Keeping my writing energy levels up in October has been a challenge but our light therapy lamp helped.

My review against plan for October was as follows:

  • Send my book proposal to publishers. Yes! The proposal is now out there and the first commissioning editor I’ve tried has confirmed they’re considering it.
  • Deliver a commissioned article. Yes, 1500 word feature delivered by the deadline.
  • At least two new pitches to magazines. Yes, had a burst of inspiration and pitched 6 feature ideas.
  • Cross that 1000 followers line on Twitter (up from 996) Hurray… 1011 followers.
  • Cross the 100 followers for this blog (up from 93) Yup, and love all 104 of you.
  • Learning. Alongside writing an article about twitching I’ve been keeping an eye on the rare birds reported across the UK in the Rare Bird Alert round-up so I know what birders are getting excited about. In the meantime, I was delighted to glimpse a bearded reedling (pictured) at Bowers Marsh in Essex.
  • Writing residency – the big focus for this month with two workshops to deliver, some outcome monitoring to do and the writing network and reading events to plan.
    • I had great fund delivering a workshop with lovely Anita Roy; and
    • Led an in person workshop on Thumbnail Nature for the first year MA nature and travel writing students at Bath Spa.
    • I’ve sent a survey to the 206 people who registered for one or more of my online workshops since April 2021, to find out what could make these workshops even more accessible and welcoming for under-represented groups in nature writing.
    • I started planning the December 2021 workshop which will be co-led by the very talented writer, photographer and artist Rebecca Gibson.
    • The nature writing network is finally ready for launch in early November, thanks to really helpful advice from forum expert Jane Adams.
    • Ideas for the first reading event are in place.
  • Regulars – weekly blog and October newsletter. I didn’t quite manage weekly posts this month but did collate a newsletter.

My plan for November is as follows:

  • Books – Send the proposal for the book I’ve drafted to agents & draft first 3 chapters of second book.
  • At least two new pitches to magazines.
  • Learning – collate all the plant id tips I collected this year in one place & teach my first botany education session as a volunteer at the South London Botanical Institute.
  • Writing residency – finally launch network, plan December workshop and online reading event.
  • Regulars – weekly blog and newsletter.