Get Your Portfolio Ready

Ooops.  Nearly slipped there with my regular posts. Slapped wrist.

So what have I got planned for the writing year?  Well I have bought my ticket for London Screenwriters Festival. I have wanted to go since it started but there was always something happening.  So I have planned well ahead this year.  Excited already.

Now these events are only of any use if you prepare.  Otherwise it is a glorified trip to the pub to see your mates.  Yes there will be mates there, can't wait to see them all, but it is also to help with writing.

So my New Year's resolution is to get my Portfolio into shape. I have quite a few short film scripts but only one completed feature and one completed TV. Both of which are stretching it to say completed.  They are early drafts and need to be refined.

There are some good suggestions for portfolio content from Lucy (Bang2Write) here

My aim for my portfolio is to have refined scripts, or decent treatments, for:

Features:
  1) A Thriller, inspired by  Lucy's book Writing and Selling Thriller Screenplays.  I have all sorts of ideas buzzing through my head.
  2) A Monster feature. Love them so interested in what I can do with one.
  3) Romcom.  I'm an old romantic but want to try something different with it.

TV:
  1) Sitcom: I've got a couple of ideas in early development so I will be working on them.
  2) Drama: Need something but the ideas are really rough at the moment.

What are my chances of getting them all finished in time?  Not a hope. I have a full time job too.  However there is no excuse for not having a decent treatment for those I don't finish.

"Yeah, yeah", I hear you say.  "You'll be so embarrassed by this post in 6 months when you have got nothing done."

Well if I don't set targets I won't get anywhere. So what if they aren't hit? I'll still have something.

So what are your plans for 2014?

2014 Day 1

Well the closest I get to a New Year's Resolution is this. To get the blog active again.

Why?  Because it has been feeling abandoned for so long and guilt tripping me every time I pop by. Passive Aggressive is its speciality.  All riiiiight. I'll blog something.

So a quick update.

1) Been really poorly for a while, Big C, but on the mend.

2) Too poorly to write for most of the year but did completed one short radio play that was broadcast on Radio Cumbria just before Christmas.

3) Working on a YA Novel which has nearly completed its 2nd draft so still a lot of work to do.

4) Signed up for London Screenwriting Festival 2014.  First forward planning I have been able to do for a long time. So strange after living from day to day for so long.

5) Remembering my Brownie and Guide training, Be Prepared. So will be working on my Portfolio ready for LSF. Trying to forget I got kicked out of Guides for leaping over gravestones. Bad Girl.

Well that's it for now.  Must remember to keep this going.

Any of you still out there?