LAURA DE VIVO, a second-year mature student on our BA Creative Writing, discusses travel writing and taking opportunities.
It was on a wet March day in Nottingham that my fellow Creative Writing student Claire and I made our way through the city centre to Hockley. On a weekend night, this end of the city swells with revellers moving from bar to bar, but on a wet Tuesday afternoon it was drab and mostly empty. In my youth, this was a largely forgotten end of town unless you wanted to visit the few shops that carried favour with those more alternative types – which included me, so. I spent many a hedonistic hour in the patchouli-scent-filled shops, smoke circling my head while I bought clothes decorated with tiny mirrors, or black make-up that my father was not impressed to see me apply to my face before heading out on student night. Many buildings have been refurbished and repurposed now, and house swanky bars and upmarket eateries.
And, hidden among it all, on this wet afternoon we were to attend a travel writing workshop.
As you can see, I’m drawn to telling a tale, and I’m in awe of anyone who tells tales for a living. Being given the opportunity to meet a living, breathing travel writer was too good an opportunity to turn down. Not only that, but it was also free. All that was required was to agree to the commitment by way of an online form and then turn up. NTU offer many free opportunities that can either be found on the NOW notice board or which come direct from the lecturers, who often organise the events. University offers real opportunities to enhance your degree – and to enable you to create a well-rounded CV when your time in higher education has finished. It is worthwhile to expose yourself to as many opportunities as you think you can manage alongside your studies.
These sorts of writing opportunities also offer a chance to develop your craft and skill. I have also just finished working on a project with Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature, taking writing out into the community. This sort of thing gives you a chance to try out roles you may be considering, and to gain real hands-on experience. Put simply: taking part in extracurricular activities during your time at university will enhance your employability prospects when you leave. Doing more than is expected will make you stand out to employers. It also provides opportunities to socialise and meet likeminded people.
So, back to my story.
After a few awkward nods by way of greeting, and equally awkward introductions of ourselves, we settled down to the workshop with Peter Moore, author of The Wrong Way Home and Vroom To The Sea, and another four travel books. Peter also once worked for Wanderlust, so has sat on both sides of the travel writing desk, or fence, making him a very knowledgeable man. His stories were enthralling and filled with bravery way beyond mine. Being able to speak to Peter, to probe him and ask all those questions that I have always wondered about, was the highlight of the afternoon. He offered an honest appraisal of the industry, and we gained insights into what travel magazines are looking for, how to get noticed, and how the job has changed over the years. Seeing Peter’s enthusiasm for travel left me with one overriding message: that all those who wish to write travel tend to wish to deliver the same message, that ‘you’ve got to come here!’ Each new trip feeds the desire to take the next. Travel writing is as competitive as any other writing role and the tenacity to prove you are the person to tell that story is integral to seeing your words in print.
We stepped back onto the wet pavement two hours later, thoughts of where our first article was coming from filling our conversation. Then we boarded our separate buses, no more exciting than the simple rides home. But, as Peter told us, stories can come from anywhere.
NOTTINGHAM CREATIVE WRITING HUB 