A Scholarship for Emerging Travel Writers to Attend the Travel Classics Conference

The Edward-Readicker-Henderson 
Travel Classics Memorial Scholarship

Deadline:  June 15, 2023
Prize: the conference fee for the sold-out Travel Classics West 2023 conference in Vancouver, BC (September 14-17), plus complimentary accommodations and a $200 stipend for air.

TRAVEL CLASSICS invites applications for the Edward-Readicker-Henderson Memorial Scholarship, honoring a gifted writer who embodied the spirit of this conference, which has been connecting authors and editors since 1994.

In the words of his dear friend, Amanda Castleman: "Edward Readicker-Henderson first found his voice hammering out poems on a bookstore's cash register -- all to impress a girl. After years in the guidebook trenches, he attended Travel Classics, which launched him into national magazines. He then blossomed as one of the most original, poetic and philosophical voices in the genre."

Readicker-Henderson overcame decades of chronic illness to tell stories of Polynesian voyaging, his search for silence and Alaska, his homeland. He visited more than 50 countries after doctors ordered him to stop traveling and inspired others to persevere too, through works like "Cheating Death" in National Geographic Traveler and his TEDxMaui talk, "Kill Your Bucket List". He died in 2016 from Crohn's disease and congestive heart failure.

Known for extensively researching and revising, he made "every word not only count, but play jazz." This scholarship now hopes to foster his sense of artistry, courage and -- above all -- wonder among emerging authors.

Learn more about Edward Readicker-Henderson on routeofseeing.com.

About the Scholarship:
If you have talent and want to break into the field of travel writing but do not have the "clips" (published articles) to nail that first big assignment, you are welcome to apply for the Edward Readicker-Henderson Travel Classics West Scholarship for new and unpublished writers.

How to apply:

1. Submit a nonfiction travel essay of 750 words or less about your hometown (where you grew up or currently live). Only one entry per person.

2. Snail mail or email (no attachments, please) to:
Maren Rudolph
PO Box 288
Irvington, NY 10533
maren@travelclassics.com

Your email subject line must read "Scholarship submission: (your name)"

Entries will NOT be returned.

3. All submissions must be received by midnight EST on June 1, 2023. Late entries will not be considered.

4. The contest is open to applicants who have been published in blogs, books or outlets with a readership/print run under 10,000. Writing for school or university publications does not count.

5. The contest is sponsored and judged by Maren Rudolph, the founder of Travel Classics. Her decision is final. She may choose no winner if entries fail to meet the required caliber.

6. All applicants will retain copyright on their works, but the winner grants Travel Classics permission to share his or her essay online. Submission indicates acceptance of all contest rules.

The prize:
The winner will receive complimentary accommodations, conference fee for Travel Classics West, and a $200 stipend for air. They’ll also gain the invaluable opportunity to meet with editors, and hopefully, get that first major published story. This grant must be redeemed at the September 14-14, 2023 Travel Classics West Writers Conference, or else it may be forfeited. If the conference is cancelled due to COVID, a winner will be announced, giving the recipient visibility on social media and the Travel Classics website, but the trip and conference part of the scholarship would be void.

Please note: the conference may require proof of vaccination or a negative test at least 72 hours prior to arrival. Most events will be held outdoors.

Winner will be announced on July 1, 2023.