Q: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: Actually I started out as a Publisher and worked for many years in-house initially with an independent publishing house and then also with Penguin and Random House.

Then in 1999 when I was at a Penguin sales conference in Cyprus, in front of several hundred people, a falling stage spotlight hit me on the crown of the head and knocked me clean out! I was off work for over a year in recovery … and during that time completely reassessed my priorities in life.

As a result I decided to give more time and space to my own creativity and wrote my own book “The Writer’s Journey: From Inspiration to Publication”.

I also set up my own business offering aspiring authors coaching on the process of writing a book for publication, and as part of that, began to deepen my connection to my own writing through sending out regular newsletter articles etc.

I’m still doing so now (available from www.JuliaMcCutchen.com) and I find that the more I write, the more I love writing. Making the transition from publisher to author felt strange at first but now I can’t imagine my life without writing!

Q: How and when did you make this dream a reality?
A: I wrote my book in two stages.

Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your writing career?
A: That you just have to do it! Overcoming resistance, or the voice of the inner critic, is all about accepting that this is a natural part of the creative process and the more you just carry on with your writing anyway, the less power the inner critic has to stop you in your tracks.

I also know for certain that working with a coach or mentor makes all the difference. With the right information and support, writing will happen!

Q: What are you working on right now?
A: I’m just starting to work on a new Masterclass course for writers on the subject of writing a first-class book proposal. I’ll be running this as a 5 week teleseminar event later in the year and from that will turn it into an Ebook or workbook - I haven’t quite decided which yet.

This topic is right at the top of most writer’s priority list because it is the way that the publishing door can open. It has become an area of speciality for me and I work with lots of writers to help them create a presentation that will inspire serious attention from publishing professionals. I guess that my success with getting book proposals right comes from my years spent in-house receiving such material and making publishing decisions based on the information contained within those all important pages.

Q: Name some authors or books that have influenced your writing life in a positive way.
A: I love Gail Sher’s books “The Intuitive Writer” and “One Continuous Mistake”. I also think this book is fabulous “The I Ching for Writers” by Sarah Jane Sloane.

Q: What have you recently read or what are you reading right now that you would consider an outstanding work?
A: I have to say that I found Eckhart Tolle’s book “A New Earth” deeply transformative to read as it is outstanding by virtue of content and clarity …

Q: What excites or ignites your soul?
A: I am passionate about looking within to discover the true source of your writer’s voice - which is in fact your true self - and when you combine the ‘real you’ with the skills of your writing craft, then you have a powerful formula for expressing your voice in the world in an authentic way which readers and publishers alike will love!

Julia McCutchen is the author of The Writer’s Journey: From Inspiration to Publication. She works as a Writers’ Coach and a Professional Publishing Consultant presenting coaching, courses, and classes which open the way for people who want to write a book for publication. Julia is passionate about offering her wealth of knowledge to inspire, inform, and support writers on their paths to becoming successful published authors. Her core message can be summarised as InsideOut Success 4 Writers, and she presents a new paradigm for writers which highlights the value of enjoying the journey and arriving at the destination! A former Director and Publisher of Element Books, Julia has also worked with Penguin as a Publishing Consultant for Random House. She has 20 years’ publishing experience and a track record that includes UK no 1 and international bestsellers. For more information, see www.JuliaMcCutchen.com or email Julia@JuliaMcCutchen.com

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