Writing For Nature

BEJournal proudly presents a short workshop on writing about nature with award-winning children’s author Michelle Worthington. This video provides the author’s favourite prompts and books for creating a narrative inspired by the natural world. Included is a downloadable guide and competition for an original short story based on a conservation theme or showcasing a conservation group.

To spark your imagination checkout our list of conservation foundations below, visit their sites to draw inspiration for your story.

• Panthera
• Cheetah Conservation Fund
• Rewilding Europe
• Sea Legacy
• Vital Ground
• The Nature Conservancy
• Kindred Spirits Fawn Rescue
• Mission Blue
• David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
• Great Plains Conservation
• Audubon Bird Conservation
• AZA Amphibian Conservation
• Tropical Herping

Submission Guidelines

• Word count: Stories may be up to 800 words and we will consider all entries for publication.

• Theme: Stories should highlight a conservation or wildlife cause you care about.

• Eligibility: Writing for Nature is open to writers worldwide. ‘Diversity is a key ingredient to a great story’.

• Submission: Please submit your story as a word doc or PDF here and include the category and charity details.

• Categories: The contest reflects three ‘voices’ 1. Youth, 2. Female, 3. Indigenous.

• Genre: Stories can be factual or fictional (but must include an authentic subject), written for children, teens, or adults.

• Prizes: We will publish the winning story from each category in a special edition of BEJournal, celebrating the authors and their charities. All entries using #writingfornature will have the chance to have their story read on social media by legendary oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle.*

• Mentoring: Winners will also receive their choice of a virtual session with one of our mentors or access to an online master class.*

* Follow us @earthendeavours for updates.

How Your Story Can Make a Difference

BEJournal believes creativity can be a catalyst for reaching people’s hearts and minds. So, we created a short story competition that encourages new voices for nature to share their different perspectives, and inspire an interest in conservation (where awareness and support are sorely lacking). Your story can help shine a light on those who passionately devote their lives to preserving and protecting our natural world. Writing for nature can also make people ‘aware-to-care’ about threatened species or an issue affecting them, which otherwise would go unnoticed.

We designed this competition so that every story can make a difference. When you use the hashtag #writingfornature with @nameofcharity and @earthendeavours, the conservation at the heart of your story gets a shout-out too! And that’s the goal here, to rekindle and restore wild hope through storytelling.

Celebrate your Contribution to Conservation

Here are some writing tips and resources to help you create and promote your story.

• Post a story teaser (138-150 characters) or video (60sec) with the #writingfornature and don’t forget tag/mention your chosen charity @nameofcharity and @earthendeavours.

• Copy and paste ‘How Your Story Can Make a Difference’ with a link to this page and invite others to join you.

• Include a special note inviting people to follow or donate to your chosen charity.

• Post our sharable graphics to your social media or website and let people know you will be #writingfornature.

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