h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi,

Thanks for getting touch.

My course is going well, but I've got assingments looming, so I'm not reading much on the site at the moment. I hope to readress this within the next week or so, when the semester break arrives.

I wrote a play, which I sent to the Beeb's drama dept last Oct, they wrote back with thans but no thanks. It was only my first attempt at a full length play. I now see how and why it was appalling as since then I have done more extensive reading, listening and analysing of radio drama plays. I also found a book on radio drama by Tim Crook invaluable.

I'm currently working on another play, which is far more challenging and almost ready to send off. I've become far more fragmented and interesting.

Do let me know more about the rewriting process. I knew rewriting didn't guarantee success, but it must be so disheartening when your work doesn't get into the production stage.

Will chat further and I will get round to looking at some of your work soon.

The prose work I have posted is mostly quite old stuff. At least a year or more, except for the memoir stuff, but I don't think that type of writing suits my style at all. I can't seem to be creative as well as truthfull without becoming boring! The script work is more recent, Septemberish, but as I've said I've moved on since then, but any comments made on past work are still extremely valid because it still helps to see how a piece should be rewritten and improved. I would especially be interested in your script ideas, but I know my extracts were, well boring really, and lack the ability to inspire the imagination. They are just a walk in the park... Dos that metaphor makes sense? I'd expecially welcome any comments on how to challenge myself in reworking the scripts.

Regards,

Gill

Hi Gill,
Never underestimate the value of re-writing. It was while talking to the folks at the BBC that I was told
"There's no such thing as writing - only re-writing."
They assured me that some of their best people re-write as many as 7 or 8 times before a piece is considered worth broadcasting. That's after the writer has done his/her own re-writes before the first submission. Talk about dedication.
If you want a good summary on the subject look up "Rewriting" by David Michael Kaplan. Published by A & C Black, London.
Good luck with your projects.
Look forward to hearing from you again.
Bribrow