The Hay House Writers workshop in Dublin at the end of April inspired and motivated me. As I hoped it would. You can read about my apprehensions here.

Many things were said that I needed to hear to silence Mergatroid (she is my critical ego, my Inner Critic). The biggie being “surely what I have to say has already been said?”

The presenters responded with: “Yes, of course it had has. There is nothing new to say really. But is hasn’t been said from your perspective / experience or in your view before.”

So simple, yet so powerful.

All I know for now it that I have to go for it – “just do it” as the famous slogan says. There is nothing to lose with regards to the competition. The fact that Hay House UK will endeavour to give feedback to every submission in itself worthwhile – that feedback could be life changing for any writer.

What’s the competition all about?

Each workshop participant is encouraged to submit a proposal for their book in September. One person will win a Hay House publishing contract worth 5000 Euros.
That’s potentially 169 that I am up against.
I could get all caught up in thoughts about competition and feeling less than, but I am choosing to move ahead with a positive mindset.
I have to have the mindset that I will be selected.
There is no other way to approach an opportunity like this.

This means that I have to do the best I can in the next 4 and a half months with regards to building my platform (??!!), putting together the proposal and getting three chapters (gasp!) complete. Oh, there’s more: a rational, yet powerful outline, a hook, a title and a whole bunch of research about the marketplace.

There is much to do. Lists to be made. Timelines to be drawn up.

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Extending the sabbatical

I need to set time aside to write and do all the other tasks related to this.
I need to extend my sabbatical so I can take advantage of this opportunity.
There must be writing every day.
As Kelly Notaras points out in “The Book You Were Born to Write“, the daily writing needs to contribute to the body of work that is “the book”, so that it gets written.
The outline can be used as the focus for getting this done.
Item one on the to do list – refine the outline!

At this point, Mergatroid must be asked to absent herself.
I’m not yet at the editing stage where I will need her help.

I can do this.
If I can write a proposal for my doctoral study and write up the dissertation, I can do this.
Can’t I?