Catching Worms!

Well, it's almost the end of the year again. A time to mull over what's gone, plan for what's to come, learn from your mistakes and think 'Snot, I've forgotten to send that Christmas card to that person I promised I'd send a Christmas card to last time and forgot!'

Anyway, at the tail-end of last year, I read a blog Lucy V Hay posted on @Bang2write about where you were as a writer. It made me wonder if I was doing all I could to push my writing goals and myself further. It was the difference from being a newbie, to an 'emerging writer'. So, with that in mind, my goal for the year was; to win a few laurels at festival, write six sitcom episodes and try to get onto IMDB.

Most of the time, my day job is 'Mum' but when it's possible and there's work, I go out to offices and do that, earn a crust and save for script competitions. (Work also being great for people watching and working on character, not that I'd tell anyone I stole a specific trait from the 'guy who repeats your last word'...,'...word'! )

Regardless, sometimes I'm writing between ironing and laundry, other times, I'm hard pushed to get in 10/20 minutes writing tops, work, smelly socks and the ironing mountain, taking precedence.

In saying that, with my plan in mind, I've tried to ensure that I write for at least an hour and ten minutes a week. It may sound like a little but it's actually a lot over time and equates to at least ten minutes a day. If I have more time, I sneak in double, or extra time at bedtime when the cat's asleep and boy-child is not spending half an hour on the toilet on his phone! (He's a teenage boy, so I'll leave that there.)

To cut a long story short, having goals really helped me push myself. Thanks to two lovely producers faith in me, I've had two short films made ('The Cliché' and 'Blind Faith') and been blessed to be on set for both, which helped me learn more. I got my IMDB credit for 'The Cliché' and the poster is up on IMDB which is quite thrilling. The confidence boost helped me pitch another script and my 'mockumentary', 'The Grim Truth' is due to cast soon.

This year I've been selected at festival at least thirty times, had many semi-finalist and finalist places and won about five awards including; Best Short International Screenplay with a comedy pilot at Houston Comedy FF and Best Short Screenplay with a short for Hollywood Just for Shorts. I even picked up a Bronze Best Dialogue Award along the way with my 'Impact 50' script that never made it.

The extra vote of confidence from festival encouraged me to write more and when they send extra feedback saying your writing is 'really funny', it gives you added impetus.

I now have eight and a half sitcom episodes written for three different pilots to pitch which I've had super feedback with from beta-readers, I've oodles of award winning shorts and micro-shorts and written 30-40 pages of a new feature. It feels like I've ended the year on a high with a festival place every month from January to November, so far.

I wanted to write this not only to remind myself what I've achieved this year but in the hope that it encourages someone else who may be struggling, like I was, the year before. It's not always easy being a lone writer and you often need readers who are honest, or competition wins to buoy you after rejections and there are always rejections, why you need to appreciate and celebrate the wins.

With that said, may I wish you all a Happy and Healthy Christmas and New Year with lots of writing, planning and goals for the New Year! (And if I promised you a card and forgot, sorry! Distracted by writing, ironing, teenager and cat! )

All the best,

Eileen x

Now, 2020...1. Find an agent... Note to self: Don't mean W.H Smith!