact-Intensive Piece – Shorter, good for beginners, and includes Top 10 Lists and Best (beaches, hotels, etc.).
- The Journey Piece – Focusing on the getting there rather than the destination.
- The Travel Essay – A broad category, often illustrating a universal truth.
- Special Interest – Specific activities, such as cooking schools or traveling with kids.
- Several Places at Once – Multiple activities or destinations in the same general area, or tied together by a common factor. Also known as “The Round-Up.”
- The “How-To” Piece – Slanted toward logistics, such as How to See Tokyo on a Budget.
- The News Peg – Hanging the story on a current event, such as a natural disaster.
- Adventure Travel – Rafting, biking, or any story which causes the traveler to overcome an obstacle.
- Humor – This one speaks for itself.
- Special Events – Annual holidays or festivals, such as The Running of the Bulls.
We then turned to the travel writer as traveler, and researcher. Topics ranged from writing about people more so than places, to the importance of note taking. The third lecture focused on structuring an article, illustrated by one of Jerry’s published pieces from The Washington Post about a Minneapolis flour mill museum (more fun than it sounds).
Lunch arrived soon after noon, with most of us walking across the street to Whole Foods Market for a sandwich to bring back to class. The first surprise of the day came after our lunch break when Jerry let us know that he does one-on-one critiques of students’ writing at a rate of $25 per assignment, including edits mailed back to you, and a follow-up phone call. Several students’ eyes lit up at the offer.
Once the quorum was reached, we picked up with photography tips. Jerry, a self-professed non-professional photographer, focused his advice on what types of photos newspapers are most likely to buy (Hint: be original).
The last two subjects meshed together as our day was coming to an end – marketing your writing and the logistics of submitting pieces to newspaper and magazine editors. A student’s question also elicited typical rates for major newspapers. For example, a “1st play” piece in the Newark Star-Ledger (front page of travel section, above the fold) pays $575. A short piece (fewer than 800 words) can net $250 from The Washington Post. On the high end, the New York Times can pay $2,000 for a 1st play. The higher rate is partly the result of their purchase of the full rights to your work.
The second surprise of the day came when a go-getter of a woman in class suggested to Jerry that a group of us get together informally to share our writings and feedback. A few eyebrows rose with the question, and the quick, positive response had us leaving more empowered and excited than when we entered.
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See a sample piece by Jerry Haines on Worldhum. Registration for Jerry’s travel writing classes can be done online at the Arlington Public Schools website. Arlington residents pay $56, non-residents $73. Discounts are available for seniors.
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