Sitting on the same chairs in Celebration, Florida, almost 10 years apart. It looks like not much has changed (except for the exponential arse expansion that comes with writing full-time) but EVERYTHING has. The first picture was taken in 2009. After working abroad for a few years and having the time of my life, I was back in Ireland, living in my parents’ box-room, stuck in an awful job that was slowly but surely turning my soul necrotic. Counting down to this holiday to Orlando - a reunion of sorts too; my first visit back since my Disney adventure ended a year before - was the only thing getting me through. By now I’d submitted MOUSETRAPPED, the first book I’d go on to self-publish, to an agent whose kind rejection encouraged me to write fiction. I’d told her that’s what I’d always wanted to do, what I wanted to do more than anything in the world, and I’d send her some as soon as I could. But six months had passed since then and I’d barely written a word. I didn’t have the headspace, the energy or the time - not with my awful job. So, 2 months after my Orlando holiday, I made a drastic decision: I quit my job, took my meagre savings and booked into a holiday home in East Cork for 6 weeks to write my novel. The picture on the right was taken last year - the year I published my second crime novel, signed new deals for a third and a fourth, graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a degree in English (aged 36!), did my first The Inspiration Project event with @happymrsh and @hazelgaynor, and wrote full-time from the Dublin apartment that I love. In between those two points there was, of course, rejection, disappointment, failure, etc. but it was all a small price to pay. The girl in the pink T-shirt knew she’d get there someday. #10yearchallenge #decadechallenge #celebrationfl #florida #WDW #disney #orlando #sunshinestate #motivation #travel #writing #writer #writersoninstagram #writersofinstagram #goals #inspireme19
This day last year we said a totes emosh goodbye to our first ever group of Inspiration Project attendees after a weekend of writing, advice, inspiration and ginspiration. We’re less than 2 weeks now from our next event: The Inspiration Project presents Refreshers Week, a 1-day event designed to kickstart, reboot and/or reinvigorate your writing, takes place in the @theimperialhotelcork on Saturday 26th January. What do you get for €99? 3 intensive writing tutorials on plotting/synopsis writing, characters/dialogue and editing your own work, led by 3 internationally bestselling Irish authors with 17 published novels between them who all make a living doing their dream job and drink copious amounts of gin. We’ve also just got the news that one of those first IP graduates has just signed with a top London literary agent - more on that soon! See above for more about us. Click the link in bio to book your ticket now. And Happy 1st Birthday to the IP! 🎂#inspiration #inspireme19 #writing #amwriting #writer #writers #writersofinstagram #writersoninstagram #writingworkshop #writingevent #cork #event #motivation #goals #dreams #dreamdaredo #typewriter #gin #cocktail #irishwriters #ireland
Introducing... The Inspiration Diaries! Every month this year, Inspiration Project HQ is going to check in with 6 writers to see what they’re up to. Think of it as a sort of year in the life. At the beginning of each month, the writers will be me, @hazelgaynor and @happymrsh, ie. the Inspiration Project founders/published writers, and towards the end of the month it’ll be three of our Inspiration Project graduates who are chasing their writing dreams. Read the first installment at the link in my bio. #inspireme19 #inspiration #motivation #goals #writing #amwriting #writingadvice #writer #blog #blogger #coffeeaddict #coffeeoclock #stationery #stationeryaddict #journal #planner #planneraddict #notebook #coffee
