Working as a freelance climate writer can be tough. First of all, it's a challenging topic: not only for its complexity but also for its tendency to draw us into climate anxiety. And freelancing isn't easy: as well as being good at writing, you need to run your own business and do all the tasks that come with it. But sharing the importance of protecting our planet, and how everyone can play their part, is vital. Resilience in the face of hard times is key, as I told Lily and Emma on the Freelancing for Journalists podcast when they interviewed me a while back. Based on our chat, and my own experience freelancing in this space, here are a few ways you can stay resilient.

Don't beat yourself up

Pitching articles to editors is challenging and, often, it's a numbers game. There are going to be pitches that go into the black hole and you never get a response. There will also be lots of rejections, however good or experienced a writer you are (it's part of the process). So don't be too hard on yourself. The more it happens, the more you get used to it and your resilience will grow. Before I became a freelance climate writer, I worked in PR so I have plenty of experience of having pitches rejected or ignored. I've built up a pretty thick skin over the years!

Remember, this too shall pass

How resilient you feel can depend on how you're feeling that day and what else is going on. Some days, the tough times of freelance life roll off me like water off a duck's back. Other days, I feel more fragile and can find it a bit tougher. If you're going through a hard time, remember that it won't be like this forever.

Reframe your rejections

Getting a pitch rejected by an editor sucks. Especially when it's an article you really wanted to write. But try to reframe these declined pitches. Editors are super busy so if they've taken the time to reply to you to explain why your idea didn't work, the chances are they see potential in you. So, even if it's hard, try to read through their feedback and consider how you could have improved your pitch. There might even be the opportunity to incorporate their feedback and pitch your tweaked story idea to a different title.

Share your experiences

Another thing that helps is speaking to other freelancers who are in a similar field. When you speak to other people about what's troubling you, you'll realise that everyone is going through the same thing. Even renowned writers with incredible bylines have their story ideas rejected too from time to time. Realising that everyone goes through this should help you to take it less personally.

Have a change of scene

Sometimes, you can feel like you're staring at the screen all day and going stale. The ideas just aren't coming. Or they're not landing right with your editors. When this happens, one of the things that I try and do (if possible) is get myself away from my laptop. How can you get out and try to find the story? For me, that might be joining some conservation volunteers for the day, attending a marine science lecture or tagging along with a beach clean up. Getting away from my desk and out into nature usually help me get the ideas flowing. Meeting people and doing something active also usually help. So think about how you can have a change of scene and do something differently. Even if you don't find a story, you'll hopefully feel refreshed and re-energised as a result.

Plan ahead

The freelancing journey can sometimes be a rocky one. You might find that things are either REALLY busy or desperately quiet. For me, that means it's vital to plan ahead, particularly financially. When I first went freelance full-time, when I got paid by clients, I would put money aside (for things like tax and pension) and pay myself what was left over. But while this was great when I had a big month, it made things more stressful when I'd had a quiet month. Or if I had extra outgoings from the business. Now, I pay myself a set salary each month. This means that any extra from big months will roll over into my savings buffer. Then, if I'm sick, on holiday or work is quiet, I still have some contingency funds to pay myself each month. Because sadly I can't just not pay my mortgage on the months that work is quiet! By reducing the worry about where my salary will come from each month, this strategy also gives me the confidence to focus on getting commissions and finding great stories.

I hope these tips help you keep your chin up when times are hard. There are many peaks and troughs in freelance life (especially, I think, if you're a freelance climate writer!) but hang on in there: you got this!