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The Author in Command

Pre Seminar Questionnaire

This questionnaire forms part of the application process for The Author in Command. It is not designed to measure achievement or assess expertise. Instead, it creates space for thoughtful reflection on where your book is now, what feels clear, and what remains unresolved. We are interested in how you are thinking about this moment — and in approaching it with seriousness, care, and intention.

The programme itself is designed to support authors at a pivotal stage in a book’s life.
The questionnaire helps us understand the work you are bringing, where it currently sits in the world, and how the workshop might best serve you. There are no “right” answers. Whether you are applying independently or have been encouraged to take part by your publisher, completing it allows us to prepare a focused, thoughtful day — and to shape a conversation that is genuinely useful for everyone involved.

1. Your Book

2. The Life of the Book So Far

3. Where You Feel Unsettled

Which of the following best describes your current relationship to the book’s life after launch? (You may choose more than one.)

4. Your Role as an Author — Now

5. AI: Curiosity and Caution

Which best reflects your current position regarding AI?

6. Temperament and Boundaries

There are many ways to steward a book responsibly. Which approaches feel most aligned with you?

7. What You Want This Day to Change

8. (Optional) Reflection - not all applicants need answer

The Author in Command is built on mutual seriousness: about the work, the conversation, and the shared day.


If invited, are you willing to:

  • Engage generously with other authors

  • Work thoughtfully rather than performatively

  • Treat the day as a strategic working session, not a lecture

Give this the attention your book deserves.

The value of this intervention depends less on what you already know than on how openly you are willing to reflect. We encourage you to answer these questions with care and honesty, taking the time to articulate what feels clear — and what does not. Your responses will shape not only your own experience, but the quality of the conversation we create together.

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