The Masterclasses by National Geographic Traveller (UK) returned in March 2023 with a series of one-hour writing and photography sessions.

The first events took place on 7 March, with the writing class looking at how to find your story. Our panel of experienced travel journalists talked the audience through their approach to researching, writing and delivering a story — from scrolling through social media to pitching an idea to a publication.

Here’s some of the expert advice shared during the session:

• Freelance journalist Jonathan Thompson, a former British Travel Writer of the Year, explained how he harnesses the power of social media to get a feel for a destination before taking a trip. “The first thing I do is go to Instagram and start looking at the hashtags that relate to the place I’m going to, to see what people like in that destination and the type of discussions that are happening.”
• If circumstances don’t allow you to travel far from home, Kate Simon, former Travel Editor of the Independent on Sunday, suggested seeking out local stories. “Since the pandemic, there’s a much bigger interest in covering stories about Britain,” she said. “Editors are more prepared to think about destinations outside the honeypot areas of the Cotswolds or the Lake District.”
• Once you have your story, Emma Thomson, a two-time British Guild of Travel Writers’ Travel Writer of the Year, advises considering how you can successfully sell it to an editor. “The pitch shouldn’t be too long,” she said. “If you can’t summarise the idea on the back of a postage stamp, it’s not detailed enough. Concise is key!”

Tickets are still available for the remaining sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. Click here to learn more and here to buy tickets.