I'm in my office and today we finally got internet! I did move in on the 1st August with a brand new hard drive on my PC. However no internet foiled setting it up so I've had to lug in my laptop in the meantime. This means sticking it in a bag and hauling it up Leece Street but never mind (cheaper than the gym). But the difference having an office makes....
1) I can't distract myself with housework - and I hate housework!
2) I can't distract myself with baking.
3) I can't distract myself with gardening, shopping, playing with the cats, reading, decorating or any of those things.
All I can do is write or plan my writing.
And it's wonderful!
Wednesday, 31 August 2016
Sunday, 19 June 2016
Helped by an Angel (Script Angel to be precise)
A while ago I decided to book some courses to help
me during my year off. I had a little splurge on the internet, left them in
Calendar and got on with The Exam Treadmill. While you are on The Treadmill all
meaningful life is sucked from your soul. Thank heavens for calendar reminders
because I'd forgotten I'd booked this course run by Script Angel creator Hayley
McKenzie. And I'd really have missed out if I hadn't gone.
Why I loved this course:
1. Hayley is a top script editor with twenty years
in the industry. Her advice on both script writing and how the industry works
is impressive and delivered with great clarity.
2. She goes over the craft elements to emphasise
how essential it is that the script you send out is as perfectly crafted as it
can be.
3. It is in Manchester so we are not all forced to
go to London yet again.
4. The other people on the course are lovely too
and it's great to hear about everyone's journey (including one from Iceland).
5. The real gold is in the career advice. She told
us how to look at work so determine our own brand, how to organise our
'eclectic portfolios' (guilty as charged) to make it easier for an agent to
market us. We had tips on ways to attract producers attention plus where to
find on-line communities.
By the end of the day I'd realised that when I
looked at what I'd already written (and abandoned) was worthy of revaluation
and re-crafting as that is the area I really need to work on. Hayley has
stopped me from hoping my next piece might be the Holy Grail and to dig for the
gold in what I already have (although I still have a hat full of ideas I want
to write).
Script Angel blog is great too. See this for competition lists.
Sunday, 12 June 2016
My Creative Space
Yesterday I saw my new office. It's in an old factory building on Hope Street and the inside is new and clean and white. There are large windows that look out onto student accommodation (it would hilarious if I could see my ex-students from there). At the front of the building we can look into the gardens of the Georgian terraced houses. Although the office is small it will be be my creative space. I'll have room to stick up character notes, beats in my scripts and deadlines. Now I'll be able to treat writing as a business and focus my efforts on it. Best of all I'll be sharing my space with another writer and an actor as well. That'll keep me working as I don't want to report no progress and Karen is a terrific mentor too. If I was left at home I'd be doing household jobs and finding excuses not to start. Best to head this impulse off at the pass. Plus I'm writing stage plays and am in theatreland.
For any prospective writers in the area a cheap office is a great way to save on bills and you get some company too. I debated our local library but I want to be able to mutter in peace, although, judging by the cutbacks, I might be the lone voice.
Vive 1st August!
For any prospective writers in the area a cheap office is a great way to save on bills and you get some company too. I debated our local library but I want to be able to mutter in peace, although, judging by the cutbacks, I might be the lone voice.
Vive 1st August!
Monday, 6 June 2016
Time for Training
There are six weeks left before I step off the education merry-go-round. I now have an office with other writers I'll move into in August. This is thanks to great advice about how isolated you can feel when you're working at home.
My office (well, a desk in an office) is on Hope Street in Liverpool, right next to the Everyman. If I ever have an ambition it will be to have a full length play performed there or at one of the amazing theatre venues in Liverpool. If I want to dream big, the West End and Broadway!
These days simply sending a piece of work to an agent won't cut it, you have to do social media well. Guess what? Yup, sometimes I feel I'm shouting in the wind. Anyway as an associate member of Writers Guild I discovered free training courses to help me. It was given by the very amiable and informative William Gallagher in Manchester and I really learned a lot. Even better. So many people are doing what I am doing and talking to them was wonderful.
This means even with this one training session that my Writers Guild membership has been worth it. Last year I was lazy about it but this year I'm going to use it to the max.
If you're interested then try this link. The FEU training is also open to NUJ, NUM, Equity and other unions for creatives.
https://writersguild.org.uk/
My office (well, a desk in an office) is on Hope Street in Liverpool, right next to the Everyman. If I ever have an ambition it will be to have a full length play performed there or at one of the amazing theatre venues in Liverpool. If I want to dream big, the West End and Broadway!
These days simply sending a piece of work to an agent won't cut it, you have to do social media well. Guess what? Yup, sometimes I feel I'm shouting in the wind. Anyway as an associate member of Writers Guild I discovered free training courses to help me. It was given by the very amiable and informative William Gallagher in Manchester and I really learned a lot. Even better. So many people are doing what I am doing and talking to them was wonderful.
This means even with this one training session that my Writers Guild membership has been worth it. Last year I was lazy about it but this year I'm going to use it to the max.
If you're interested then try this link. The FEU training is also open to NUJ, NUM, Equity and other unions for creatives.
https://writersguild.org.uk/
Monday, 7 March 2016
At Last...
I've finally been granted my sabbatical. A new teacher has been hired. I honestly thought this would never happen. This last half term has been filled with betrayals and unimaginable stress. I think they were hoping I'd changed my mind about leaving but I haven't. I've booked right from 1st September so my new life starts immediately. The relief.
As a perk, on the same day they made the appointment I discovered I was a finalist in a short film competition. True, my script about an elderly couple just before the asteroid strikes may never get made but... it made it out of 2000 + very decent scripts. So if nothing else I can hang a decent story together. Now I need to hang a decent writing year together.
As a perk, on the same day they made the appointment I discovered I was a finalist in a short film competition. True, my script about an elderly couple just before the asteroid strikes may never get made but... it made it out of 2000 + very decent scripts. So if nothing else I can hang a decent story together. Now I need to hang a decent writing year together.
Monday, 28 December 2015
Script Reading
Last summer I decided to learn about script reading. There was a course down in London run by Lucy V Hays who also runs Bang2Write. The main reason I went to was improve my own writing. I'd already discovered earlier in the year that when you help others with their scripts you learn a huge amount yourself. It acts as a relief to know others make the same mistakes as you and to see what impact it has. Then, when you hear the rewrites, you realise how much difference it makes if the feedback is good.
Just before Christmas there was a call for readers for a short story competition so \I decided to volunteer. I'm not being paid, but I want the experience.
One of the most interesting things I've learned from reading is what a difference voice makes. When written in a passive voice even the most exciting idea is as dynamic as a police report. And telling rather than showing? It really does kill a manuscript.
The best manuscripts have flowing English so you zap from idea to idea. The plot points are coherent and the characters intrigue. Ideally they draw you into their world and then surprise you. Some manuscripts have great English but the odd plot fault. Shame, but this is correctable. Some are enviably good.
Writing short stories is damn difficult. It makes me appreciate how well people in Wirral Writers perform. I've heard some cracking stories on a Friday night there. Keep it up guys.
Just before Christmas there was a call for readers for a short story competition so \I decided to volunteer. I'm not being paid, but I want the experience.
One of the most interesting things I've learned from reading is what a difference voice makes. When written in a passive voice even the most exciting idea is as dynamic as a police report. And telling rather than showing? It really does kill a manuscript.
The best manuscripts have flowing English so you zap from idea to idea. The plot points are coherent and the characters intrigue. Ideally they draw you into their world and then surprise you. Some manuscripts have great English but the odd plot fault. Shame, but this is correctable. Some are enviably good.
Writing short stories is damn difficult. It makes me appreciate how well people in Wirral Writers perform. I've heard some cracking stories on a Friday night there. Keep it up guys.
Sunday, 29 November 2015
The Million Pound Question
I read an article about money when I was on the train to London. It asked what would you do if you were given: £100k, £500k and £1 million? The aim was for you to prioritise personal value. If you chose to spend the money on objects that was classed as giving away your income.
As an exercise it's excellent. I don't want a bigger house. My car could do with a modest upgrade but I see the auto-mobile as a workhorse not a status item. Designer clothes, no. I toss my threads onto a chair. Travel, yes. But I consider that an investment. And I don't want to trail around the world via a chain of boutique hotels. Working or having a food tour, now that would interest me.
Writing comes up of course. But I could still do that on a £100k budget. This exercise makes you realise when you don't and don't need to spend. But the £1 million makes you think bigger. I realised I would love to run a theatre company. Write scripts myself, encourage others to do so, give actors both old and young an apprenticeship. The demise of the rep company is often rued. It's so hard for anyone gain professional experience without backing.
In London I watched the play Stephanie Kempson directed. Despite a dark subject matter Score has lots of humour and female leads with fantastic singing voices. I really enjoyed it. But even more, here is a twenty eight year old director starting a theatre company, touring with a play from the West Country to London and back. Just goes to show, a million pounds isn't always needed.
As an exercise it's excellent. I don't want a bigger house. My car could do with a modest upgrade but I see the auto-mobile as a workhorse not a status item. Designer clothes, no. I toss my threads onto a chair. Travel, yes. But I consider that an investment. And I don't want to trail around the world via a chain of boutique hotels. Working or having a food tour, now that would interest me.
Writing comes up of course. But I could still do that on a £100k budget. This exercise makes you realise when you don't and don't need to spend. But the £1 million makes you think bigger. I realised I would love to run a theatre company. Write scripts myself, encourage others to do so, give actors both old and young an apprenticeship. The demise of the rep company is often rued. It's so hard for anyone gain professional experience without backing.
In London I watched the play Stephanie Kempson directed. Despite a dark subject matter Score has lots of humour and female leads with fantastic singing voices. I really enjoyed it. But even more, here is a twenty eight year old director starting a theatre company, touring with a play from the West Country to London and back. Just goes to show, a million pounds isn't always needed.
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