2022, my second full year of freelance nature-writing, was full of firsts:

  • Signed up with one lovely literary agent, Tom Drake-Lee at DHH.
  • Approached to write one nature-writing book by a publisher. Although it was a fab project which I’d love to have done, it had an incredibly tight timescale which I wouldn’t have been able to deliver at the time.
  • One book self-published – my Thumbnail Nature activity journal – as the final product of my Arts Council England-funded writing project.
  • One feature published in BBC Countryfile Magazine, fourteen features published by Bird Watching Magazine (who have now taken me on as a columnist for 2023) and one commission for the RSPB members’ magazine.
  • Twenty nature-writing pitches sent, fifteen accepted, five rejected.
  • Two ticketed in-person nature-writing workshops delivered.
  • Fifteen online online nature-writing workshops delivered.
  • One nature-writers’ forum launched.
  • One reading event hosted.
  • One offer received for an Associate Lecturer position at Bath Spa University to contribute to the MA in Nature & Travel Writing alongside inspirational writers Stephen Moss, Gail Simmons and Jonathan Lorie.
  • One creative nature-writing competition launched in partnership with Bird Watching Magazine.
  • Increased the income I made from writing commissions by 81% from £1905 in 2021 to £3450 in 2022 supplemented with a further £900 from teaching nature writing and £260 from nature-writing book sales.

My goals for 2023 are as follows:

  • To be offered one book deal.
  • To be awarded one grant which will support my nature writing.
  • To send twelve nature-writing pitches (not including my column) and get at least one feature commission relating to plants.
  • To deliver at least four in person and eight online nature-writing workshops.
  • To increase income from writing commissions by 45% from £3450 in 2022 to £5000 in 2023.
  • To double income from writing related activity and sales from £860 in 2022 to £1720 in 2023.