Whether you want to admit it or not, a part of the media industry is building connections. And while a journalism or media degree will teach you countless skills, nothing beats real-life experience, especially in a constantly evolving industry. There are so many beats within media that are often gatekept — travel and lifestyle journalism being one of the many.
That’s where Be A Travel Writer comes in. Two top travel editors — Nina Ruggiero and Stacey Leasca — decided they wanted to share their insider tips on how to get started in professional travel and lifestyle journalism. Ruggiero is the digital editorial director at Travel + Leisure, one of the leading resources of travel inspiration in and outside the United States. Leasca is an award-winning journalist with photos, videos, and words that have appeared in Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, Business Insider, and many more.
Ruggiero and Leasca have decided to bring their combined knowledge — as well as guest expert knowledge — together in their new eight-class course called Be A Travel Writer. The course can be purchased in full, or if you’re looking to build a specific skill, you can purchase the classes separately.
“I deeply believe travel writing should be open to everyone, and with this course, I’m hoping those who’ve long dreamed of traveling the world to share stories of the people and places that make this planet unique can do just that,” Leasca says.
The course curriculum includes topics like how to successfully pitch to editors, build relationships with PR professionals, how to write for digital media, and how to write a great feature story.
“Stacey and I are constantly asked, ‘How do I get your job?’” Ruggiero says. “We’re using our expertise and industry knowledge to share the answer to that in a digestible, actionable way.”
Students who enroll in the full course are also given a one-on-one coaching session with Leasca, as well as access to their exclusive student newsletter and closed community just for students. Once you buy the course, you have access to it forever, so you can refer to it throughout your career.
The course includes nine hours of video lessons and 24 lesson materials for $899. Lucky for you, Her Campus readers get a discount code! You can use the code HerCampus25 for 25% off the course. With knowledge like this, the sky’s the limit. (Literally.)