This autumn I've been trying to tap my mind back into nature – I've always been one who feels governed by the patterns of the seasons, rather than the weeks, days, minutes and seconds of the industrious 9-5 drum. Of any given day I may feel a call to nature, and all I have to do is answer. The nature of the work I do means that I can stop at the drop of a hat to instead throw on my coat, grab my camera and head out the door to see what nature has in store for me. A little preparation means I can do this for a few days to a few weeks; my body and intuition always knows what I need, even before I do. Sometimes, it's just an overwhelming feeling, 'I must get out today… for I know I am going to find something.' Often this is when I have my most exciting ideas. The time in nature allows my brain to process sub-consciously whilst it's being fed by beautiful sights, sounds, smells and textures. ​

I am thrilled to share this podcast with you, having recorded it a few months ago now. I was invited to chat about living with chronic illness, along with Ever Dundas, by The Ampersand Project. We discussed the barriers faced by disabled writers, the lack of opportunity and support, and our fundamentally broken system. 

It's time to face an uncomfortable truth.

This blog post has been in the making since early this year and I'm so glad I can post it now, having found the perfect home for the second installment. It's directly informed by my experience as a disabled writer on low income, and it's my hope to raise awareness and create positive change by starting a dialogue about the barriers I face in developing my writing.

​Part Two: Creating Change, will be published this Sunday at WOWCON - the inaugural online writing conference run by Write Mentor. ​

Scotland’s Women Stand saw a nine-month campaign culminating in an event with over 400 women at the Scottish Parliament, to support and empower women of Scotland to stand for political office. The project was run by the Parliament Project and YWCA Scotland (The Young Women’s Movement).