The Writing and Marketing Show
The Writing and Marketing Show
Turning Lockdown Walks into a Career: Writing for Nature Magazines with Linda Brown
Imagine strolling through the lush greens of nature, absorbing tranquility, and penning down your observations to engage readers worldwide. Our guest Linda Brown has done just that! She’s turned her lockdown walks into a successful career, writing for Nature magazines. Linda's experiences and writings bring nature to life, painting vivid imagery with her words. She starts by sharing her journey, beginning with how her nature rambles during lockdown led her to write for Ayrshire magazine.
Linda further unpacks the uniqueness of nature articles in local magazines. She reveals how to select engaging topics, source accurate information, and embed the spirit of the seasons in your writings. Safety is paramount in her advice, and she's got some fantastic app recommendations for identifying birds and plants. Linda's tips are not just about writing; they include embracing the community and the importance of place in your pieces to make them resonate with readers.
Capturing nature's beauty isn't just about words. Linda discusses how patience, silence and a good camera are vital in capturing breathtaking photographs that complement her articles. She gives us a peek into her strategies to keep her work locally relevant while retaining her unique authorial voice. As she wraps up, Linda points our listeners to where they can find more of her work. For our part, we conclude this enlightening episode by expressing gratitude to our listeners and sharing various ways to connect with us online. This episode is a goldmine for anyone looking to explore the world of writing for Nature magazines, so don't miss out.
Ayrshire Magazine https://ayrshiremagazine.com/
Writers' Narrative https://subscribepage.io/WritersNarrative
Auscot Publishing and Retreats https://www.auscotpublishing.com/
Hi and welcome to the Writing and Marketing Show brought to you by author Wendy H Jones. This show does exactly what it says on the tin. It's jam-packed with interviews, advice, hints, tips and news to help you with the business of writing. It's all wrapped up in one lively podcast. So it's time to get on with the show. Welcome to episode 187 of the Writing and Marketing Show with author entrepreneur Wendy H Jones, and what a pleasure it is to have you joining yet again.
Speaker 1:Today we are going to be talking about writing for Nature magazines, or local Nature magazines, with Linda Brown, and she has very successfully transitioned to writing for Nature magazines and I'm very much looking forward to speaking to her. Some more of her in a moment. Before we speak to Linda, I would just like to say that I've had lots going on. I'm really getting excited because, as I record this next Tuesday I'm recording this on a Tuesday. Next Tuesday I will be on a flight on my way to the States, which is very exciting. I'm going there for three months on a book tour and lots planned. I'm speaking conferences, I'm doing different events and I'm very much looking forward to being an author there for three months. So what else have I been getting up to? Well, I am absolutely delighted to tell you that yesterday Wednesday sorry, wednesday, monday, the 25th of July, as I record this that my new magazine for writers came out and that is called Writers Narrative and you can find the issue or you can go and sign up to our newsletter so that you get it delivered to your inbox every month. You can find it at subscribepageio. Forward slash writers narrative and I will put that in the show notes so that you can find it and you will get to free magazine and there is lots of information in there. So, yeah, you can find it there. And that's about all that's been going on in my life, because I'm busy writing, I'm busy getting ready for my trip.
Speaker 1:Before we speak to Linda, I would like to say it's a pleasure to bring you this every week. I do so willingly and I enjoy it. However, it does take time out of my writing. If you would like to support this time, you can do so at patreoncom forward slash wendahagejones and you can support me for just three dollars a month, which is the price of a tea or coffee per month, and it would mean you enjoy the show and you want to continue, and it would. I would be extremely grateful because, as they say now, every little helps. I'm stealing a well-known phrase there, so I'll probably end up in bother. Anyway, moving on from that, what of Linda?
Speaker 1:Well, linda Brown has been writing for over 12 years. In the past, she's had articles published in Scottish Memories magazine. Her work has been included in two Scottish Book Trust anthologies for Book Week Scotland Treasures and Scotland Stories. A recording of her memoir article inspired by Lady Birds was broadcast on RNIB Connect Radio. She's won and been placed in several Scottish Association of Writers competitions and was the winner of the Imprint Writing Award in 2018. This year, she was invited to be the guest writer for Literate, a group of eight Ayrshire based female writers, and had work published in their humorous anthology Green and Tonic. An enthusiastic member of Ayr Writers Club, linda is honored to be serving as joint president for 2023-24. Currently, linda's enjoying writing about her nature rambles for Ayrshire magazine and, without further ado, let's get on with the show and hear from Linda, and we have Linda with us. Welcome, linda. Hi, wendy, nice to speak to you. Oh, it's an absolute pleasure to have you here, and I can tell that you're from Scotland somewhere. That's with that accent. Where are you?
Speaker 2:from. I'm from a small town called New Millons, which is in Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland.
Speaker 1:Ah, and I have to say it's freezing in Dundee today. What's it like where you are?
Speaker 2:It's grey skies at the moment. Sun's trying to get through and it's not terribly warm for July.
Speaker 1:It's no heatwave here, no heatwave. The rest of the world have heat waves and we're freezing to death. Here. We're putting our heating on Seriously. Ah, anyway, moving away from the weather, let's talk. But the weather does come into what we're talking about, because you do, nature and the weather must play havoc with you it does.
Speaker 2:It doesn't always play the game. Sometimes I have been soaked. In fact I was soaked just the other week there went out a walk and foolishly left my backpack with my jacket in the kitchen table and thought I'll be fine. And then halfway around the walk the heavens opened. So I was I was druk it, as they say, soaked to the skin by the time I go home.
Speaker 1:Druk. It's a great word. I love it. That's the sort of word we like here on the writing and marketing show. I was about to say writer's narrative, because I'm busy launching a magazine at the same time, so I'm getting very confused as to what I'm doing at what time. Anyway, we're here to talk about nature writing, and I'm better writing for nature magazines, and I'm delighted to have you here to talk about this, because it's something we've done yet, so I'm really excited about that. So I love this fact that you actually write for a local magazine, and that gives it a real sense of community. How did you get started in writing for Ayrshire magazine?
Speaker 2:Well, it all really began during the COVID lockdowns, when I was using my daily walk that we were all allowed to go and exercise, but also used it to connect with nature, look for mood boost and positives and joy and my surroundings to help me de-stress. And that was when I discovered I really wanted to learn more about the flora and fauna on my Ayrshire doorstep and that encouraged me to write about my childhood nature rambles for a memoir piece called Inspired by Ladybirds, which was published by the Scottish Book Trust. And I also started posting about my walks on my Facebook page not much, just a wee comment or two about something funny that happened or unusual and a wee bit of information about what I had seen. And I shared some of my photographs. And Jill Sherry, the editor of Ayrshire magazine, was following my posts. She liked what she saw and towards the end of last year she contacted me and asked if I would consider writing about my walks for the magazine.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's amazing and that's the best answer I've ever had on the show in the three and a half years it's been going, because you said you know you did it to look for joy and mood enhancing images. That is brilliant, seriously, I love it, wow. Yeah, I knew I had to interview you just for that alone. Based on mood. Already, wendy, my mood. It's great, I love it. So what makes nature articles unique in the context of local magazines? And I'm curious as to how writers can infuse a sense of place and community into the writing.
Speaker 2:Well, for Ayrshire magazine. I'm writing about, obviously, rural roads, tracks, woods. I'm highlighting the wonderful countryside and wildlife that we have locally and these are places that the big nature magazines, countryside magazines, are unlikely to feature. So I hope that my my articles are going to inspire readers to head to some of the locations that I write about and and do the work for themselves.
Speaker 2:And as for the sense of place and community, well, I like to try and get some really good descriptions, vivid imagery and need to remember to include smells and sounds, and I also like to add a little historical context to my pieces. For instance, one of my walks in a place called Big Wood, which is just outside New Mill in the town of Living, includes the remains of Art Loudon Castle, a 12th century Montenbaley Castle, and it was reputedly the home of Lady Margaret Campbell, mother of William Wallace. So I like to include stuff like that to give it local context. I use local nicknames for places and I'm keen to use the occasional word of phrase in my mother tongue. I think colloquialism is like druket and period. It make the piece relatable to the local community and and I like humour as well Give it a wee touch of humour.
Speaker 1:I love it, although we might need to explain to the listeners what period it is.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Period it is if you're a bit confused, dazed, I get period it sometimes when I'm trying to focus on birds that keep flying around about with my camera, so I get a bit period it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a great word. See, we're learning all sorts today in this magazine and magazine. I'm saying back to that magazine we're learning all sorts today on this podcast, Podcasts. Sorry, oh, that's because we're talking about magazines as well. So it's you see, I'm period it as well.
Speaker 2:We're both period it.
Speaker 1:We are. We are. So, as a nature writer, how do you choose compelling topics that resonate with readers and showcase the natural beauty and significance of the local area?
Speaker 2:Well, obviously I try and choose walks that I love doing, although I'm currently looking into doing a walk that I've never done before in an area I've never done before for the next issue of the magazine. But I hope that the walks that I do appeal to people and I hope that my passion is conveyed by the piece. I have to thank seasonally you mentioned the weather there as well, wendy but I have to thank seasonally and include topics such as nesting time, bird migration, the spring buds, autumn berries, winter weather. So I hope these things resonate with the local readers and it draws attention to the beauty that surrounds us that perhaps don't normally notice.
Speaker 1:Yeah, great answer. And it's true, you have to think seasonally because of the weather, and you've got to be safe as well, because you're not going to go up a mountain in twenty feet of snow. Yeah, that ain't safe.
Speaker 2:That ain't safe, and some days it can be very icy here as well in the winter, but you step out your door and you land on your behind.
Speaker 1:So yes, but that's sorry, sorry, yeah, I'm just saying yeah, you've got to be, you've got to be safe as well as fine. But seasonally, working seasonally is amazing as well, you know, because you get a real flavour of the nature of the country year round.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and of course, for the magazine. I'm having to think ahead of myself at times because by the time the magazine issue comes out, the weather and the season may have changed. So I've got to be. Although I'm writing about what I'm doing, I'm also taking information from previous walks I've done because I need to write for the appropriate season.
Speaker 1:So true, because, of course, you're not going to get sun in July. Well, snow in July, I mean, you're not going to get sun in July either, but you're not going to get snow in July. If you're trying to take pictures, but after you've been doing it for a year, or you've been got pictures that you've stacked up, then you can use them and wow see, I never realised any of this or thought about any of this, so it's really interesting. So obviously you may have to do research as well. You've talked about, you know, the mother of William Wallace and things like that. Yeah, so research is essential for writing informative nature articles. What are some reliable sources and methods writers can use to gather up accurate and up to date information?
Speaker 2:Well, I've got some really good bird books, for instance, including a RSPB, which is the Royal Society Protection of Birds Book, and I use them for info and identification and although I have to say I really rely heavily on our wonderful Internet, mr Google is my friend. There's some fabulous websites out there For me. I use the Woodland Trust, scottish Wildlife Trust, nature Scott, and I also find that Google Lens on my phone has been an amazing help to me to help identify birds, plants, wildflowers, even trees. Take a photograph of a leaf on the Google Lens and it's able to give me hits of what you know other photographs that relate to that leaf and I'm able to identify the tree. Also an excellent app on my phone called Merlin, which listens to bird sounds and calls and makes an identification. So if I hear a bird that I don't actually know what it is, I can put my app on and find out the identification and then I can hang around and hopefully get a photograph. Wow.
Speaker 1:I didn't realise there were so many apps. That's amazing. I tell you, I'm really learning today. I'm writing all these down. You know, have you never used Google Lens, Wendy? I've never used Google Lens. I do reverse image search, but I've never used Google Lens.
Speaker 2:Worth looking into. It's really good to help identify anything. Google Lens.
Speaker 1:I've got it written down. Now. Google Lens there we go. I tell you this show is value added. Today, I have to say it really is. We're getting all sorts of hints and tips. So how do you strike a balance between providing factual information in the local area while still maintaining a captivated narrative flow in your nature articles?
Speaker 2:Well, my main focus is what I see on my walks and how I interact with my surroundings, whether it's sprachling there's another good word which means scrambling up steep bankings or squelching through glor mud to reach my goal. But I'll give brief snippets of information about the area where I feel it's important. Usually, well, obviously, I have to give an indication of where I am, what area I'm in, how it can be reached, but usually the information I'll maybe give relates to the area's history, because I feel it's really important that our local history, the stories of our past, aren't forgotten too.
Speaker 1:Now, that's so true, and we do need to remember the past, because it shapes the future. It shapes the present and future, and I think it's great that you do that I really do, and it is interesting for other people as well. So the Redos will love that sort of thing because it gives it a little bit of flavour.
Speaker 2:Yeah, one of the walks I did was to a local cairn which sits in the hillside above the Irvine Valley, which is the area where I live, and the cairn, in fact it's coming around to its 100th anniversary in 1926. And it was built during the general strike of 1926 by the local miners and it commemorates a covenanter who was martyred on the hillside. There was an original cairn there, I believe, and then they rebuilt it. So I include things like that, I feel in my interest, the local readership and, as I say, just pass the story on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, that is fascinating, I have to say, but a lot of readers would appreciate practical advice for exploring nature in their local area. So how can writers incorporate helpful tips and recommendations into their articles without overwhelming the narrative?
Speaker 2:Well, I just sorry, I just drip feed them into my narrative. I don't really say out to give tips and recommendations, but I will say that I was thankful to have my big hike and pole with me for a particular steep climb or have my proper walking boots on for plodding across the rough ground. But I think just drip feeding them in is better than actually just giving a direct here as a tip.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's good advice. Actually, it's true. Yeah, so I know photography is at the heart of what you do, so what advice can you offer to writers on choosing and taking effective photographs for a local magazine?
Speaker 2:Yeah, the photographs really inspire my writing for my nature articles and I use them to get a feel of the place that I've walked and they actually replace my need to take notes, because I just look back at my photographs and I take a lot of photographs when I'm out I can take up to maybe 150 images on a walk. Obviously, some of these are far better quality than others and for anyone who's thinking of doing nature walks, nature writing, I would definitely recommend a proper camera rather than a phone camera. Don't get me wrong. These people often tell me some of the top range phones have got very good cameras, but for me I've got a bridge camera. It's got a 50 time zoom lens and I feel it's the best.
Speaker 2:I can get some really excellent shots from quite a good distance away and obviously animals and birds don't tend to pose for me. They move about a lot, so patience is needed to get some really good photos. Patience and silence is needed. Usually I check out my photographs when I get home and make a short list of around about a dozen images. Then I whittle them down to about three to send to the magazine and they choose to print to illustrate my article, and normally, I must say that I base the main focus of my article around about the images that I've chosen. I usually decide from the photographs what is going to be the sort of main focus of the article.
Speaker 1:Excellent advice. Thank you. So many readers appreciate practical advice for exploring nature in the local area. How can writers incorporate helpful tips and recommendations into their articles? You just asked me that one, wendy, did I? Oh no, I thought I was asking you about a photography, the one before the question before. Oh, I'm sorry, listen, I'm asking you the same question twice. It doesn't matter, everybody's used to me on this podcast. Everybody's used to me on this podcast. See, I obviously thought it was such a good question. I would ask it twice. That's not a problem Moving swiftly onwards through my ability to actually host a podcast. Let's move on. Sorry, wendy, no worries at all. No worries at all. I'm glad you told me, because it would sound really daft if you answered the same question again. So I'm glad one of us has got our heads screwed on. Oh heavens. Local magazines often have a specific readership. What strategies can writers employ to tailor their nature articles to match the interests and preferences of the local audience, but while still maintaining their unique author voice?
Speaker 2:Well, airshare Magazine is a lovely magazine. It's a beautiful magazine, it's very good quality, it's an online magazine and it's also paper copies and obviously the magazine has articles covering lots of different themes entertainment, motoring, fashion, arts so obviously the magazine is appealing to a wide range of readers. For me, with my nature articles, I try and write simply and not use too much jargon that might turn the readers off, and I don't want to be a birdie bore, because birds really are my thing and I don't want to bore people with them. I like to use humour because I feel humour appeals to most people, so I like to have a wee humorous touch to my stories and I'm also a bit self-deprecating about myself when I'm on my walks and I hope that I'm writing articles that most people can relate to and maybe introduce them to an area they've never considered walking or opened their eyes to what's in an area familiar to them.
Speaker 2:I definitely think there is an interest in our natural world. Lots of people that I meet on my walks, that I speak to, are really interested to know what birds, animals etc that I'm photographing. And on Facebook there is a very active Facebook page called Ayrshire Wildlife and it does what it says on the tin, and there's lots of people there posting wonderful photographs and sharing snippets of information on Ayrshire's wildlife in Florida and Flona. So there's definitely quite a few nature lovers out there. So I really hope that if they pick up Ayrshire magazine, that they enjoy my article.
Speaker 1:Excellent. Well, I will certainly be checking out Ayrshire magazine. It sounds really interesting and you know, despite the fact I'm East Coast and you're West Coast, you can still have a jolly good read. It doesn't matter where you are in the world, it's still interesting. So thank you. My final question is always where can my listeners find out more about you and your work?
Speaker 2:Well, as you've just said, Wendy, it doesn't matter whereabouts you live in the world. Ayrshire Magazine can be viewed online. It's wwwayrshiremagazinecouk. There's back issues there too, and there's lots of excellent articles and interviews in the magazine and it's free to read. So and I'm in there Excellent, so have a look. The magazine can also be found, if you're living in Ayrshire, at various outlets across the county. As not nature writing, but with literate, which is spelt L-I-T-E-R-E-I-G-H-T because there's eight ladies, we've published an anthology of humorous short stories, poems etc. And it's called Grinn and Tonic and that is on sale at the moment on Amazon and I've got a couple of short stories and a poem included in it and lastly, my Inspired by Ladybubs, which really triggered my nature writing, which was published by the Scottish Book Trust. It's still available to read online. Just Google Inspired by Ladybubs, and it should be the first thing that comes up. I've not had my name, linda Brown.
Speaker 1:Yeah, everywhere, you're everywhere. It's great. I love chatting to you. I always love chatting to you, Listen I love it. How did that come about? Literate.
Speaker 2:Well literate, was eight ladies from Ayrwriters Club who got together and decided to self-publish some anthologies, and that was a few years ago now, I'm not rightly sure how long this year. I was their guest writer. One of the ladies sadly passed away a couple of years ago, so they're down to seven members at the moment, hence the reason why I was invited to be a guest writer. But they're a fantastic bunch of ladies and they're wonderful writers too, and they've got a few but three or four anthologies out. But the latest one is Grin and Tonic, and it's actually a tribute to Catherine Lang, who was the lady who passed away, and one of Catherine's stories is in the book. And we've all contributed, as I say humorous flash fictions, short stories, poems. I even entered a poem. Wendy, you entered a poem. That is a poem. My poem is published in Grin and Tonic and it's a nice light read. Good holiday read. So anyone, headman holiday, look for Grin and Tonic on Amazon, published by Literate.
Speaker 1:I will certainly be looking for it. I think it sounds amazing. I've got to get it just to read your poem, if nothing else. So you'll make at least one sale out of this Now. But everybody you should get this, and especially Catherine Lang was a lovely lady and it's in her memory. Then you know it's well worth downloading. So thank you very much. It's been a pleasure to have you here. Thank you, wendy. I've thoroughly enjoyed this. Yeah, even with my inability to ask questions correctly.
Speaker 2:seriously, when you said it, I thought I've done this. I'm getting a feeling of deja vu here. I've done that drip feed into your narrative and where, yeah, you had.
Speaker 1:You had. You're great, you're great. Obviously, words decided to chuck extra things in. I don't know where that came from, but let's not worry, everybody's used to my foibles on here, and I hope you have a great day and thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2:Yes, I think I'm going to hopefully put my walking boots on, grab my hiking pole and head out for a walk after this and a waterproof. And a water. I think I will need my waterproof. Lovely to talk to you, thank you, bye.
Speaker 1:Bye. That brings us to the end of another show. It was really good to have you on the show with me today. I'm Wendy H Jones and you can find me at wendahjonescom. You can also find me on Patreon, where you can support me for as little as $3 a month, which is less than the price of a tea or coffee. You go to wwwpatreoncom. Forward, slash wendahjones. I'm also Wendy H Jones on Facebook, twitter, instagram and Pinterest. Thank you for joining me today and I hope you found it both useful and interesting. Join me next week when I will have another cracking guest for you. Until then, have a good week and keep writing, keep reading and keep learning.