Roadshows, Toilets and Warm Wine.

I had a great time at the BBC Writer's Room Road show with surprisingly few bothersome moments. I'm not going to mention the astonishment I felt at the obvious forward thinking of our local City Council with the introduction of uni-sex toilets in our train station at the very beginning of my epic journey. They were all shiny and modern and I'm not ashamed to admit I was getting all excited about the sparkly luxury of them until I realised I'd ended up in the Gents by accident. Last time that happened at least I had a decent excuse - it was dark and one wooden toilet block looks very much like all the others in the desert...

Moving swiftly on but with the recent memory of being unable to locate the correct gender facilities burning in my brain, I did manage to get on the right train, which was a considerable relief, as I had half expected to end up in Inverness rather than my destination of choice. Not that there's anything wrong with Inverness, far from it, just that it would have meant me travelling in the opposite direction than intended which would have resulted in a major travel fail.
Following on quickly after that dizzying triumph was the fact that I didn't fall asleep and miss Dundee station either (yes, I know many would regard this as a failing.) Just joking Dundee - I love you to bits!

I arrived in good time, with just over an hour to spare before the Road show began, so my plan was to find somewhere all nice, writery and intellectual where I could pose around, look cool and have some food. However after getting unexpectedly trapped in the Overgate Shopping Centre for about half an hour, I skulked into a Pizza Hut I discovered just around the corner from the Caird Hall and ordered my usual pepperoni with extra cheese. The waiter returned shortly after to apologised that the white wine I had ordered was non-chilled. I think I shocked him slightly by my unashamed defiance of convention and told him I didn't mind just get me the wine! NOW! (Actually I just smiled sweetly and he seemed happy in the knowledge that I was some uncultured wine-heathen probably too desperate to sue in the face of my need for some good old Dutch courage.) "But Magz, why didn't you just order a cheeky little Red?" I hear you cry. Well, I'm glad you asked as the answer is simple. I didn't want to run the risk of the dreaded red lips and having Auntie Beeb think I was some alchy writer wanna-be. One must try not to advertise these things for the sake of one's possible future career. When I have made my fame and fortune then I shall be more than happy to prance around with vino stained chops.

I was quite amazed and to find the Caird Hall roughly in the place I was expecting it to be - thanks to the wonders of Google Streetview. Before leaving the house, I had carefully studied my route from station to destination, however, for some reason loads of cars kept honking at me as I carefully and religiously followed the big white line down the centre of the road as per the onscreen instructions.

The Road show itself was very good and consisted of general advice on what the Writer's Room looks for in the scripts they receive, as well as what they are not looking for! The presentation was informative and friendly and had a good attendance with lots of serious looking writers which made me want to scamper away and hide. It also covered the 'Scotland Writes' competition, with a good amount of time for questions and answers to follow. At one point, one of the chaps from the Beeb (I do apologise for forgetting your name sir!) mentioned a similar event with RTD (Russell T Davis) and I only narrowly prevented my inner fan-girl from leaping around and doing embarrassing things. Twas a struggle though.

I arrived back at the station with about 20 minutes to spare before the next train was due, which turned out to be from Plymouth. Not that that has any relevance whatsoever, I just felt the need to add that delightful little detail for you, my dear reader. Yes - for you! So what else could I do but partake of a nice glass of wine, chilled this time you will be relieved to know, from the station bar while I waited? I decided to accept the offered receipt in the pretence that I was a grown up on a business trip and not just desperate for some booze.

All in all, the event was friendly and useful, even though it did send me rushing home to do a rapid re-write on my now meagre-seeming and feeble competition entry and apart from waiting for about 45 minutes for a bus home after I left the station, it was a jolly splendid little outing!

On Track...

I'm off to exotic Dundee tomorrow for the BBC Writer's Room Roadshow.
I've got my train tickets and I am really really going try to remember to take them with me.
Assuming I manage to get there and back without incident, I shall bore you all with the details of my epic journey in a later post, in all it's grim detail. (What do you mean you don't want to know what type of sandwich I had or how long it took me to find the Caird Hall! Twill all be the most gripping stuff you know!)
My original plan was to take along my shiny, finished and polished script for the 'Scotland Writes' competition and hand it in in person. However, after having given long and careful thought to that plan I decided it would be better to wait until after the Roadshow. I would like to make it clear that it has nothing to do with the fact that I may or may not have failed to have finished, let alone scrubbed and polished it yet. Honest. *cough*
Anyway, if anyone else is going along too, please come over and say hi!
(I'll be the one not wearing sunglasses and looking lost and bewildered in the corner.)

Heating Up

Had a really good week. I sent off the first draft of a short piece of fiction I'm doing for a really cool new RPG Sourcebook - can't say what it's about or anything yet - but the whole thing is great and when it comes everyone and their budgie MUST buy it! I have a few little tweaks to do to the story which won't take long and will hopefully improve it.

I got some really good and positive feedback for one of my short scripts 'What Laura Wants' from Graeme over at Beautiful Train which really gave me a huge boost. I'm really grateful to him for taking the time to read it.

I've also been invited by the guys over at Scripped.com to write regular articles for them! I mean how exciting is all this?!!!

Also ticking away is both the spec outline and series outline for 'Swings & Roundabouts' which I'm entering into the BBC Scotland Writes competition. Which reminds me, I still have to book my train tickets for the BBC Writer's Room Roadshow thingy. Must do that. In fact, I must really get on and do all those other things too!

Took some time out yesterday to go to the RAF Leuchars Airshow which was SO much fun. Unfortunately, I didn't anticipate the sun shining and it being warm and I now resemble Lobstra - the giant mutant city-stomping Lobster. There's nothing quite so awe-inspiring as seeing a Lancaster bomber escorted by a Spitfire and a Hurricane as they fly amazingly close by. There were also loads of hot pilots wondering around too when they weren't doing really cool flying stuff.

The Vulcan bomber was jaw droppingly graceful for all it's enormous size - truly astounding, not to mention all the hot pilots there were, sitting casually on their massive bombers.

I took loads of photos but most ended up as completely dull and plane-less blue skies, or just little black blobs in the distance.

And there was pizza. And planes. Oh and did I mention all the hot pilots?

I'm going to have a lie down now.

Mmmmmmmm hot pilots......

Exciting!

You remember that competition I was in the final held by Scripped.com? Well, blow me down with a feather duster, if I didn't just go and win it!

I'm chuffed to bits to say the least and have probably bored everyone on the planet already in my excitement!

I was planning to put the prize money towards a shiny new Mac book, however they are rather pricey. I need to get some serious work done I think before I can afford one of those! However - all something to strive for! It's given me a real boost considering this was the first script I've submitted to a competition. Maybe there's hope for me yet!

I've also finished the proofreading I was doing - I really enjoy that. I've also been asked to do a short story for it which I'm about two thirds of the way through. Hopefully it will be good enough for inclusion - however, if not, it's all good. It means I have had some more valuable writing practice and had a pile of fun along the way!

Other news this week - I've booked a place for myself for the BBC Writers Room Roadshow which is visiting Dundee on October 14th. I'm hoping I'll hear back from them soon confirming my place so I can go ahead and book my train ticket.

I couldn't get to Frightfest in London, however I have been enjoying catching up with some scary flix on Film4's Frightfest season which they're running at the moment. I really am horribly behind on my movies! Last night I watched The Descent, on my own, dark room with headphones on.

Bad move.

I think it's actually the first film that has made me actually yelp out loud and nearly jump a mile at one point!
Afterwards I was desperate to get some nerve calming booze, however the only alcohol in the house was unfortunately in the cold, dark cellar and there was no way I was going down there!!!!

Swings N Roundabouts

I can officially call myself a writer!!!

Today I got my first 'rejection' letter. The first script I'd sent to the the BBC Writer's Room was returned this morning - however, you know - I'm OK about it!

Obviously I'm a wee bit disappointed, however, it's all part of the job and right from the beginning I was determined to never to be put off by what, let's face it, would be inevitable for a vast amount of submissions.

So instead of getting all down about it, I see it as a positive step - I sat down, wrote something (which I'm still proud of) and actually sent it off. Now, I have a script which I can still use, adapt, and most importantly - have learned from!

Let's face it - it may be the first - but it certainly won't be the last!

Acknowledgement!

A postcard from the BBC Writers Room has just this very moment arrived in the post acknowledging that they have received the script I sent! I’m all excited not, not to mention being filled with horror that I really did send it in and that someone has actually seen it!

It’s a 15 page short, light hearted horror(ish) called ‘Terms & Conditions’.

I honestly don’t expect to hear any more about it – but you know what? I feel really good that I’ve actually gone and sent something in!

I feel all proper now!

On track for 15 pages

Almost finished the first draught of a little project called 'Terms & Conditions' that I plan to send in to the BBC Writer’s Room. Well – got to keep plugging away!