FAQs

MatadorU’s Travel Writing Program is designed to allow someone with very little or even no writing experience to be able, within 3 months, to have a solid foundation in writing, to know how to pitch a query or story to an editor, to build an online presence and audience, and, in general, to begin working as a new-media professional, whether a freelance writer, blogger, or unique mix of jobs that allows one to live off of travel and writing.

At the same time, the course material, assignments, recommended reading, and in particular, the writing labs and interaction via the forums, are set up in such a way that veteran writers too will benefit from their experience in MatadorU.

MatadorU is only available online for several reasons. The first is simple: our instructors and students live, work, and travel all over the world.

The second reason is subtle but important: working online or “location independent” is itself standard practice for many travel writers and new media professionals in general. We wanted students not just to “learn” this but to actually immerse themselves in it. Participating at MatadorU via the forums, becomes more than just “study” — it literally begins increasing your online visibility, relevance, and network as a travel writer.

The third reason MatadorU is online as opposed to a specific offline location is that it allows you to take part in an ongoing, open-ended community. Once you join, even if you’ve completed the course, you can still continue participating in forums, interacting with colleagues, and using the resources to further network, promote, and advance in your career.

Check out a comprehensive overview of the travel writing course here.

Yes! One of the reasons we’re so proud of what the Matador Community has become is that it has been a launching pad for dozens of passionate travelers and writers who now work full or part time as travel writers.

These are folks who were just getting started when they found Matador and are now paid contributors to blogs, media outlets including newspapers and magazines, and are frequently offered spots on press trips all over the globe.

Check out some examples success stories here.

The course is electronically delivered one week at a time. This method prevents students from being overwhelmed, fosters camaraderie and networking between students who begin the course at similar times, and encourages comprehensive study and completion of each chapter.

Once you sign up, you’ll get instant access to the Introduction and Chapter 1.

Each chapter has anywhere from 4-12 lessons, an assignment, as well as suggested reading outside the course material. It shouldn’t take you longer than 45 minutes to an hour to read through the main material but we suggest you take the time to complete the reading and writing assignments, as well as remain active in the Student Forums.

If you take full advantage of the entire platform, this course will be a tremendous step towards your success as a travel writer.

Again, that depends on your own passion and commitment. If you simply read the lessons and complete the assignments, it should take between 2-3 hours per week. But the more time you invest in the community forums–networking, promoting your work and colleagues’ work, and in general, just interacting with other students–the bigger the benefits of participating in MatadorU.

No worries! Your lessons are delivered each week, but you can still go at your own pace. You can wait until you have time, then blast through the material. Or you can dedicate a block of time each week. It’s entirely up to you. Once you enroll in MatadorU you’ll have access to the entire 12 week curriculum for life.

No. Most of our current students are either working full time or are university students. The assignments can be completed from anywhere, including home.

Basically zero tech skill. Two things we know to be true regarding technology and the internet: many people are intimidated by it, and trying to “keep up with all of it,” is extremely time-consuming. Knowing this, we’ve created lessons that break down concepts and terminology into easy to follow (and apply) sections so that even students who don’t normally work via the computer can still benefit from MatadorU. We’ve created the course for people who have almost no tech experience.

MatadorU is a self-guided course, meaning that you control the pace at which you complete the lessons, reading, and assignments. Instead of a single teacher guiding you through the course, various members of the Matador editorial team check in with students every day via the forums, plus weekly writing labs give teachers an opportunity to provide direct feedback on selected work.

If you complete one chapter every week you should graduate from the course in 3 months. When that 3 months is up, you have the option of subscribing to Alumni Pro. The subscription is $25/month and gives you continued access to (a) the Market Leads, and (b) any future Continuing Education or “Bonus” Modules (these are short, skill specific–such as branding, SEO, interviewing, and researching–lessons published periodically by MatadorU).

You will continue to have access to the course material regardless of whether you subscribe to Alumni Pro.

Market Leads is a message board continuously updated with fresh leads on writing gigs, contests, calls for submissions, as well as writing and new media jobs, both online and off. This is a resource for you to check on a daily basis so that you can be among the first to send in a proposal. Having access to this exclusive resource will allow you to spend all of those hours you would be spending searching the Web for gigs and jobs, focusing on your writing.

The forums allow students to discuss each lesson of each chapter with other students as well as Matador editorial staff. This is also a place for collaboration. It can be utilized to grow a network of people for mutual promotion of your individual blogs, or simply to find and collaborate with other talented, driven people like yourself.

The enrollment fee helps us sustain various costs, including teachers’ salaries, continued tech development, future course materials, particularly the Continuing Education Modules, and server space. We’ve spent over 7 months creating on the content and platform for this course, and have done our best to keep costs (and enrollment fees) to a minimum. That said, we believe that the tuition costs are extremely fair, especially compared to “on-site” courses and workshops, some which charge thousands to cover costs–such as staying in “exotic locations”–which often have no real pertinence to or effect on students’ advancement of writing and new media skills. .

We don’t like to unnecessarily ask people for their mailing addresses but for those who request a certificate upon completion of the course, we do offer one.

There are no hidden conditions about our guarantee. Simply, if you are within the first week of beginning the course and you decide it’s not right for you or you are dissatisfied with the curriculum or the platform, all you have to do is send us an email and we will revoke your membership and refund your money the same day.

Again, as long as the 2nd week material has not been unlocked, you’re eligible for a refund. We’re providing this guarantee to our students because we are confident you’ll look back on this as the best investment you ever made and we want to give you the confidence to get started.

When you’re ready, head over to to register and gain instant access to your first lesson, the student forums, and the market leads.

More Questions?

Don’t let a question stop you from enrolling! Send us an email school@matadornetwork.com and we’ll get back to you shortly.

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