Treat Nine: Red Planet Prize, Lessons & Pictures, Christmas approaches

Last Friday saw the announcement of the Red Planet Prize, unfortunately my script didn’t make it, I thought this would hurt a lot as I held out a LOT of hope for the script, but after my initial sulk, I gathered my thoughts and remembered I’ve just finished a first draft of a feature script which is the funniest, most concise piece of writing I’ve managed yet with a first draft, I have plenty of scripts at different stages of preparation and a notebook brimming with ideas. And now I’ve been writing a sufficient amount of time that I have enough confidence in my own writing to nurture these ideas and know which ones to take further.

Two of the largest lessons learnt so far are:
1. How to handle rejection- if you want to be a writer this is the first thing you have learn because for most assume that there will be plenty.
2. How devastating it is to have a script that just isn’t working. This happened to me with my first feature.

Or has it?

I’ve thought it for a long time, then a few ideas to rescue it came to me, it still didn’t work, but then a few more ideas came. Now someone else is looking at it for me and who knows where that will lead. The other script which I’m not sure what to do with is a comedy/sci-fi hybrid that I think is very good, but maybe just not that funny. This can be redeemed I believe, but the new year asks many questions about my writing, over which projects to commence with. I have a fast paced drama series which i have some script notes on to look over, I have my all new feature script first draft, and there is also the BBC Laughing Stock opportunity which I have a glorious new idea for. There are also a few comic scripts and a really great radio script that I’m working on, and let’s not forget The Fear of Living, the short script I wrote that should hopefully be playing some festivals next year. There will hopefully also be a couple more projects in development, but more on that when they actually happen.
This shows that both rejection and realising that scripts aren’t working can both be used to motivate you as a writer. Actually you have to use them to motivate yourself, they provide the fire in your belly for writing, well, that and food, of which i will eat plenty over Christmas, keeping me fully stocked for the new year.

I'm sorry for a generic blog post for treat 9 but I was missing doing a normal blog. Hopefully the last three treats will make up for it. Keep your eye out for them.