So, yes, here we are, the first blog of 2009! It will, I’m afriad, be a rushed one, as always I’m low on time, and also not feeling brilliant (cold coming I think) so apologies for garbling…
So, a few pretty good/hopefully things have happened or will happen in the new year with regards to writing, which I really, really need – 1) so I know there’s good reason for me to carry on trying and 2) because my money situation is getting extremely, extremely dire. If something hasn’t happened by about May/June time I’m going to have to start working full time, maybe even move home and work full time for a few months to just inject a bit of cash into my situation… then move to… well one of two places- Leicester or London. And I do want to move. I don’t like Wolverhampton. So it’s either London for writing (if I sell a play this year then that’ll be what I use the money for- to move down there), or Leicester for friends – and I think at that point I’d consider applying for a PHD…
But yes! I should tell you about the possible opportunities. Well , the first is this play I’ve been writing with the Royal Court Young Writers’ Programme – I’m currently redrafting the piece which is due into them on the 15th of January – which, if they like they might offer me a place in the ‘invitation’ group (which means more trips to London) where basically they develop a second draft with you and you meet lots of famous writers and important directors who work on it with you, or if they actually love it, they could commission a second draft, or actually programme it… so that’s pretty good- just need to make my piece good (what I should be doing now in fact)! The other big thing that’s happening is also on Jan 15th I’m meeting the literary manager at Scary Little Girls Productions – just before Christmas I was just trawling the web on my lunch break and came across the fact that they were looking to commission a playwright to write a piece about the women involved in the Easter uprisings of 1916 in Ireland- which sounds bloody interesting- and combining research with writing- which I would love! So on the off chance they wouldn’t simply laugh at me for my lack of experience/previous commissions, I sent a cover letter explaining why I thought I’d be perfect for it, along with a couple of examples of my writing, and they phoned me back a week later to arrange a meeting! Apparently they’re also thinking of working on a new writing season and would like to have a chat about my writing and the commission, as well as the new writing season – so, fingers crossed. Oh and the final thing that might happen is that Loughborough University phoned me up and asked me if I was interested in taking a piece (writing and directing I think) to a European and Mediterranean arts festival in Macedonia, I don’t think it would pay, but I think it would be paid for-and as well as being a great opportunity, it would look good on the CV.
So yes, fingers crossed very hard that at least something will happen this year, I need the money, but I also need the reassurance that I’m not wasting my time…
Also due to extreme lack in time at the moment – I’m giving microblogging a go. I’ve signed up to twitter and have added an app to my phone and facebook so I’ll be able to update both fbook status and twitter on the go. I’m super busy until January, so if lacking main updates – look to the left!
Hope all had a good Christmas break, and here’s hoping 2009’s the one!
Hxx
