26th September 2018
Inspired by the work of our author, the entrepreneur and influencer Jessica Huie, and excited by other diversity initiatives in the publishing industry, Hay House UK has been looking at what else we can do to attract and promote more writers of colour in the personal development, holistic health and spirituality space.
We are calling this initiative ‘Diverse Wisdom’ and will be rolling out a programme of events and opportunities, starting with what we hope will become an annual initiative; a competition for aspiring authors of colour writing about personal development, wellness or spirituality.
Our first opportunity launches today, with an application deadline of 14th September 2018.
Three aspiring authors will receive:
To enter, please email us a covering letter sharing what you want to write about and why, and between 1,500 and 3,000 words of your writing, to diversewisdom@hayhouse.co.uk . Winners will be announced and contacted on 28th September 2018.
The next event in our Diverse Wisdom programme will be a free-to-attend panel event at the British Library. On the panel will be Jessica Huie, author of Purpose, Vex King, the British Indian Instagram influencer and author of Good Vibes, Good Life, and Michelle Pilley, the Managing Director and Publisher of Hay House UK. This event will be aimed at writers of colour and will focus on how to put together a proposal, find an agent, attract a publisher, write your book and get your message out into the world. Watch out for more updates on the date and how to reserve your spot soon!
Vex is really keen to help others to share their voices:
‘As a British-born Indian, I have broken the stereotype that is often attached to my culture by sharing my story. By being vulnerable, brave and bold enough to speak about my life and struggles as a young Indian man, whilst avoiding societal norms, I am managing to inspire thousands of people worldwide. We need to hear from other voices and backgrounds too, as everyone has a story to tell which will inspire others and set them on the path to self-healing.’
In 2019, we’ll also be offering a ‘building your platform’ training day led by leading authors and online marketing experts.
Louise Hay and Hay House CEO Reid Tracy have a long-standing commitment to publishing diverse voices, and we see this programme as an opportunity to strengthen that legacy and expand our community. As Jessica Huie puts it:
‘Our personal development and evolution as one people is, in my opinion, our biggest priority as a human race. Through a better understanding and exploration of ourselves, we unlock our latent potential and are happier and more effective players in the world we occupy. As with all industries, diverse representation is critical to engaging with the masses. We need visible examples of individuals with whom we share rhetoric, backgrounds and experiences in order to engage.’
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