My July review against plan is was follows:

  • at least 2000 words of nature writing: I estimate I’ve written around 2400 words of nature writing including two articles for commissions. This doesn’t include three interviews with nature writers.
  • Four pitches to realistic outlets (ones that are more likely to accept new writers and/or are unpaid) and at least one aspirational pitch: I pitched five ideas to realistic outlets (four were accepted) as well as one to an aspirational outlet I’m yet to hear back from.
  • My first book idea fully worked up and plans in place for when to pitch the proposal and to enable me to deliver it: I received feedback from two successful published nature writers on a work in progress version of my first book proposal and need to now redraft it to take on board their suggestions. I’m planning to do this in September. I’ll be really focusing on Why this? Why me? and Why now?
  • A second book idea in draft form: It would be pushing it to say I’d achieved this but I do have a second book theme and have brought together a stream of consciousness list of ideas to consider in a proposal.
  • 40 followers each for this blog and my nature writing blog and 200 followers each for Instagram and Twitter: Once again a mixed picture here with followers against targets as follows:
    • Freelance nature writer blog – 31/40 followers
    • Suburban wild blog – 11/40 followers
    • Instagram – 101/200 followers
    • Twitter – 175/200 followers
  • I had intended to put effort into increasing followers which started off well in the month but then tailed off. I could definitely could do better here.

August plan: This plan is going to be modest because (a) I’ll be away on holiday for a third of it, (b) I’ve two commissions to deliver in August, and (c) I’ve an MA assignment to finish before the end of the month.

  • 1000 words of new nature writing over and above assignments and commissions
  • Two pitches to realistic outlets
  • (I’m going to focus on progressing book proposals in September rather than August)
  • I’m going to carryover my July targets to August for social media of 40 followers each for this blog and my nature writing blog and 200 followers each for Instagram and Twitter.