Seven Secrets

OK. Nearly a month ago Wendy nominated me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award!


Wendy and I met sooo long ago when we both attended our first screenwriting course.  She writes brilliant YA novels and is tackling an adult one at the moment.  Click on her link above to find out more.

Anyway, it has been a few weeks and I am well overdue. Wendy is stalking me with her favourite weapon. A ball and chain improvised from an old Remington and a Victorian toilet chain. I'd better get it done.

Can you hear her?

Grunt, scrape, gasp.

Wendy. I'm doing it! Stop dragging that thing about.

Now the Very Inspiring Blogger Award is given by bloggers to bloggers and here are the rules:

1. Link back to the person nominating you for the award -done
2. Display the Very Inspiring Blogger logo -done
3. Reveal seven things about yourself (see below) but these are secret, just between us. OK?
4. Nominate seven others to receive the award (see below) though I can't promise I will manage seven.

Okay.  So seven things about me that you won't find on my profile:

1)  I can make my knees bend backwards. Yep. I must have some alien genes buried in there. Not a party trick to demonstrate at meal times because people do get queasy.

2) On that theme, I once threw up in the ballroom of Charlottenburg Palace. They were renovating the floor and we all had to wear special felt shoes to protect it. Unfortunately they also had all the windows shut to stop dust getting in. A wall of glass in a heatwave with toasty toes was never going to end well.


3) I won a limerick competition when I was 10. It was a class competition and submitted more entries than the rest of the class combined.
         There once was a fine Hampshire Hog
         Who noticed her old writing Blog
         Was feeling bereft
         Of her postings most deft
         So she dragged her Muse out of the Bog.
I know. Not wonderful. But it is late.

4) I can't drink alcohol. It makes me sick. Yes. I know it makes everyone sick eventually but it only takes a couple of sips for me. It is an intolerance rather than an allergy. On the plus side - never had a hangover. On the minus side - guess who is always the designated driver.

5) My family is HUUUUUUGE!!!!  Twice a year my Nan, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins would all gather. In the summer this meant a convoy of cars heading somewhere green.  Of course it had to stop regularly so the cousins could play musical cars. One of the sprogs was asked to do a family tree, just three generations.  We had to get the wallpaper out.

6) My favourite Christmas as a kid was when my Mum and Dad invited friends round and we had a multi-religious day.  It was a mix of Christians, Muslims and Hindus. Each brought traditional food and showed how they celebrated that time of year.  Moussa brought a Hookah but Mum said I couldn't have a go.  He gave me some Sesame Halva instead. Yum.

7) I have just won a battle against Breast Cancer.  It took nearly 2yrs, I am still recovering from side effect, but I kicked its butt.  I now have a cyber-boob too.

Right.  Now for my victims nominees. Don't worry folks.  I won't hold you to it.

Elinor, Lucy, Northern Scribbler (your identity is safe with me), Adaddinsane (also hush hush), Rob (yes this is revenge), Connie and Emma.  Phew.  Done.

Now put that typewriter down Wendy!

What a Horror!

Artwork by Matthew Howard

Well I have been busy working on a horror script.  Wanted to write a good horror for a long time. Or even a bad horror. Finally I decided to stop wondering and just do it.

It is based on a nightmare I had but I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I like creature features but prefer suspense to gore.  More Alien/Thing than Saw/Hostel.  Yes, I know Alien and Thing has gore too but it is quick and only one part of the plot. It wasn't the core of the film.

Anyway, I have recently been using a different approach to writing.  Before I would write a quick outline then dive in.  Trying really hard to not do that now. Instead I have been knocking outlines, characters and background into good shape first.  Sometimes this is a slog but in this case everything seems to be dropping into place nicely.



Something else that has changed.  I used to try and keep the budget low. However the sad reality is that few speculative scripts get made. They are more a showcase.

Therefore I have split my scripts in two. Some are low budget and hopefully stand a chance of being made. Some are high budget and show what I can do without limitations.  This horror falls into the second camp and I am loving working on it.

So now I have to discover whether all that work was actually useful or if I was just procrastinating. Time to write Draft 1.

A Blog Tour is underway.

In case you haven't noticed there is a blog tour going on.  You are introduced in someone's blog then a week later you thank them and introduce three more.

Well the lovely Rob Stickler introduced me last Monday.  He has now been informed that I also love The Thing, not a euphemism folk. Want that reference explained then you will have to go here.

I think he started out blogging a bit before me.  We both lapsed for a while, dazzled by the bright lights of Facebook and Twitter. However the glitz is looking tarnished so we are back to our old faithful blogs. Did you miss us?

So now it is my turn. I have to answer a few questions.

1) What am I working on? Currently the 1st complete rewrite of a YA novel is underway. It is Enid Blyton meets Shameless and I am enjoying the process. Considering how much I hate editing that must be a good sign.
I have also been putting together detailed outlines for a set of Film and TV scripts.
Film wise it is one surreal, one thriller, on action and a romcom.  I have also got a trapped in a box idea knocking around too but I think I have more than enough to deal with at the moment.
The TV stuff all appears to be sitcom at the moment.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre? I write UK based, mostly rural, dark humour with a surreal edge. If I try to stay strictly drama I fail because that humour just sneaks in again. Why rural?  So many stories cover the urban angst.  I like to remind people that it is not all chocolate box outside the city walls either. Take a look when it is slurry spreading time.

3) Why do I write what I do? Because I have to.  I get ideas burning in my head and they won't behave unless I write them down.  Most of my work revolves around the loners in the community. With so much inequality and persecution in the world you have to either fight, write or go nuts. I find writing a less painful option than punching walls.

4) How does my writing process work?  An idea will knock about inside my head for quite a while before I put anything on paper.  I used to then just dive in and write. 
Now I prefer to knock it into shape with an outline before writing my first draft.  It gives me an idea whether the story has legs and stops the thing nagging me so I can concentrate on writing.

Overall I think this is faster.  Certainly less sweary than reaching the end and hubby looking over your shoulder and pointing out a gaping plot hole that wants to swallow the whole script.



Now you have delved into my writing soul, how about checking out some other bloggers.  I have mentioned Rob but please also check out the sweary guru Lucy who he mentioned last week. I have learnt soooo much from her.

So for the new bloggers on the list.

I met Wendy YEEEEAAARRRS ago. In fact we met on the first screenwriting course I ever attended.  No, I'm not going to say how long ago that was. I'm a lady so you shouldn't be asking.

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Wendy Storer writes novels, mostly for teenagers. She has published two books; Where Bluebirds Fly and Bring Me Sunshine, a finalist in the Mslexia Children’s Novel Competition. Her next YA novel – How to be Lucky – will be published later this year. She’s currently working on her debut women’s novel, teaching writing at The Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal, and working with writers through Magic Beans Literary Services to help them lick their own novels into shape. Find her at http://wendystorer.blogspot.com/,  www.wendystorer.ws , www.magicbeans.co.uk , or say hello @WendyStorer.




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Connie Jensen tried hard to get this bit done but she is juggling managing, directing, writing, publishing, painting.... Don't know how she manages it.  We have known each other for quite a few years now and are both part of the NCS posse.  Anyway I would recommend you pop by her blog http://trifoliumbooks.blogspot.co.uk/   Worth a read. Don't worry Connie, I won't hold you to doing the next bit.

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Phew.  Am I done now?  Good.  Off to do some writing.  Speak to you all soon.

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?

I'm back. I think.

It has been 2 years and 2 days since my last post. Wow that is a long time and so much has happened. I have reviewed whether to keep the blog going or close it. I don't like putting family stuff out in the public domain, nor am I an expert in writing that strew pearls of wisdom. So what I have decided is to use it for a while to put bits of my novel out there. Let the characters introduce themselves and just have a play really. Posting will be intermittent because the muse does not always come when it is called. Typical man, off loitering in some shed instead of shining a light on great ideas. Yes he's male. I'm female. The ancient Greeks can lump it. Well, let's see how it goes.

ABBA is back

Theatre by the Lake, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Writersroom are running this to help with the competition. Thought you might be interested.


Are you interested in writing for radio?

Would you like a £5,000 writing bursary and the chance of a Radio 4 drama commission?

On Thursday 14th July BBC Radio Drama North will launch their 2011 Alfred Bradley Bursary Award, an open submissions process which aims to find talented Northern based writers who are interested in writing for radio.

Charlotte Riches, Producer for BBC Radio Drama Development, and Jo Combes, New Writing Development Manager for BBC Writersroom, will be here at Theatre by the Lake at 6.30pm on Thursday 25th August to discuss what the judges will be looking for in submissions and how you can make your writing stand out from the rest. They will also be on hand to answer any questions about the award and about how you can get your first writing break at the BBC.

The award is run in partnership with the BBC Writersroom and full Award details, entry forms, terms and conditions and sample scripts are available on the Writersroom website from Friday 15th July. www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/.

This event is free but places are limited – please contact the box office at Theatre by the Lake for tickets. 017687 74411