Writers

We are currently producing a guide to Acadia National Park and are looking for a writer capable of packing a lot of fun trivia and science into a script that engages and entertains via an audio production. The script will be recorded and published as a CD that plays in a car stereo. Visitors will listen to the tour as they drive along the park’s loop road, stopping at specific locations to hear relevant information about the history, geology, and ecology of the park. Here are some specifics about the project:

Deliverable: a script of approximately 7,800 words that takes visitors on a tour of Acadia’s park loop road
Target audience: families
Deadline: January 15, 2009
Copyright: TravelBrains will own the copyright. This is a work-for-hire project. The script is part of a larger project that includes a book and web application.
Additional similar projects will be offered if the writer does a good job. (we’re looking for a long-term relationship with somebody who can weave a great story out of trivia and educational information)

TravelBrains will provide the writer with the following items: An outline of the specific tour stops, an initial list of trivia and information to include in the narration at each tour stop, and books and maps to use for the project (must be returned). Future projects may involve expense-paid travel to the location. The writer will be required to conduct research into any relevant topics (history, geology, etc.) to flesh out the details of the script. The final deliverable is a script of approximately 7,800 words that will be recorded by a voice actor. The successful candidate will have the ability to weave numerous and often tangential pieces of trivia into a narrative that is written in a style conducive to narration. There is absolutely no room for flowery descriptions or using words to describe things that visitors can see with their own eyes. Economy of words is critical. Our products focus on distilling the overload of available information into a condensed, entertaining summary of trivia and interesting facts that can be easily understood in an audio presentation. To give you some sense of the script style we are seeking, we have pasted part of our Yellowstone script below for your reference.

Writers who wish to apply for this project should send a resume to writers@travelbrains.com. Preference will be given to candidates who also submit a writing sample using the following criteria: Submit a 400-600 word sample script for Acadia’s Cadillac Mountain tour stop. Attached is a pdf with some sample research materials. The target audience is a family of four, educated, teen children.

Sample Yellowstone Script (copyright 2008 TravelBrains)
Track 4: Mammoth Hot Springs:
Mammoth Hot Springs is geology in hyper drive. To give you some idea of what I mean, imagine you were able to withstand the temperatures of an active hot spring here and were able to stand in one for an extended period, and FYI, please don’t do something that foolish. Well, by the end of a year you’d be buried up to your knees in rock. In some locations, active springs are building up to two feet of travertine rock per year. Mountains are literally being formed in front of your eyes. So the spectacle you see today may be wholly different from the one you see on your next visit. Even the boardwalks are constantly being re-routed to avoid being swallowed up by the new terraces. So what is it that’s driving the rapid formation of these remarkable terraces? In a word, limestone. Unlike other sections of the park that are primarily composed of a volcanic rock called rhyolite, the mammoth area is endowed with ancient deposits of limestone. The whole process begins when water, heated by the Yellowstone Hot Spot deep under ground, picks up a little carbon dioxide on the way to the surface. The solution forms carbonic acid. And just like the acids in our stomach help to break down and digest food, these acids help breakdown and digest the limestone rock. When the water reaches the surface, the gases escape into the atmosphere, but the limestone is re-deposited, forming what is called travertine. Ironically, travertine, technically called calcium carbonate, is the basic ingredient in TUMS and Rolaids, two popular heartburn remedies. It has been estimated that the Mammoth Hot Springs deposit up to 2 tons of calcium carbonate per day. I guess that’s how Mother Nature spells relief. Today, Mammoth Hot Springs is the headquarters for the National Park Service here at Yellowstone. The park service, however, was not the original caretaker of the park. In 1886, fourteen years after the park’s establishment, the US cavalry was called in to protect Yellowstone from animal poaching and other exploitation. After five years of harsh winters, the cavalry began constructing permanent facilities. Fort Yellowstone, built over the course of 22 years, is the result of their efforts. Today, the buildings serve as administration and housing for the park service. Be sure to stop at the Albright Visitor Center—the one-time bachelor officers' quarters. It’s the only visitor center in the park that’s open 365 days and offers year-round ranger programs, park information, films, books and a historical museum. Fort Yellowstone is part of a historic district…right down to the lawns. It’s true. It’s the only place in the park where grass is planted and they keep it in order to preserve the history of the area. The Calvary was responsible for planting the grass. It was a better, tidier alternative to the mud and dust resulting from a day of parade-ground maneuvers. The elk herds seemed to think it was a pretty good idea, too. Green grass tastes better and is more nutritious than brown grasses. That’s why elk like to congregate in this area. In fact, elk can be found here year round wandering between buildings and people, but it’s in the fall—the mating season - when they can be seen at their finest. Huge bull elk, some as large as 700 to 800 lbs, attempt to fend off other bulls for ownership of the females. Take precaution and keep your distance—park law is 25 yards at a minimum. Bulls are fiercely protective of their harem. They’ve been known to charge people and, even, cars. Some years, the animals can become so aggressive that the park is forced to cut the tips off of antlers. It’s not something they like to do so help the rangers out by keeping a safe distance.