Interview: Randy Curwen
Chicago Tribune Travel Editor

By Nana Chen - Randy Curwen is a name on the tip of just about every travel writer’s tongue. A native of Wisconsin, Mr. Curwen has been the travel editor of Chicago Tribune for the past 13 years. With decades of experience in editing and writing, we invited him to an interview. His responses to my questions provided so much travel writing insight that we’ve decided to share them with all of you.

Randy Curwen

Nana: Please tell us a bit about your background and how you came to be a travel editor.

Randy: I'm 59, a Wisconsin native (just barely--I grew up on a farm that was partly in Illinois) and a grad of the University of Wisconsin. I spent four years at the Rockford, Ill., newspapers, but just six months as a reporter before moving to the editing side. I've been an editor at the Tribune for 33 years, the last 25 of them as a section editor--4 years as editor of the daily feature section, 8 years as editor of the weekend section--and, now, 13 years as travel editor. I've always loved to travel, so the fit was a natural.

Nana: How do travel editors and travel writers differ?

Randy: At many if not most newspapers, they don't--the same person does both. Only the bigger papers usually have a real travel "staff"--and we're fortunate that we have three editors (including me) and three writers. I do a little writing, but editing is a full-time job here.

Nana: What do you find appealing about travel writing?

Randy: It's one of the last places at newspapers where a really good writer--and I've got three--can tell a story.

Nana: As an editor, do you sometimes miss the creative process of the writer?

Randy: Not really. I can write anytime I want, if I can find the time, but I discovered pretty early on that while I'm a pretty good writer, I'm a much better editor.

Nana: How much freedom/guidance do you offer the travel writers who work for you?

Randy: I pretty much leave them alone...but, then, I have a pretty exceptional staff. When working with other, non-travel staffers who aren't as good as my three (and very, very few at the Tribune are), I do a lot of rewrite when necessary.

Nana: Who are the main travel writers or editors who have inspired your work?

Randy: I had a couple editor/mentors who inspired me, but they weren't in travel.

Nana: Outside of your own staff, who do you consider to be top travel writers today?

Randy: Paul Theroux is a terrific writer and lots of fun to read; he's also cranky and not afraid to say bad things about places he doesn't like. Among newspaper travel writers I especially enjoy are Gary Warner at the Orange County (Calif.) Register, Chris Welch (at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Tom Swick at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Chris Reynolds (who's now off the travel beat) at the Los Angeles Times.

Nana: What do you read most when you're not working?

Randy: Newspapers (the Wall Street Journal especially--really good writing there), magazines (still can't do without my weekly fix of Time, Newsweek), some non-fiction ("Freakonomics") and the occasional novel.

Nana: You have traveled extensively and for a long time, not only for work but for the love of traveling. What was it about traveling that intrigued you to start? Where did you go on your first major trip?

Randy: Hawaii was my dream when I was a kid growing up in Wisconsin, so it was my first "big" trip out of college. It's still a great destination, but doesn't seem so "major" now.