The British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW) and Talking Travel Writing (TTW), a weekly newsletter authored by journalists and BGTW members Lottie Gross and Steph Dyson, are pleased to announce the success of their inaugural mentoring programme for aspiring travel writers. 

The scheme, which saw 10 members of the Guild mentor 10 new and aspiring travel writers during four hour-long sessions across October 2021, received over 170 applications from a diverse range of applicants located within the United Kingdom and beyond. 

“I am grateful for the insight that I have gained and the generosity of my mentor.”

Feedback has been resoundingly positive, with 100% of the mentees indicating that they would recommend the programme to other new writers within the industry. 

Aspiring travel writer Deborah Gray said: “It was a privilege to be given one-on-one time with Pól Ó Conghaile, a travel editor and award-winning writer, to be able to ask questions and learn from his experience. Starting out it’s so easy to keep making the same mistakes, producing work that is not commercial and writing pitches that don’t attract attention. This scheme has challenged me to do things differently. I am grateful for the insight that I have gained and the generosity of my mentor.”

James Scanlan, who was partnered with travel writer Claire Dodd, also reflected on the strengths of the scheme and the professional development opportunities it provided. He said: “The mentoring sessions were really beneficial and I learnt loads – from how best to form an article and a pitch to the importance of emphasising my niche when promoting my stories.”

Providing a valuable learning opportunity for experienced travel writers 

While the focus was on supporting the development of new and aspiring writers, some mentors also found the programme to be a valuable learning opportunity for themselves, as well as offering the opportunity to share insights into the industry that are often not discussed. 

Award-winning travel journalist Shafik Meghji said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would be happy to take part again in the future. Beyond the satisfaction of (hopefully) helping someone break into an industry that can often seem daunting from the outside, I learned a lot from the planning and the sessions themselves. I also think Hajar Meddah – my mentee – and I were well matched. We were able to discuss certain issues (such as the challenges writers of colour can face in the media) that may not have been so easy to raise with another writer.”

BGTW Chairman Simon Willmore, who oversaw the implementation of the programme, was pleased that the Guild was able to take part in such an industry-leading scheme. "I was delighted that Guild members Lottie and Steph approached the BGTW for this mentoring scheme,” he said. 

“The Talking Travel Writing newsletter is one of the best initiatives to have come out of the travel media industry in the last couple of years and it perfectly aligns with Guild's efforts to connect members, give something back to the industry and to nurture future talent. I look forward to running a similar scheme very soon."

Spring 2022 will see the BGTW x Talking Travel Writing mentoring programme opening for another round of applications from aspiring travel writers seeking mentorship and experienced journalists looking to offer their skills as mentors. If you’re a company or individual who would be interested in helping to fund the scheme, please contact Lottie and Steph directly at hello@travelwriting.xyz. 

Notes for editors

Talking Travel Writing is a practical weekly newsletter that aims to demystify the travel media. From interviews with editors, calls for pitches and industry analysis, it’s an essential resource for anyone looking to thrive as a travel writer in 2022. 

The British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW) is a community of almost 300 accredited writers, photographers, bloggers and broadcasters, based all over the world. Members receive numerous benefits such as access to professional and social events, a press card, exclusive discounts and press trips, and access to awards schemes.