Writing Workshops

How to Write a First-Person Travel Essay with Matt Ortile

$175

2 sessions

In stock

Saturday & Sunday 1:00 pm EDT - 4:00 pm EDT November 1 to November 2, 2025

Online via Zoom

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In this weekend-long seminar and workshop, students will learn the fundamentals of how to write a first-person travel essay. By reading published contemporary travel articles, we will study the use of the narrative “I” in travel magazine writing, tried-and-true story “formulas,” and basic reporting techniques. In-class discussion of readings and generative exercises will offer students ideas for a travel essay of their own that they can continue to develop after the weekend is over.

For the purposes of this class, we will distinguish between a first-person travel essay and a personal essay about travel: The latter privileges the self, emphasizes the writer’s intellectual and emotional discoveries; the former shifts its focus slightly, prioritizing instead the reader’s immersion in an exciting elsewhere by telling the story of that place—be it the local culture, history, environment, cuisine, or community. More than a matter of semantics, these distinctions can help us as writers to 1) find multiple ways to tell a tale; 2) navigate the power dynamics between a journalist and their subject; and 3) sell an article to an editor for publication.

This class is for students who are new to travel writing or those who wish to hone their skills in narrative place-based nonfiction. No prior writing experience is required. Potential authors to be read in and outside of class include: Maggie Shipstead, Gary Shteyngart, Ligaya Mishan, Lauren Collins, Bill Buford, Saki Knafo, Sarah Khan, and others. On both days of the weekend course, we will end with a short Q&A.

Course Outline:

Day 1: A seminar on the goals and narrative techniques of a first-person travel essay; a complete reading and analysis of a published article from a travel magazine; a writing exercise; and Q&A, time permitting. Between the first and second days of class, students will be highly encouraged to read at least one travel essay from a selection of provided PDFs.
Day 2: A generative writing exercise; discussions of the essays read outside of class (featuring a questions-to-ask checklist); a brief lecture on the necessity of research and reporting and how they can be used to develop essay ideas; a crash-course on how to pitch stories to travel magazines for publication, including industry best practices and etiquette; and Q&A, time permitting.

Level: Introductory

This course will be held online via Zoom.

Led by

Matt Ortile

Matt Ortile

Matt Ortile is the author of the essay collection The Groom Will Keep His Name and the co-editor of the nonfiction anthology Body Language. He is an editor at Condé Nast Traveler, where he covers sustainable and ethical travel, LGBTQ+ travel, wine & spirits, among other topics; and was previously the executive editor of Catapult magazine and the founding editor of BuzzFeed Philippines. He has written for Esquire, Vogue, BuzzFeed News, and elsewhere; has received fellowships from the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and MacDowell; and has taught writing seminars at Kundiman, PEN America, and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. He is a graduate of Vassar College, which means he now lives in Brooklyn.

About this series

Writing Workshops

We strive to make our classes the most inviting and rewarding available, offering an intimate environment to study with award-winning, world-class writers. Each class is specially designed by the instructor, so whether you’re a fledgling writer or an MFA graduate polishing your novel, you’ll find a perfect fit here.

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