Book chapter panic

Hi,
I wonder if you can help. I have been working on a book proposal recently – and the proposal itself has been going well. I’ve gone through two drafts of it now. Plus, I went to an event recently and networked with an agent that I want to work with – she was interested in my idea and has invited me to submit my proposal and first chapter next week (when she’s back from holiday).
This is obviously very exciting news. But, I haven’t written the chapter yet – I have done a lot of work on it, for example planning it out and making rough notes, lots of research and doing all the interviews for it. So it’s not that I’m starting from scratch.
But this bit feels like a leap into the unknown. What feels on one hand like motivation (knowing someone will read it) also feels like pressure and it’s suddenly more ‘high stakes’.
I started working on the chapter today, but ended up going into panic mode with it. It feels like it’s impossible, I can’t do it etc. And I have this awful panic that people are taking a chance on me but I can’t follow through with it.
I recognise that I’m out of my comfort zone. This is my first attempt so it’s all new, I need to get a feel of it, and this is where I figure it out. Also I am a journalist so it’s a very similar skill-set to writing features (and tbh I often have a panic when I’m writing these at some point!)
I’ve had a go at doing some different models on the C line of writing the chapter. But the panic keeps taking over.
Do you have any tips on how to manage this?
Many thanks

 

 

Answer:

 

What if this is the part of the process where your brain freaks out? If it was one of the stones that you had to step on to cross the proverbial creek – an integral part of the experience, and just as normal as all of the good feelings that you have had and will have in the future of this project – how would you treat yourself while it was happening?

Notice what you’re wanting to do in the midst of this experience. Do you want to run away from it? Avoid it? Squash it? Let your brain have space to experience it? Get curious about what showing up for yourself might look like, sound like, and feel like while your brain is doing this totally human thing while you’re pushing your comfort zone.