FAQs

What is Inkcap Journal?

Inkcap Journal is a newsletter on nature, ecology and conservation in the UK.

There are two editions every week: a piece of original journalism and a digest of the week’s news. It comes out on Wednesday and Friday.

How much does it cost to subscribe?

Features are free for everyone to read. Subscriptions to the weekly digest cost £50 per year, or £5 per month – and there is a lower-cost option for those who need it. All subscriptions are recurring, and you can cancel your membership at any time.

What does Inkcap Journal write about?

Inkcap Journal focuses on nature in the UK – how we are destroying it, and how we can protect it. Themes include rewilding, rivers, farming, oceans, forests, soil, people, culture, and more. It’s a topic that can be approached from almost any direction.

So much environmental journalism focuses on the international picture; we forget, sometimes, about the catastrophic loss of habitats and biodiversity in our own country. To have any credibility abroad, we need to demand accountability at home.

But Inkcap Journal is also a place for creativity. Journalism can be as elegant and moving as any other genre of writing, and true stories as compelling as fiction. Nature in the UK is complex and varied; different people see the land in different ways. How we write about the environment should reflect that.

Who runs Inkcap Journal?

Inkcap Journal is run by Sophie Yeo, a writer from Wales who is now based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Sophie has been writing about the environment since 2013. Her journalism has appeared in publications including the Guardian, the Washington Post, National Geographic, Nature, BBC Future, Pacific Standard, and more. You can browse some of her work on her website, or follow her on Twitter.

Can I pitch a story?

Yes! Inkcap Journal publishes a small number of stories from journalists and writers. We are interested in reported features, interviews and essays. Pitches should reflect Inkcap’s focus on the British environment: England, Wales and Scotland.

We particularly like pieces that engage with thorny issues at the heart of nature conservation, tackle issues of social justice, or tell an unexpected story. We like articles on humans, habitats, plants and animals. And we welcome diverse voices and perspectives.

We pay up to £1,000 per story, depending on its complexity and the level of reporting involved.

Please send pitches to editor@inkcap.co.uk with the word PITCH in the subject line.

Do you publish comment pieces?

We occasionally publish articles from academics and conservationists discussing their work, but, as a general rule, we do not pay for these. If you have a story to tell, send your pitch to editor@inkcap.co.uk.

Can I republish Inkcap Journal’s stories?

Maybe. Email editor@inkcap.co.uk if you would like to discuss syndicating our work in another publication.

I have a story tip. Do you want it?

Yes please. Send it to editor@inkcap.co.uk.

Can you put my thing in the Friday digest?

Maybe. The Friday digest is a round-up of articles and essays that have been published online within the past week. There must be something that is new, and the information about it must be available online, so that readers can explore the topic in more depth if they wish.

We appreciate emails from readers alerting us to interesting articles. Bear in mind that, if it’s in the Guardian, the Telegraph or the Times, we’ve probably already seen it. But if it’s in a non-mainstream publication, particularly one that doesn’t routinely cover the environment, then please tell us!

How many subscribers does Inkcap Journal have?

Inkcap currently has around 6,000 subscribers, including politicians, civil servants, conservationists, scientists, publishers, journalists and writers. You can join them here:

Is Inkcap any good?

These people think so:

Is Inkcap on social media?

We are regularly on Twitter, and sometimes on Facebook  and Instagram.

Who designed Inkcap’s logo?

The talented Amy-Jean Porter.