August 23, 2023 • 28 mins
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/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hi and welcome to the Writing and Marketing Show
brought to you by author Wendy HJones.
This show does exactly what itsays on the tin.
It's jam-packed with interviews, advice, hints, tips and news
to help you with the business ofwriting.
It's all wrapped up in onelively podcast.
So it's time to get on with theshow.
(00:23):
Welcome to episode 187 of theWriting and Marketing Show with
author entrepreneur Wendy HJones, and what a pleasure it is
to have you joining yet again.
Today we are going to be talkingabout writing for Nature
magazines, or local Naturemagazines, with Linda Brown, and
she has very successfullytransitioned to writing for
(00:46):
Nature magazines and I'm verymuch looking forward to speaking
to her.
Some more of her in a moment.
Before we speak to Linda, Iwould just like to say that I've
had lots going on.
I'm really getting excitedbecause, as I record this next
Tuesday I'm recording this on aTuesday.
Next Tuesday I will be on aflight on my way to the States,
(01:09):
which is very exciting.
I'm going there for threemonths on a book tour and lots
planned.
I'm speaking conferences, I'mdoing different events and I'm
very much looking forward tobeing an author there for three
months.
So what else have I beengetting up to?
Well, I am absolutely delightedto tell you that yesterday
(01:33):
Wednesday sorry, wednesday,monday, the 25th of July, as I
record this that my new magazinefor writers came out and that
is called Writers Narrative andyou can find the issue or you
can go and sign up to ournewsletter so that you get it
delivered to your inbox everymonth.
(01:55):
You can find it atsubscribepageio.
Forward slash writers narrativeand I will put that in the show
notes so that you can find itand you will get to free
magazine and there is lots ofinformation in there.
So, yeah, you can find it there.
And that's about all that'sbeen going on in my life,
(02:16):
because I'm busy writing, I'mbusy getting ready for my trip.
Before we speak to Linda, Iwould like to say it's a
pleasure to bring you this everyweek.
I do so willingly and I enjoyit.
However, it does take time outof my writing.
If you would like to supportthis time, you can do so at
patreoncom forward slashwendahagejones and you can
(02:38):
support me for just threedollars a month, which is the
price of a tea or coffee permonth, and it would mean you
enjoy the show and you want tocontinue, and it would.
I would be extremely gratefulbecause, as they say now, every
little helps.
I'm stealing a well-knownphrase there, so I'll probably
end up in bother.
Anyway, moving on from that,what of Linda?
(03:00):
Well, linda Brown has beenwriting for over 12 years.
In the past, she's had articlespublished in Scottish Memories
magazine.
Her work has been included intwo Scottish Book Trust
anthologies for Book WeekScotland Treasures and Scotland
Stories.
A recording of her memoirarticle inspired by Lady Birds
was broadcast on RNIB ConnectRadio.
(03:20):
She's won and been placed inseveral Scottish Association of
Writers competitions and was thewinner of the Imprint Writing
Award in 2018.
This year, she was invited tobe the guest writer for Literate
, a group of eight Ayrshirebased female writers, and had
work published in their humorousanthology Green and Tonic.
(03:42):
An enthusiastic member of AyrWriters Club, linda is honored
to be serving as joint presidentfor 2023-24.
Currently, linda's enjoyingwriting about her nature rambles
for Ayrshire magazine and,without further ado, let's get
on with the show and hear fromLinda, and we have Linda with us
(04:04):
.
Welcome, linda.
Hi, wendy, nice to speak to you.
Oh, it's an absolute pleasureto have you here, and I can tell
that you're from Scotlandsomewhere.
That's with that accent.
Where are you?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
from.
I'm from a small town calledNew Millons, which is in
Ayrshire, on the west coast ofScotland.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Ah, and I have to say it's freezing in Dundee today.
What's it like where you are?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
It's grey skies at the moment.
Sun's trying to get through andit's not terribly warm for July
.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
It's no heatwave here , no heatwave.
The rest of the world have heatwaves and we're freezing to
death.
Here.
We're putting our heating onSeriously.
Ah, anyway, moving away fromthe weather, let's talk.
But the weather does come intowhat we're talking about,
because you do, nature and theweather must play havoc with you
it does.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It doesn't always play the game.
Sometimes I have been soaked.
In fact I was soaked just theother week there went out a walk
and foolishly left my backpackwith my jacket in the kitchen
table and thought I'll be fine.
And then halfway around thewalk the heavens opened.
So I was I was druk it, as theysay, soaked to the skin by the
(05:18):
time I go home.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Druk.
It's a great word.
I love it.
That's the sort of word we likehere on the writing and
marketing show.
I was about to say writer'snarrative, because I'm busy
launching a magazine at the sametime, so I'm getting very
confused as to what I'm doing atwhat time.
Anyway, we're here to talkabout nature writing, and I'm
better writing for naturemagazines, and I'm delighted to
(05:43):
have you here to talk about this, because it's something we've
done yet, so I'm really excitedabout that.
So I love this fact that youactually write for a local
magazine, and that gives it areal sense of community.
How did you get started inwriting for Ayrshire magazine?
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Well, it all really began during the COVID lockdowns
, when I was using my daily walkthat we were all allowed to go
and exercise, but also used itto connect with nature, look for
mood boost and positives andjoy and my surroundings to help
me de-stress.
And that was when I discoveredI really wanted to learn more
(06:21):
about the flora and fauna on myAyrshire doorstep and that
encouraged me to write about mychildhood nature rambles for a
memoir piece called Inspired byLadybirds, which was published
by the Scottish Book Trust.
And I also started postingabout my walks on my Facebook
(06:42):
page not much, just a weecomment or two about something
funny that happened or unusualand a wee bit of information
about what I had seen.
And I shared some of myphotographs.
And Jill Sherry, the editor ofAyrshire magazine, was following
my posts.
She liked what she saw andtowards the end of last year she
contacted me and asked if Iwould consider writing about my
(07:06):
walks for the magazine.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Wow, that's amazing and that's the best answer I've
ever had on the show in thethree and a half years it's been
going, because you said youknow you did it to look for joy
and mood enhancing images.
That is brilliant, seriously, Ilove it, wow.
Yeah, I knew I had to interviewyou just for that alone.
Based on mood.
(07:31):
Already, wendy, my mood.
It's great, I love it.
So what makes nature articlesunique in the context of local
magazines?
And I'm curious as to howwriters can infuse a sense of
place and community into thewriting.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Well, for Ayrshire magazine.
I'm writing about, obviously,rural roads, tracks, woods.
I'm highlighting the wonderfulcountryside and wildlife that we
have locally and these areplaces that the big nature
magazines, countryside magazines, are unlikely to feature.
So I hope that my my articlesare going to inspire readers to
(08:12):
head to some of the locationsthat I write about and and do
the work for themselves.
And as for the sense of placeand community, well, I like to
try and get some really gooddescriptions, vivid imagery and
need to remember to includesmells and sounds, and I also
(08:34):
like to add a little historicalcontext to my pieces.
For instance, one of my walksin a place called Big Wood,
which is just outside New Millin the town of Living, includes
the remains of Art Loudon Castle, a 12th century Montenbaley
Castle, and it was reputedly thehome of Lady Margaret Campbell,
mother of William Wallace.
(08:54):
So I like to include stuff likethat to give it local context.
I use local nicknames forplaces and I'm keen to use the
occasional word of phrase in mymother tongue.
I think colloquialism is likedruket and period.
It make the piece relatable tothe local community and and I
(09:18):
like humour as well Give it awee touch of humour.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
I love it, although we might need to explain to the
listeners what period it is.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Yeah, Period it is if you're a bit confused, dazed, I
get period it sometimes whenI'm trying to focus on birds
that keep flying around aboutwith my camera, so I get a bit
period it.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Yeah, that's a great word.
See, we're learning all sortstoday in this magazine and
magazine.
I'm saying back to thatmagazine we're learning all
sorts today on this podcast,Podcasts.
Sorry, oh, that's because we'retalking about magazines as well
.
So it's you see, I'm period itas well.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
We're both period it.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
We are.
We are.
So, as a nature writer, how doyou choose compelling topics
that resonate with readers andshowcase the natural beauty and
significance of the local area?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Well, obviously I try and choose walks that I love
doing, although I'm currentlylooking into doing a walk that
I've never done before in anarea I've never done before for
the next issue of the magazine.
But I hope that the walks thatI do appeal to people and I hope
(10:35):
that my passion is conveyed bythe piece.
I have to thank seasonally youmentioned the weather there as
well, wendy but I have to thankseasonally and include topics
such as nesting time, birdmigration, the spring buds,
autumn berries, winter weather.
So I hope these things resonatewith the local readers and it
(11:01):
draws attention to the beautythat surrounds us that perhaps
don't normally notice.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Yeah, great answer.
And it's true, you have tothink seasonally because of the
weather, and you've got to besafe as well, because you're not
going to go up a mountain intwenty feet of snow.
Yeah, that ain't safe.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
That ain't safe, and some days it can be very icy
here as well in the winter, butyou step out your door and you
land on your behind.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
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, workingseasonally is amazing as well,
you know, because you get a realflavour of the nature of the
country year round.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Yeah, and of course, for the magazine.
I'm having to think ahead ofmyself at times because by the
time the magazine issue comesout, the weather and the season
may have changed.
So I've got to be.
Although I'm writing about whatI'm doing, I'm also taking
information from previous walksI've done because I need to
(12:13):
write for the appropriate season.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
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 notgoing to get snow in July.
If you're trying to takepictures, but after you've been
doing it for a year, or you'vebeen got pictures that you've
stacked up, then you can usethem and wow see, I never
realised any of this or thoughtabout any of this, so it's
really interesting.
So obviously you may have to doresearch as well.
(12:39):
You've talked about, you know,the mother of William Wallace
and things like that.
Yeah, so research is essentialfor writing informative nature
articles.
What are some reliable sourcesand methods writers can use to
gather up accurate and up todate information?
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Well, I've got some really good bird books, for
instance, including a RSPB,which is the Royal Society
Protection of Birds Book, and Iuse them for info and
identification and although Ihave to say I really rely
heavily on our wonderfulInternet, mr Google is my friend
(13:15):
.
There's some fabulous websitesout there For me.
I use the Woodland Trust,scottish Wildlife Trust, nature
Scott, and I also find thatGoogle Lens on my phone has been
an amazing help to me to helpidentify birds, plants,
(13:37):
wildflowers, even trees.
Take a photograph of a leaf onthe Google Lens and it's able to
give me hits of what you knowother photographs that relate to
that leaf and I'm able toidentify the tree.
Also an excellent app on myphone called Merlin, which
(13:58):
listens to bird sounds and callsand makes an identification.
So if I hear a bird that Idon't actually know what it is,
I can put my app on and find outthe identification and then I
can hang around and hopefullyget a photograph.
Wow.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
I didn't realise there were so many apps.
That's amazing.
I tell you, I'm really learningtoday.
I'm writing all these down.
You know, have you never usedGoogle Lens, Wendy?
I've never used Google Lens.
I do reverse image search, butI've never used Google Lens.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
Worth looking into.
It's really good to helpidentify anything.
Google Lens.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
I've got it written down.
Now.
Google Lens there we go.
I tell you this show is valueadded.
Today, I have to say it reallyis.
We're getting all sorts ofhints and tips.
So how do you strike a balancebetween providing factual
information in the local areawhile still maintaining a
captivated narrative flow inyour nature articles?
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Well, my main focus is what I see on my walks and
how I interact with mysurroundings, whether it's
sprachling there's another goodword which means scrambling up
steep bankings or squelchingthrough glor mud to reach my
goal.
(15:19):
But I'll give brief snippets ofinformation about the area
where I feel it's important.
Usually, well, obviously, Ihave to give an indication of
where I am, what area I'm in,how it can be reached, but
usually the information I'llmaybe give relates to the area's
history, because I feel it'sreally important that our local
(15:42):
history, the stories of our past, aren't forgotten too.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Now, that's so true, and we do need to remember the
past, because it shapes thefuture.
It shapes the present andfuture, 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 thatsort of thing because it gives
it a little bit of flavour.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Yeah, one of the walks I did was to a local cairn
which sits in the hillsideabove the Irvine Valley, which
is the area where I live, andthe cairn, in fact it's coming
around to its 100th anniversaryin 1926.
And it was built during thegeneral strike of 1926 by the
(16:29):
local miners and it commemoratesa covenanter who was martyred
on the hillside.
There was an original cairnthere, 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, justpass the story on.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yeah, no, that is fascinating, I have to say, but
a lot of readers wouldappreciate practical advice for
exploring nature in their localarea.
So how can writers incorporatehelpful tips and recommendations
into their articles withoutoverwhelming the narrative?
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Well, I just sorry, I just drip feed them into my
narrative.
I don't really say out to givetips and recommendations, but I
will say that I was thankful tohave my big hike and pole with
me for a particular steep climbor have my proper walking boots
on for plodding across the roughground.
But I think just drip feedingthem in is better than actually
(17:34):
just giving a direct here as atip.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Yeah, that's good advice.
Actually, it's true.
Yeah, so I know photography isat the heart of what you do, so
what advice can you offer towriters on choosing and taking
effective photographs for alocal magazine?
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Yeah, the photographs really inspire my writing for
my nature articles and I usethem to get a feel of the place
that I've walked and theyactually replace my need to take
notes, because I just look backat my photographs and I take a
lot of photographs when I'm outI can take up to maybe 150
(18:17):
images on a walk.
Obviously, some of these arefar better quality than others
and for anyone who's thinking ofdoing nature walks, nature
writing, I would definitelyrecommend a proper camera rather
than a phone camera.
Don't get me wrong.
(18:37):
These people often tell me someof the top range phones have
got very good cameras, but forme I've got a bridge camera.
It's got a 50 time zoom lensand I feel it's the best.
I can get some really excellentshots from quite a good distance
away and obviously animals andbirds don't tend to pose for me.
(19:00):
They move about a lot, sopatience is needed to get some
really good photos.
Patience and silence is needed.
Usually I check out myphotographs when I get home and
make a short list of aroundabout a dozen images.
Then I whittle them down toabout three to send to the
(19:23):
magazine and they choose toprint to illustrate my article,
and normally, I must say that Ibase the main focus of my
article around about the imagesthat I've chosen.
I usually decide from thephotographs what is going to be
the sort of main focus of thearticle.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Excellent advice.
Thank you.
So many readers appreciatepractical advice for exploring
nature in the local area.
How can writers incorporatehelpful tips and recommendations
into their articles?
You just asked me that one,wendy, did I?
Oh no, I thought I was askingyou about a photography, the one
(20:06):
before the question before.
Oh, I'm sorry, listen, I'masking you the same question
twice.
It doesn't matter, everybody'sused to me on this podcast.
Everybody's used to me on thispodcast.
See, I obviously thought it wassuch a good question.
I would ask it twice.
That's not a problem Movingswiftly onwards through my
(20:28):
ability to actually host apodcast.
Let's move on.
Sorry, wendy, no worries at all.
No worries at all.
I'm glad you told me, becauseit would sound really daft if
you answered the same questionagain.
So I'm glad one of us has gotour heads screwed on.
Oh heavens.
Local magazines often have aspecific readership.
(20:49):
What strategies can writersemploy to tailor their nature
articles to match the interestsand preferences of the local
audience, but while stillmaintaining their unique author
voice?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Well, airshare Magazine is a lovely magazine.
It's a beautiful magazine, it'svery good quality, it's an
online magazine and it's alsopaper copies and obviously the
magazine has articles coveringlots of different themes
entertainment, motoring, fashion, arts so obviously the magazine
(21:24):
is appealing to a wide range ofreaders.
For me, with my nature articles, I try and write simply and not
use too much jargon that mightturn 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 borepeople with them.
I like to use humour because Ifeel humour appeals to most
(21:49):
people, so I like to have a weehumorous touch to my stories and
I'm also a bit self-deprecatingabout myself when I'm on my
walks and I hope that I'mwriting articles that most
people can relate to and maybeintroduce them to an area
they've never considered walkingor opened their eyes to what's
(22:12):
in an area familiar to them.
I definitely think there is aninterest in our natural world.
Lots of people that I meet onmy walks, that I speak to, are
really interested to know whatbirds, animals etc that I'm
photographing.
And on Facebook there is a veryactive Facebook page called
(22:38):
Ayrshire Wildlife and it doeswhat it says on the tin, and
there's lots of people thereposting wonderful photographs
and sharing snippets ofinformation on Ayrshire's
wildlife in Florida and Flona.
So there's definitely quite afew nature lovers out there.
So I really hope that if theypick up Ayrshire magazine, that
(23:02):
they enjoy my article.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
Excellent.
Well, I will certainly bechecking out Ayrshire magazine.
It sounds really interestingand you know, despite the fact
I'm East Coast and you're WestCoast, you can still have a
jolly good read.
It doesn't matter where you arein the world, it's still
interesting.
So thank you.
My final question is alwayswhere can my listeners find out
more about you and your work?
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Well, as you've just said, Wendy, it doesn't matter
whereabouts you live in theworld.
Ayrshire Magazine can be viewedonline.
It's wwwayrshiremagazinecouk.
There's back issues there too,and there's lots of excellent
articles and interviews in themagazine and it's free to read.
(23:48):
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 thecounty.
As not nature writing, but withliterate, which is spelt
L-I-T-E-R-E-I-G-H-T becausethere's eight ladies, we've
(24:14):
published an anthology ofhumorous short stories, poems
etc.
And it's called Grinn and Tonicand that is on sale at the
moment on Amazon and I've got acouple of short stories and a
poem included in it and lastly,my Inspired by Ladybubs, which
really triggered my naturewriting, which was published by
(24:39):
the Scottish Book Trust.
It's still available to readonline.
Just Google Inspired byLadybubs, and it should be the
first thing that comes up.
I've not had my name, lindaBrown.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
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 (25:01):
Well literate, was eight ladies from Ayrwriters
Club who got together anddecided to self-publish some
anthologies, and that was a fewyears ago now, I'm not rightly
sure how long this year.
I was their guest writer.
One of the ladies sadly passedaway a couple of years ago, so
(25:25):
they're down to seven members atthe moment, hence the reason
why I was invited to be a guestwriter.
But they're a fantastic bunchof ladies and they're wonderful
writers too, and they've got afew but three or four
anthologies out.
But the latest one is Grin andTonic, and it's actually a
tribute to Catherine Lang, whowas the lady who passed away,
(25:49):
and one of Catherine's storiesis in the book.
And we've all contributed, as Isay 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 Grinand Tonic and it's a nice light
(26:14):
read.
Good holiday read.
So anyone, headman holiday,look for Grin and Tonic on
Amazon, published by Literate.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
I will certainly be looking for it.
I think it sounds amazing.
I've got to get it just to readyour poem, if nothing else.
So you'll make at least onesale out of this Now.
But everybody you should getthis, and especially Catherine
Lang was a lovely lady and it'sin her memory.
Then you know it's well worthdownloading.
So thank you very much.
(26:42):
It's been a pleasure to haveyou here.
Thank you, wendy.
I've thoroughly enjoyed this.
Yeah, even with my inability toask questions correctly.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
seriously, when you said it, I thought I've done
this.
I'm getting a feeling of dejavu here.
I've done that drip feed intoyour narrative and where, yeah,
you had.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
You had.
You're great, you're great.
Obviously, words decided tochuck extra things in.
I don't know where that camefrom, but let's not worry,
everybody's used to my foibleson here, and I hope you have a
great day and thank you forjoining us.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Yes, I think I'm going to hopefully put my
walking boots on, grab my hikingpole and head out for a walk
after this and a waterproof.
And a water.
I think I will need mywaterproof.
Lovely to talk to you, thankyou, bye.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Bye.
That brings us to the end ofanother show.
It was really good to have youon the show with me today.
I'm Wendy H Jones and you canfind me at wendahjonescom.
You can also find me on Patreon, where you can support me for
as little as $3 a month, whichis less than the price of a tea
(27:57):
or coffee.
You go to wwwpatreoncom.
Forward, slash wendahjones.
I'm also Wendy H Jones onFacebook, twitter, instagram and
Pinterest.
Thank you for joining me todayand I hope you found it both
useful and interesting.
Join me next week when I willhave another cracking guest for
you.
(28:17):
Until then, have a good weekand keep writing, keep reading
and keep learning.
Hi and welcome to the Writing and Marketing Show
brought to you by author Wendy HJones.
This show does exactly what itsays on the tin.
It's jam-packed with interviews, advice, hints, tips and news
to help you with the business ofwriting.
It's all wrapped up in onelively podcast.
So it's time to get on with theshow.
(00:23):
Welcome to episode 187 of theWriting and Marketing Show with
author entrepreneur Wendy HJones, and what a pleasure it is
to have you joining yet again.
Today we are going to be talkingabout writing for Nature
magazines, or local Naturemagazines, with Linda Brown, and
she has very successfullytransitioned to writing for
(00:46):
Nature magazines and I'm verymuch looking forward to speaking
to her.
Some more of her in a moment.
Before we speak to Linda, Iwould just like to say that I've
had lots going on.
I'm really getting excitedbecause, as I record this next
Tuesday I'm recording this on aTuesday.
Next Tuesday I will be on aflight on my way to the States,
(01:09):
which is very exciting.
I'm going there for threemonths on a book tour and lots
planned.
I'm speaking conferences, I'mdoing different events and I'm
very much looking forward tobeing an author there for three
months.
So what else have I beengetting up to?
Well, I am absolutely delightedto tell you that yesterday
(01:33):
Wednesday sorry, wednesday,monday, the 25th of July, as I
record this that my new magazinefor writers came out and that
is called Writers Narrative andyou can find the issue or you
can go and sign up to ournewsletter so that you get it
delivered to your inbox everymonth.
(01:55):
You can find it atsubscribepageio.
Forward slash writers narrativeand I will put that in the show
notes so that you can find itand you will get to free
magazine and there is lots ofinformation in there.
So, yeah, you can find it there.
And that's about all that'sbeen going on in my life,
(02:16):
because I'm busy writing, I'mbusy getting ready for my trip.
Before we speak to Linda, Iwould like to say it's a
pleasure to bring you this everyweek.
I do so willingly and I enjoyit.
However, it does take time outof my writing.
If you would like to supportthis time, you can do so at
patreoncom forward slashwendahagejones and you can
(02:38):
support me for just threedollars a month, which is the
price of a tea or coffee permonth, and it would mean you
enjoy the show and you want tocontinue, and it would.
I would be extremely gratefulbecause, as they say now, every
little helps.
I'm stealing a well-knownphrase there, so I'll probably
end up in bother.
Anyway, moving on from that,what of Linda?
(03:00):
Well, linda Brown has beenwriting for over 12 years.
In the past, she's had articlespublished in Scottish Memories
magazine.
Her work has been included intwo Scottish Book Trust
anthologies for Book WeekScotland Treasures and Scotland
Stories.
A recording of her memoirarticle inspired by Lady Birds
was broadcast on RNIB ConnectRadio.
(03:20):
She's won and been placed inseveral Scottish Association of
Writers competitions and was thewinner of the Imprint Writing
Award in 2018.
This year, she was invited tobe the guest writer for Literate
, a group of eight Ayrshirebased female writers, and had
work published in their humorousanthology Green and Tonic.
(03:42):
An enthusiastic member of AyrWriters Club, linda is honored
to be serving as joint presidentfor 2023-24.
Currently, linda's enjoyingwriting about her nature rambles
for Ayrshire magazine and,without further ado, let's get
on with the show and hear fromLinda, and we have Linda with us
(04:04):
.
Welcome, linda.
Hi, wendy, nice to speak to you.
Oh, it's an absolute pleasureto have you here, and I can tell
that you're from Scotlandsomewhere.
That's with that accent.
Where are you?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
from.
I'm from a small town calledNew Millons, which is in
Ayrshire, on the west coast ofScotland.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Ah, and I have to say it's freezing in Dundee today.
What's it like where you are?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
It's grey skies at the moment.
Sun's trying to get through andit's not terribly warm for July
.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
It's no heatwave here , no heatwave.
The rest of the world have heatwaves and we're freezing to
death.
Here.
We're putting our heating onSeriously.
Ah, anyway, moving away fromthe weather, let's talk.
But the weather does come intowhat we're talking about,
because you do, nature and theweather must play havoc with you
it does.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It doesn't always play the game.
Sometimes I have been soaked.
In fact I was soaked just theother week there went out a walk
and foolishly left my backpackwith my jacket in the kitchen
table and thought I'll be fine.
And then halfway around thewalk the heavens opened.
So I was I was druk it, as theysay, soaked to the skin by the
(05:18):
time I go home.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Druk.
It's a great word.
I love it.
That's the sort of word we likehere on the writing and
marketing show.
I was about to say writer'snarrative, because I'm busy
launching a magazine at the sametime, so I'm getting very
confused as to what I'm doing atwhat time.
Anyway, we're here to talkabout nature writing, and I'm
better writing for naturemagazines, and I'm delighted to
(05:43):
have you here to talk about this, because it's something we've
done yet, so I'm really excitedabout that.
So I love this fact that youactually write for a local
magazine, and that gives it areal sense of community.
How did you get started inwriting for Ayrshire magazine?
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Well, it all really began during the COVID lockdowns
, when I was using my daily walkthat we were all allowed to go
and exercise, but also used itto connect with nature, look for
mood boost and positives andjoy and my surroundings to help
me de-stress.
And that was when I discoveredI really wanted to learn more
(06:21):
about the flora and fauna on myAyrshire doorstep and that
encouraged me to write about mychildhood nature rambles for a
memoir piece called Inspired byLadybirds, which was published
by the Scottish Book Trust.
And I also started postingabout my walks on my Facebook
(06:42):
page not much, just a weecomment or two about something
funny that happened or unusualand a wee bit of information
about what I had seen.
And I shared some of myphotographs.
And Jill Sherry, the editor ofAyrshire magazine, was following
my posts.
She liked what she saw andtowards the end of last year she
contacted me and asked if Iwould consider writing about my
(07:06):
walks for the magazine.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Wow, that's amazing and that's the best answer I've
ever had on the show in thethree and a half years it's been
going, because you said youknow you did it to look for joy
and mood enhancing images.
That is brilliant, seriously, Ilove it, wow.
Yeah, I knew I had to interviewyou just for that alone.
Based on mood.
(07:31):
Already, wendy, my mood.
It's great, I love it.
So what makes nature articlesunique in the context of local
magazines?
And I'm curious as to howwriters can infuse a sense of
place and community into thewriting.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Well, for Ayrshire magazine.
I'm writing about, obviously,rural roads, tracks, woods.
I'm highlighting the wonderfulcountryside and wildlife that we
have locally and these areplaces that the big nature
magazines, countryside magazines, are unlikely to feature.
So I hope that my my articlesare going to inspire readers to
(08:12):
head to some of the locationsthat I write about and and do
the work for themselves.
And as for the sense of placeand community, well, I like to
try and get some really gooddescriptions, vivid imagery and
need to remember to includesmells and sounds, and I also
(08:34):
like to add a little historicalcontext to my pieces.
For instance, one of my walksin a place called Big Wood,
which is just outside New Millin the town of Living, includes
the remains of Art Loudon Castle, a 12th century Montenbaley
Castle, and it was reputedly thehome of Lady Margaret Campbell,
mother of William Wallace.
(08:54):
So I like to include stuff likethat to give it local context.
I use local nicknames forplaces and I'm keen to use the
occasional word of phrase in mymother tongue.
I think colloquialism is likedruket and period.
It make the piece relatable tothe local community and and I
(09:18):
like humour as well Give it awee touch of humour.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
I love it, although we might need to explain to the
listeners what period it is.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Yeah, Period it is if you're a bit confused, dazed, I
get period it sometimes whenI'm trying to focus on birds
that keep flying around aboutwith my camera, so I get a bit
period it.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Yeah, that's a great word.
See, we're learning all sortstoday in this magazine and
magazine.
I'm saying back to thatmagazine we're learning all
sorts today on this podcast,Podcasts.
Sorry, oh, that's because we'retalking about magazines as well
.
So it's you see, I'm period itas well.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
We're both period it.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
We are.
We are.
So, as a nature writer, how doyou choose compelling topics
that resonate with readers andshowcase the natural beauty and
significance of the local area?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Well, obviously I try and choose walks that I love
doing, although I'm currentlylooking into doing a walk that
I've never done before in anarea I've never done before for
the next issue of the magazine.
But I hope that the walks thatI do appeal to people and I hope
(10:35):
that my passion is conveyed bythe piece.
I have to thank seasonally youmentioned the weather there as
well, wendy but I have to thankseasonally and include topics
such as nesting time, birdmigration, the spring buds,
autumn berries, winter weather.
So I hope these things resonatewith the local readers and it
(11:01):
draws attention to the beautythat surrounds us that perhaps
don't normally notice.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Yeah, great answer.
And it's true, you have tothink seasonally because of the
weather, and you've got to besafe as well, because you're not
going to go up a mountain intwenty feet of snow.
Yeah, that ain't safe.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
That ain't safe, and some days it can be very icy
here as well in the winter, butyou step out your door and you
land on your behind.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
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, workingseasonally is amazing as well,
you know, because you get a realflavour of the nature of the
country year round.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Yeah, and of course, for the magazine.
I'm having to think ahead ofmyself at times because by the
time the magazine issue comesout, the weather and the season
may have changed.
So I've got to be.
Although I'm writing about whatI'm doing, I'm also taking
information from previous walksI've done because I need to
(12:13):
write for the appropriate season.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
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 notgoing to get snow in July.
If you're trying to takepictures, but after you've been
doing it for a year, or you'vebeen got pictures that you've
stacked up, then you can usethem and wow see, I never
realised any of this or thoughtabout any of this, so it's
really interesting.
So obviously you may have to doresearch as well.
(12:39):
You've talked about, you know,the mother of William Wallace
and things like that.
Yeah, so research is essentialfor writing informative nature
articles.
What are some reliable sourcesand methods writers can use to
gather up accurate and up todate information?
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Well, I've got some really good bird books, for
instance, including a RSPB,which is the Royal Society
Protection of Birds Book, and Iuse them for info and
identification and although Ihave to say I really rely
heavily on our wonderfulInternet, mr Google is my friend
(13:15):
.
There's some fabulous websitesout there For me.
I use the Woodland Trust,scottish Wildlife Trust, nature
Scott, and I also find thatGoogle Lens on my phone has been
an amazing help to me to helpidentify birds, plants,
(13:37):
wildflowers, even trees.
Take a photograph of a leaf onthe Google Lens and it's able to
give me hits of what you knowother photographs that relate to
that leaf and I'm able toidentify the tree.
Also an excellent app on myphone called Merlin, which
(13:58):
listens to bird sounds and callsand makes an identification.
So if I hear a bird that Idon't actually know what it is,
I can put my app on and find outthe identification and then I
can hang around and hopefullyget a photograph.
Wow.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
I didn't realise there were so many apps.
That's amazing.
I tell you, I'm really learningtoday.
I'm writing all these down.
You know, have you never usedGoogle Lens, Wendy?
I've never used Google Lens.
I do reverse image search, butI've never used Google Lens.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
Worth looking into.
It's really good to helpidentify anything.
Google Lens.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
I've got it written down.
Now.
Google Lens there we go.
I tell you this show is valueadded.
Today, I have to say it reallyis.
We're getting all sorts ofhints and tips.
So how do you strike a balancebetween providing factual
information in the local areawhile still maintaining a
captivated narrative flow inyour nature articles?
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Well, my main focus is what I see on my walks and
how I interact with mysurroundings, whether it's
sprachling there's another goodword which means scrambling up
steep bankings or squelchingthrough glor mud to reach my
goal.
(15:19):
But I'll give brief snippets ofinformation about the area
where I feel it's important.
Usually, well, obviously, Ihave to give an indication of
where I am, what area I'm in,how it can be reached, but
usually the information I'llmaybe give relates to the area's
history, because I feel it'sreally important that our local
(15:42):
history, the stories of our past, aren't forgotten too.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Now, that's so true, and we do need to remember the
past, because it shapes thefuture.
It shapes the present andfuture, 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 thatsort of thing because it gives
it a little bit of flavour.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Yeah, one of the walks I did was to a local cairn
which sits in the hillsideabove the Irvine Valley, which
is the area where I live, andthe cairn, in fact it's coming
around to its 100th anniversaryin 1926.
And it was built during thegeneral strike of 1926 by the
(16:29):
local miners and it commemoratesa covenanter who was martyred
on the hillside.
There was an original cairnthere, 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, justpass the story on.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yeah, no, that is fascinating, I have to say, but
a lot of readers wouldappreciate practical advice for
exploring nature in their localarea.
So how can writers incorporatehelpful tips and recommendations
into their articles withoutoverwhelming the narrative?
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Well, I just sorry, I just drip feed them into my
narrative.
I don't really say out to givetips and recommendations, but I
will say that I was thankful tohave my big hike and pole with
me for a particular steep climbor have my proper walking boots
on for plodding across the roughground.
But I think just drip feedingthem in is better than actually
(17:34):
just giving a direct here as atip.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Yeah, that's good advice.
Actually, it's true.
Yeah, so I know photography isat the heart of what you do, so
what advice can you offer towriters on choosing and taking
effective photographs for alocal magazine?
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Yeah, the photographs really inspire my writing for
my nature articles and I usethem to get a feel of the place
that I've walked and theyactually replace my need to take
notes, because I just look backat my photographs and I take a
lot of photographs when I'm outI can take up to maybe 150
(18:17):
images on a walk.
Obviously, some of these arefar better quality than others
and for anyone who's thinking ofdoing nature walks, nature
writing, I would definitelyrecommend a proper camera rather
than a phone camera.
Don't get me wrong.
(18:37):
These people often tell me someof the top range phones have
got very good cameras, but forme I've got a bridge camera.
It's got a 50 time zoom lensand I feel it's the best.
I can get some really excellentshots from quite a good distance
away and obviously animals andbirds don't tend to pose for me.
(19:00):
They move about a lot, sopatience is needed to get some
really good photos.
Patience and silence is needed.
Usually I check out myphotographs when I get home and
make a short list of aroundabout a dozen images.
Then I whittle them down toabout three to send to the
(19:23):
magazine and they choose toprint to illustrate my article,
and normally, I must say that Ibase the main focus of my
article around about the imagesthat I've chosen.
I usually decide from thephotographs what is going to be
the sort of main focus of thearticle.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Excellent advice.
Thank you.
So many readers appreciatepractical advice for exploring
nature in the local area.
How can writers incorporatehelpful tips and recommendations
into their articles?
You just asked me that one,wendy, did I?
Oh no, I thought I was askingyou about a photography, the one
(20:06):
before the question before.
Oh, I'm sorry, listen, I'masking you the same question
twice.
It doesn't matter, everybody'sused to me on this podcast.
Everybody's used to me on thispodcast.
See, I obviously thought it wassuch a good question.
I would ask it twice.
That's not a problem Movingswiftly onwards through my
(20:28):
ability to actually host apodcast.
Let's move on.
Sorry, wendy, no worries at all.
No worries at all.
I'm glad you told me, becauseit would sound really daft if
you answered the same questionagain.
So I'm glad one of us has gotour heads screwed on.
Oh heavens.
Local magazines often have aspecific readership.
(20:49):
What strategies can writersemploy to tailor their nature
articles to match the interestsand preferences of the local
audience, but while stillmaintaining their unique author
voice?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Well, airshare Magazine is a lovely magazine.
It's a beautiful magazine, it'svery good quality, it's an
online magazine and it's alsopaper copies and obviously the
magazine has articles coveringlots of different themes
entertainment, motoring, fashion, arts so obviously the magazine
(21:24):
is appealing to a wide range ofreaders.
For me, with my nature articles, I try and write simply and not
use too much jargon that mightturn 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 borepeople with them.
I like to use humour because Ifeel humour appeals to most
(21:49):
people, so I like to have a weehumorous touch to my stories and
I'm also a bit self-deprecatingabout myself when I'm on my
walks and I hope that I'mwriting articles that most
people can relate to and maybeintroduce them to an area
they've never considered walkingor opened their eyes to what's
(22:12):
in an area familiar to them.
I definitely think there is aninterest in our natural world.
Lots of people that I meet onmy walks, that I speak to, are
really interested to know whatbirds, animals etc that I'm
photographing.
And on Facebook there is a veryactive Facebook page called
(22:38):
Ayrshire Wildlife and it doeswhat it says on the tin, and
there's lots of people thereposting wonderful photographs
and sharing snippets ofinformation on Ayrshire's
wildlife in Florida and Flona.
So there's definitely quite afew nature lovers out there.
So I really hope that if theypick up Ayrshire magazine, that
(23:02):
they enjoy my article.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
Excellent.
Well, I will certainly bechecking out Ayrshire magazine.
It sounds really interestingand you know, despite the fact
I'm East Coast and you're WestCoast, you can still have a
jolly good read.
It doesn't matter where you arein the world, it's still
interesting.
So thank you.
My final question is alwayswhere can my listeners find out
more about you and your work?
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Well, as you've just said, Wendy, it doesn't matter
whereabouts you live in theworld.
Ayrshire Magazine can be viewedonline.
It's wwwayrshiremagazinecouk.
There's back issues there too,and there's lots of excellent
articles and interviews in themagazine and it's free to read.
(23:48):
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 thecounty.
As not nature writing, but withliterate, which is spelt
L-I-T-E-R-E-I-G-H-T becausethere's eight ladies, we've
(24:14):
published an anthology ofhumorous short stories, poems
etc.
And it's called Grinn and Tonicand that is on sale at the
moment on Amazon and I've got acouple of short stories and a
poem included in it and lastly,my Inspired by Ladybubs, which
really triggered my naturewriting, which was published by
(24:39):
the Scottish Book Trust.
It's still available to readonline.
Just Google Inspired byLadybubs, and it should be the
first thing that comes up.
I've not had my name, lindaBrown.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
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 (25:01):
Well literate, was eight ladies from Ayrwriters
Club who got together anddecided to self-publish some
anthologies, and that was a fewyears ago now, I'm not rightly
sure how long this year.
I was their guest writer.
One of the ladies sadly passedaway a couple of years ago, so
(25:25):
they're down to seven members atthe moment, hence the reason
why I was invited to be a guestwriter.
But they're a fantastic bunchof ladies and they're wonderful
writers too, and they've got afew but three or four
anthologies out.
But the latest one is Grin andTonic, and it's actually a
tribute to Catherine Lang, whowas the lady who passed away,
(25:49):
and one of Catherine's storiesis in the book.
And we've all contributed, as Isay 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 Grinand Tonic and it's a nice light
(26:14):
read.
Good holiday read.
So anyone, headman holiday,look for Grin and Tonic on
Amazon, published by Literate.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
I will certainly be looking for it.
I think it sounds amazing.
I've got to get it just to readyour poem, if nothing else.
So you'll make at least onesale out of this Now.
But everybody you should getthis, and especially Catherine
Lang was a lovely lady and it'sin her memory.
Then you know it's well worthdownloading.
So thank you very much.
(26:42):
It's been a pleasure to haveyou here.
Thank you, wendy.
I've thoroughly enjoyed this.
Yeah, even with my inability toask questions correctly.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
seriously, when you said it, I thought I've done
this.
I'm getting a feeling of dejavu here.
I've done that drip feed intoyour narrative and where, yeah,
you had.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
You had.
You're great, you're great.
Obviously, words decided tochuck extra things in.
I don't know where that camefrom, but let's not worry,
everybody's used to my foibleson here, and I hope you have a
great day and thank you forjoining us.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Yes, I think I'm going to hopefully put my
walking boots on, grab my hikingpole and head out for a walk
after this and a waterproof.
And a water.
I think I will need mywaterproof.
Lovely to talk to you, thankyou, bye.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Bye.
That brings us to the end ofanother show.
It was really good to have youon the show with me today.
I'm Wendy H Jones and you canfind me at wendahjonescom.
You can also find me on Patreon, where you can support me for
as little as $3 a month, whichis less than the price of a tea
(27:57):
or coffee.
You go to wwwpatreoncom.
Forward, slash wendahjones.
I'm also Wendy H Jones onFacebook, twitter, instagram and
Pinterest.
Thank you for joining me todayand I hope you found it both
useful and interesting.
Join me next week when I willhave another cracking guest for
you.
(28:17):
Until then, have a good weekand keep writing, keep reading
and keep learning.
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