World Nomads Travel Writing Scholarship 2020 (Win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Caribbean)
Deadline: March 11, 2020
Want to learn how to become a travel writer in a tropical paradise? Apply for the World Nomads Travel Writing Scholarship 2020 and win a travel writing adventure to the Caribbean plus be mentored by professional travel writer Tim Neville.
World Nomad is sending three aspiring travel writers to explore beyond the sandy shores and crystal waters of the Caribbean. On the 14-day trip you’ll attend a workshop with NY Times contributor Tim Neville then put what you’ve learned into practice and tackle real-life travel writing assignments.
Benefits
- Free flights: Receive round-trip airfare from your closest international airport to the Caribbean.
- Professional mentorship: Attend a 4-day workshop with Tim Neville at a Selina hostel coworking space.
- 10-day trip: Then, go on a 10-day all-expenses-paid trip in the Caribbean with bamba.
- Travel apparel: Be outfitted with sustainable travel clothes and gear from Toad&Co.
- Portfolio review: Get feedback on your writing from Nat Geo Traveler editor at large, Norie Quintos.
- Travel insurance: As always, travel insurance for the trip provided by World Nomads.
Eligibility
- Open to aspiring writers from all around the world;
- The scholarship is not open to professional writers of any kind. Essentially this is a ‘learning opportunity’ for someone who is looking for an introduction into the travel writing industry and more importantly, is keen to be mentored;
- For the purposes of this opportunity, World Nomad would consider you to be professional writer if you have been published regularly in commercial blogs, newspapers, magazines or journals. They would also consider you to be a professional writer if you derive more than 25% of your income from writing of any kind;
- If you have only had a few stories published, or keep a regular travel blog then they would not consider this professional.
Judging Criteria
To be chosen for this scholarship you’ll need to convince the judging panel through your writing that you have the spirit of adventure and passion for travel writing. Your writing should showcase:
- Great descriptive ability (without getting flowery)
- A well-structured narrative and a strong eye for detail
- Ability to uncover a great travel story and tell it in a compelling way
- Excellent spelling and grammar and a knack for avoiding clichés
Application
- Select your story theme
- ‘A leap into the unknown’
- ‘Making a local connection’
- ‘I didn’t expect to find’
- Write a travel story
- Use your chosen theme to craft a compelling story about a travel experience you’ve had in 700 words or less.
- Fill in your personal details so they know how to contact you should you make the shortlist.