TESTIMONIALS
TRAVEL WRITING MASTER CLASS
Transformational
Jenna’s writing retreat in Turkey was one of the most educational, connected and transformational experiences I’ve ever had.
Jenna’s itinerary struck the right balance of history, culture, food, entertainment, and relaxation necessary for a well-rounded trip—and also provided plenty of subject matter for a range of travel essays. Every detail of our trip was impeccably organized and her network of contacts, from journalists to doctors to diplomats, provided welcomed insights about the culture, history, and social climate of Turkey. I love how Jenna drew from her extensive journalistic experience and acumen to help guide our narratives so that they would truly shine.
I would absolutely go on another one of Jenna’s trips and would recommend her writing retreat in Turkey to anyone wanting to venture into an immersive travel writing experience!
— Stefanie Hoffman
Life-changing
Whether you are an experienced travel writer or have aspirations of becoming one, Jenna’s workshops are not to be missed. The course materials are particularly well organized and thoughtfully aligned to each day’s activities. As a leader, Jenna is very personable (heart) and professional (head), and every person she introduced to our group was of an equally high caliber.
This is not just a learning experience, but a life experience as well. The daily activities are stellar and thought provoking, and the highlight of each day is usually when Jenna says, “I have a surprise for you!” Friendships and connections you make here will last long beyond the end of your workshop.
I cannot wait to join Jenna on another adventure in travel and writing. My personal experience was truly life-changing, and I’m sure I speak for our whole group when I say we would follow her anywhere.
— Mona Helen Renney
Extraordinary
The structure of the workshop, the way the trip was organized, the places we visited, the culinary experiences, the people we met—everything had the ability to transport us to another universe. My heart and soul are full of memories that will make me happy for the next days, months, years…
There was time for reflection and contemplation but also opportunities to fully live all the amazing experiences that this trip offers. The writing time helped us process all those emotions that came with the trip, and Jenna guided us through ordering our thoughts into a narrative thread to give them meaning.
Thank you, Jenna, for your extraordinary work, coaching, and for this amazing opportunity. Everything that happens to us changes us, this trip is integrated in my soul.
— Isela Gomez
Masterful
The trip was incredible—but to call it a "trip" isn’t enough. It was a quest for me to feel inspired and spark a new joy for writing about place, history, and people. It indeed did all that, but the secret ingredient was Jenna.
Seeing Istanbul and its diverse neighborhoods through her eyes changed my opinion of the city from one of neutrality to one that has me longing to return. Learning through her experiences and those of her colleagues seasoned the journey with perspectives I could not have gleaned on my own, leaving me with a unique souvenir I’ll carry with me forever.
The organizational skills it took to corral our group of curious travelers, keep them on schedule, track down lost items, ply them with wine, meet their dietary and shopping needs, was next level masterful! Jenna is a seasoned pro, and from the bottom of my heart, teşekkür ederim!
— Kimberley Lovato
A world of wonder
Travelling with Jenna in Turkiye was a magic carpet ride into a world of wonder!
The Travel Writing Master Class was curated to perfection: each experience was stimulating and rewarding and Jenna shared with us her deep and intimate knowledge of Istanbul. We met experts in art ,history, famous photojournalists and diplomats, and with each meeting we uncovered an experience of Turkiye hidden from the gaze of foreigners.
It was truly a once in a lifetime experience—a deep dive into a different culture cushioned with visits to the best restaurants, wine tastings with Turkish wine makers, and visits to the city's best hammam. On my return home I mused that I could see myself living in Istanbul, but only with Jenna as my guide!
— Julia Booth
VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS
Jenna offers a game-changing class.
Not only did I write a substantial draft of an essay during this time (one I have been putting off!),
I feel that I can take what I have learned in this class and apply it to my future writing.
Jenna fosters a collegial and supportive environment where classmates come together to share work and ideas.
The class material is well-organized, thorough, and meaningful, and peppered with inspirational words from those who have walked the path before. Plus, Jenna is knowledgeable, sincere, and a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend this class.
—Jennifer Kircher Carr (Excavating the Travel Essay)
This class was a delight!
I'm a beginner and Jenna provided me with enough structured info, examples, daily prompts and community space to feel like a pro. In a short amount of time, she managed to dive deep on aspects of travel writing with refreshing ease. And it was fun!
I definitely recommend this class for experienced writers as well as newcomers like me.
—Turna Mete
(Excavating the Travel Essay)
Jenna takes the desire to be a writer and skillfully plots the course to make it real.
In an encouraging, safe and stimulating environment she walks you through at a pace that allows you to develop and flesh out your ideas. Her breadth of knowledge in the field of writing allows you to sample writers and be inspired by their techniques.
This is simply the best, most satisfying, practical and least pretentious writing course I have ever had the pleasure of joining.
—Julia Booth
(Excavating the Travel Essay)