Travel Writing Podcast

In this episode, Scottish travel writer Jamie Lafferty discusses why travel writing is anything but "leisurely" work, how coming from a working class background shaped the trajectory of his career and the stories he chooses to write, why he loves to interview “upper class” people, and how a trip to cover every prefecture in Japan after the 2011 tsunami shifted the way he thought about his work and...

Between delayed flights, strange streets, new languages, and endless challenges, travel can feel like a nightmare for those who struggle with anxiety. But what if travel could actually be a kind of treatment? In this episode, Intrepid Times editors Nathan and Jen discuss the travel experience that tested Jen's developing anxiety management skills, the kind of preparation people with anxiety may ne...

In this episode, Intrepid Times editor Jennifer Roberts and Dr. Jeffrey Skoblow talk about how learning to write is like learning a new language, why the choice of what you read can be critically important, the role that community plays in both reading and writing, and how presence and attention factor into both.

In this conversation with Intrepid Times' founder Nathan Thomas, Pier Nirandara explores how she taps into creativity even while working in the business world, what role awe has played in her life and writing, how she had to overcome imposter syndrome before finally calling herself a "writer," and more.

In this episode, Kapka Kassabova joins us for a conversation about her most recently published book, Elixir, the third in what will soon be a quartet set in the southern Balkans. She speaks about how the heartbreak that she found during her journey for the first book in the quartet prepared her emotionally for Elixir, why she always seeks out a guide during her travels, and why it's important for...

Today's episode includes excerpts from two of the many masterclasses offered to students of Travel Writer Transformation, Intrepid Times' 8-week writing course. In the first excerpt, the Intrepid Times editors discuss the first paragraph of a travel story and how to make sure you grab readers' attention without giving them too much information. The second excerpt discussions conclusions and how wr...

In this episode, travel writer Thom Brown discusses the process of tracking down a story in Mongolia, which led to his recently published story, "The Silicon Steppe." He talks about why the story he ended up writing was so different from his original idea, how he found contacts in Mongolia, and the various angles he had to consider while writing.

In this episode of the Intrepid Times Podcast, editors Nathan Thomas and Jennifer Roberts discuss a recent New Yorker article and ask the question, "Can travel change you?" They dig into the subtle and not-so-subtle changes that happen when we travel, explore the trials and tribulations of some of their early travel experiences, and offer ideas for how people can make sure travel changes them for...

In this episode, travel writer Tim Hannigan discusses his new book, The Granite Kingdom, based on his journey walking east to west across Cornwall. He explores why both inside and outside voices are needed in travel writing, the ethical issues around writing about those you meet while traveling, how to find balance with a sense of belatedness, and when the second person can be a great tool for wri...

In this episode, Nathan Thomas explores how his new book, "Untethered: Living the digital nomad life in an uncertain world," attempts to reframe the stereotype and expectations of the digital nomad, why stillness is important, even when one is constantly on the move, how his experience with “traditional” travel writing informed the way he approached writing "Untethered," and how writing a second b...

In this episode, the editors of Intrepid Times take you behind the scenes of “Romance on the Road” and show you what it looks like when editors sit down to choose the winners out of hundreds of entries. Along the way, they talk about what the winners did differently that made them stand out from the rest, and share hard-won insights for writing a powerful travel story that editors can’t say no to.

In this episode, Shafik Meghji speaks about his new book, as well as about the responsibility travel writers wield when deciding what and where to write about, whether it’s possible to be truly objective as a travel writer, and the way good travel writing helps us make connections that may get overlooked. He also offers some great insight into how travel writers can decide which stories are intere...

In this episode, the editors of Intrepid Times explore their journeys from studying the humanities to developing writing and editing careers, and tackle some uncomfortable questions about becoming a writer in 2023: Are the humanities still valuable, and if they are, then why? Is writing really a safe career choice with the new advancements in AI tech? Is the promise of the writing career actually...

In this episode, the editors of Intrepid Times tell the stories of how Elizabeth Gilbert's wildly popular memoir, "Eat, Pray, Love," came to land in both of their laps at very different points of their travel lives and what that meant for how they perceived its importance. They also discuss the things the book does (and doesn’t) do well, the role of emotion in travel writing, and how a personal st...

In this interview, B.A. Van Sise discusses his upcoming book, Invited to Life, with Nathan James Thomas of Intrepid Times.

Nomads: Interview with Anthony Sattin by The Travel Writing Podcast

Nathan James Thomas, the founder and editor of Intrepid Times, interviews Jessica Vincent, an award-winning travel journalist and editor of The Best British Travel Writing of the 21st Century. Nathan and Jessica discuss how travel writing impacts the way we see the world and how Jessica and her co-editors chose the stories to be included in their anthology.

Today, we are celebrating 12 months of the Intrepid Times Private Writer's Club. To celebrate this milestone as we look back of one extraordinary and challenging year of travel writing, we are making a special exemption and releasing this recording publicly. For 10 more travel writing masterclasses like this, and monthly feedback on your travel writing, join at at: https://intrepidtimes.com/writer...

Many of us are diligent journal writers when we travel. And then we come home, and we stop. In this extract from the latest Writer's Club masterclass, British author Alyss Thomas explains why this is a mistake! In fact, you'll learn that, if you're a travel writer, keeping a journal even when life seems "dull" can transform not only your writing, but also your life. Enjoy! More about Alyss Thomas:...

Here's an extract from the 4th Writer's Club masterclass where Intrepid Times editor Jennifer Roberts speaks about how writing can teach you things about yourself you never would have known. In the full masterclass entitled "Be Your Own Editor" you'll learn how to vanquish typos, avoid embarrassing mistakes, and eek the full power from your prose. It's easily the most detailed and info-packed less...

Drawing on everything from Aristotle's "Poetics" to the hidden formula behind Hollywood blockbusters, in this masterclass we deconstruct the art and science of telling a compelling travel story. For the full audio lesson and PDF workbook, join us at http://intrepidtimes.com/writers-club

We just recorded travel writing Masterclass #2! So excited about this one. Here, Intrepid Times' editor Nathan James Thomas catches up with food and travel journalist Thomas Heaton (The Kathmandu Post) to talk about how to write a travel story like a professional. Check out this brief extract on when to put yourself in your travel story. To get the full version, join http://intrepidtimes.com/write...

Here's a tiny preview of the first ever masterclass released for our Private Travel Writer's Club. Theme: How to write a first paragraph that editors will not be able to resist. Enjoy! To get the full masterclass and join the club, check out http://intrepidtimes.com/writers-club

Nathan James Thomas of Intrepid Times interviews photojournalist B.A Van Sise about his globe-spanning career, exhibits, writing, poetry, and travel. Listen to more at https://intrepidtimes.com/category/interviews/

A few years ago, writer Glenn Kurtz was conducting research for a novel when he came across an old video, recorded by his grandfather in 1938 in small, predominantly Jewish town in Poland. The video is vibrant - much is in color - and children jostle and laugh before the camera. The majority of those pictured would soon perish in the Holocaust and the other horrors that were inflicted in Poland du...