Our writer-in-waiting has been on the Royal Court Theatre’s Critical Mass Programme, Invitation and Super Groups and has been informally attached to the Clean Break Theatre. She has had rehearsed readings of her plays at the Royal Court Theatre, Soho Theatre, Young Vic, Young Actors Theatre and Tristan Bates Theatre.
Winter is here. It’s time to reflect on what I have achieved in my mission to become the “greatest writer in Britain”. Okay, scratch that. I mean ‘the world’. It’s also time to look forward to what might be for my career in terms of stage and screen.
I am truly a writer-in-waiting, not only from way back in the day, but because I am currently waiting for a number of opportunities to blossom. I’m waiting for feedback from the Bruntwood team, having reached the top 100 longlist out of 2,188 submitted plays. I didn’t reach the shortlist. It’s only a matter of time.
I am waiting to see if I will be considered as one of the five writers on the Theatre503, 2011 programme. If successful, a staging of my play is guaranteed, either at Theatre503 or at another appropriate theatre.
I’m waiting to hear from Channel 4 about my application to their 4screenwriting programme where success would mean a possible television writing commission. I’m also waiting to see whether United Artists will take me under its wing and become my agent. The director of my short film Mirror is another person keeping me waiting. Well he was but for a good reason, I suppose. He’s directing one of the Sixty-Six Books at Bush Theatre with Catherine Tate, no less.
I’ve got a number of other projects on the go. Just finished a full length film set in the 1980s that I need to start sending out in the hope of a commission. There is the draft of a radio drama knocking about and a handwritten draft of a play (waiting for me to commit to the computer).
Mustn’t forget the three novels that I want to get finished by Christmas: one gothic, one urban and one sci-fi. Maybe I might think about extending some of the deadlines I’ve set, although I’ve already got the preliminary notes, outline and characters.
I’m learning that part of my creative process is to work on several manuscripts at one time and not to be bound to the need to complete one piece of work before I start another. It’s usually the case that as soon as I’ve honed the characters names/profiles/lifestyles down to a ‘T’ that they gain a life of their own and demand an audience – and soon.
Once I have the idea for the plot, setting, themes, main points of action, pivotal points of decision, change and conflict, then I’m well away. I’m also keeping my eye out for any other opportunities that may be on the horizon. The opportunities listed on the BBC’s Writersroom are always a good start, as well as any creative openings advertised as part of the Bush Theatre’s Bushgreen membership .
The challenge for me is to keep motivated, face every rejection with a smile and never believe that I won’t make it. Meanwhile I just keep on waiting for success to arrive. Surely it’s just around the corner.