I’ve had such a boost this month from the joy of enthusing children and adults with the world of plants and I’ve met such interesting and inspiring nature people in the process. I’ve also spent quite a lot of time hanging around a supermarket carpark taking photos of starlings – they are so stunning in their winter plumage.

My review against plan for November is as follows:

  • Books – Send the proposal for the book I’ve drafted to agents & draft first 3 chapters of my second book. I spent a lot of time researching agents and I’ve sent the book proposal to five fabulous agents, any one of whom I’d be honoured to work with, and I’m crossing all my fingers and toes. I’ve decided to commit the next two months to trying to interest an agent/publisher in my first book while writing the second one, for which I have an introduction and the first three draft chapters already. If there’s no initial interest in the first one by the end of February, I’m planning to work up and send out the proposal for book two. I was really delighted and inspired to hear this month that a good friend who is an amazing nature writer – you know who you are 🙂 – has just signed a book contract.
  • At least two new pitches to magazines. I only managed to send off one pitch in November – to a publication I’ve not tried before and which replied with a ‘not for us thanks’. I’ll still be very busy though as I heard back that three of the six pitches I sent in October are commissioned.
  • 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. I’ve started work on collating id tips and I’ve just come back from teaching my second botany education session to a year one class, so 5 to 6 year olds. These sessions have been such fun. I also led a pavement plant walk for Wild Norwood last Sunday for ten people. The sun shone and we found thirty-one wild or naturalised plants in flower on a 2km circuit. All of this is providing fab material for nature writing.
  • Writing residency – finally launch network, plan December workshop and online reading event.
    • I’ve launched the network as a trial with seventeen members initially so we can test that it works.
    • Plans for the 18th December workshop are underway with tickets available here – 49 people have registered already which is great.
    • I’m still thinking through how to set up a really vibrant online reading event in January – any suggestions gratefully received.
  • Regulars – weekly blog and newsletter.

My plan for December is as follows, taking into account I’ll be having a week’s holiday:

  • Books – Follow up possible homes for book one and draft chapters 4 and 5 of book two.
  • Articles – At least two new pitches to magazines and deliver the article which has been commissioned by the end of the month.
  • Learning – work on my bird identification skills especially winter gulls and waders
  • Writing residency – deliver our December workshop and plan the January online reading event.
  • Regulars – weekly blog and newsletter.