For someone with writers block I seem to have an awful lot to blog about. However, 'bloggers block' is not the issue. In a few days it's the deadline for Paines Plough's emerging playwright competition (Future Perfect 09) and so far I only have three quarters of a play to my name. I'm sure that most of the applicants for next years amazing one year attachment with the company will have had a variety of their work to choose from and the right play in the bag for a long time...
I, on the other hand, decided to enter the competition last week and
therefore I'm obviously not holding out for the trophy. I have been
writing plays for years and have been told by friends more often than
usual lately that I should try and pursue it as more than just a hobby
(perhaps they're all just fed up of hearing me waffle on about my lack of
acting success at the minute).
The competition has been a great focus for me more than anything and has actually made me consider taking writing more seriously alongside my continuing devoted pursuit of an acting career.
Before drama school, whilst I still lived at home, I signed up with 'Script', a West Midlands based agency for dramatic writers (www.scriptonline.net) I have since received monthly e-bulletins of writers activities, competitions, opportunities and jobs. Every month I am surprised by the amount and range of opportunities for new writers and have always wished there were more such starting platforms for actors. I think one of the reasons for not considering the writing option more seriously (besides the three year blip of drama school bubble) may have been the fear of only ever wanting to or being able to write material with a character in for me!
To begin with you write what you know, but they say the best writers cannot always be detected in their work. My flat mate and I recently attempted to write a new television sitcom... I think we had been heavily influenced by our marathon DVD session of both 'Spaced' series and our out-of-work-actor lifestyles as we managed to create a whole series on two over-imaginative flat mates desperate to better their lives... not quite as funny as we'd imagined...
I saw DV8's new production 'To Be Straight With You' at the National this week and was impressed with the brave issues of sexuality, homophobia and religion brought to the forecourt through verbatim theatre. I know that DV8 has worked hard to gain funding to cover their lengthy research and development periods over the years and the research for this project must have been very extensive. The thought of all this time and commitment made me humour myself somewhat for my fly-by-night (if not overnight) decision to crack the playwriting world. However, everyone has to start somewhere and I'm starting on my next project, a piece for the Soho Theatre's 'Westminster Prize 09' as soon as possible (the deadline's a little bit more achievable and who knows... I might even be able to wangle in a perfect character for me to play in it!)
The competition has been a great focus for me more than anything and has actually made me consider taking writing more seriously alongside my continuing devoted pursuit of an acting career.
Before drama school, whilst I still lived at home, I signed up with 'Script', a West Midlands based agency for dramatic writers (www.scriptonline.net) I have since received monthly e-bulletins of writers activities, competitions, opportunities and jobs. Every month I am surprised by the amount and range of opportunities for new writers and have always wished there were more such starting platforms for actors. I think one of the reasons for not considering the writing option more seriously (besides the three year blip of drama school bubble) may have been the fear of only ever wanting to or being able to write material with a character in for me!
To begin with you write what you know, but they say the best writers cannot always be detected in their work. My flat mate and I recently attempted to write a new television sitcom... I think we had been heavily influenced by our marathon DVD session of both 'Spaced' series and our out-of-work-actor lifestyles as we managed to create a whole series on two over-imaginative flat mates desperate to better their lives... not quite as funny as we'd imagined...
I saw DV8's new production 'To Be Straight With You' at the National this week and was impressed with the brave issues of sexuality, homophobia and religion brought to the forecourt through verbatim theatre. I know that DV8 has worked hard to gain funding to cover their lengthy research and development periods over the years and the research for this project must have been very extensive. The thought of all this time and commitment made me humour myself somewhat for my fly-by-night (if not overnight) decision to crack the playwriting world. However, everyone has to start somewhere and I'm starting on my next project, a piece for the Soho Theatre's 'Westminster Prize 09' as soon as possible (the deadline's a little bit more achievable and who knows... I might even be able to wangle in a perfect character for me to play in it!)
Ahhh, I'm about to enter as well. Worry ye not, I know of other people applying who do not have extensive experience or even more than one play to send in. You can be talented and have potential without having worked a lot as yet.
Also, some of the best writers I love have a very definitive voice. It's not so overpowering it taints my experience, but I like watching a certain writers work and being able to say, "Yes, that's definitely a Mr. Bloggs piece of work". Or even watching someone else and going... "You know, I think they've been inspired by Mr Bloggs because that exchange was sooo like something s/he wrote".
Gd luck.
Good luck to ye also emmy! fingers crossed and maybe 1 day we'll be as good as mr/s bloggs! x