Hmmm...

I'm just reading over Inter Vivos now, and it's not that bad. It's not brilliant, but it's not as terrible as I first thought.
Yesterday, quite spontaneously, I started writing a screenplay based on the Lara story. Already I have lots of thoughts about where to send it, followed by daydreams of big advances and the makings of a career. This means the screenplay is surely doomed, as the one thing that kills writing is unrealistic expectations.
It was nice though, just coming in and sitting at my computer and just writing, no pressure or anything. Think that is why I enjoy NaNoWriMo. It doesn't matter if the finished product is good or not, just that you finish.

Momentum 2007

Well, I received my letter from TWP in the post today - no feedback yet, but I've got an invitation to go to a one-day residency which will include a 'script slam' so that some of my work can be performed by professional actors. I wonder how many people will be on this one-day residency, as it will affect the length of the extract and amount of time we can spend on our pieces. I'm looking forward to the festival though, although a few of the sessions look similar from last year. I've just got to try to get some time off work now.

With the letter from TWP firmly stashed in my bag, it's time for a re-write of Hoodies, I think. I'm not happy with the Naomi and Jase storyline, and so need to rewrite that definitely. Also, I think it's a little flat at the minute, so need to add some more conflict/points of tension to make it more dramatic. Not really sure what to do though. Perhaps having the bits I think are the 'best' read by pros will shed some more light into what's not working.

I've decided that I'm going to turn my Munitionettes story into a screenplay. The novel never really took off, but I think there's enough there to make a really good TV drama or something. Maybe even a film.

Lara's story is going nowhere at the minute, so I really need to refocus on that. I think I'm going to write the 'real' story first, and then add the magical/fantasy elements later. At least then I can make sure the heart of the story is strong.

Lucy :-)

Quickie

Just a quick update to say that my short story 'The Dame' has been uploaded to http://www.umbrellastories.com/, so you can read it there. I'm toying with the idea of writing my own detective 'noir' novel, only with my detective of ambiguous gender, made up of short stories that tell a different part of the same case, from different points of view.

I have realised that trying to write a full-length play for the Verity Bargate award from scratch in a month is a tad unrealistic. I am still writing my 'Lara' play (wrote another scene last night on the train) but I'm not going to bust a lung trying to finish it on time. I mean, I'll just be sending something sub-standard to them, and I want to portray myself in the best possible light. So I will continue to write it, and when it's finished, maybe I'll send it to the Soho Theatre anyway.

I also got some good feedback from my friend about the first half of my first draft of Inter Vivos, so that has inspired me to get working again. As always, time is fleeting, and so I write bits and pieces of it when it comes to me, in the hope that one day soon I'll be able to sit down with all these little bits and put them together in some order and create my first draft.

Right, gotta go as have lots to do!

Lara

The main protagonist of my 'fantasy' play is called Lara. I've chosen this name because it sounds a bit like 'la la' as in, a bit crazy. 'Lara' is actually a variant of 'Laura', which means 'Laurel', and apparently St Laura was thrown into a vat of molten lead by some angry Moors. So make of that what you will.

I have just written a plan outlining the scenes I want to write for this play. So far there are 10, and it doesn't end happily. But then, I don't think you can live happily in a fantasy world in the 21st century - a cyber world, fair enough, but not one where your imagination runs riot and goblins leap to your defense and your only friend is imaginery. I have a number of scenes sketched out in my head, and am scheduled to write a few of these in full over the weekend, seeing as I'm not working and have only a singing lesson to distract me (if you don't count Alex!).
I had my first migraine in six years yesterday, though it was a pretty mild one - only my top lip went numb and my hands were funny, but I didn't vom, so that was good. Got to sleep all afternoon, which was great. Then I watched 'Joy Luck Club', and because of the damaged state of my brain I was convinced I was chinese for about an hour before Alex came over to look after me. All better now though, you'll be glad to read, though I'm going to try to take it easy over the weekend too. Meeks gets back on Tuesday and we're all going out, so that gives me something to look forward to.

So, the above-mentioned play is going to be sent of for the Verity Bargate award, and I'm also working on two new stories for a couple of short story competitions. I wrote a chapter of Inter Vivos on Wednesday, so things are all go here. Wish I had more time to dedicate to writing, but that won't happen until at least my credit card and overdraft are paid off, so I'm looking at - five years maybe? So when I'm 31 things should really start cooking...

Strippers

The new short story I am working on is about a stripper called Honey and her abusive boyfriend, and so right now I'm researching pole dancing and strip clubs. If any of you have ever been to a strip club, please can you give me all the details (or if you wish to remain anonymous, you can email me instead!). I would go myself, but can't afford it. See, this is what Arts Council money should be for! :-)

I have my characters mapped out for my fantasy play (see previous post "Magic"), but in true Lucy-tradition I have yet to write anything since the page of dialogue I wrote in January. But if I stick to my new writing rota, I should be able to work on that tonight.

So, I've created this writing rota, and although it's a little crude it should hopefully keep me motivated and on-track to finishing some of the projects I have ongoing. I was supposed to finish Inter Vivos in April, but that went down the toilet, so my new deadline is a completed first draft by October - that doesn't sound too unreasonable. I also need to begin and finish my fantasy play for the Verity Bargate, so will need a good finished draft by June. At least being too poor to go out anywhere has its advantages.

Deadline Looming

Hoodies has to be sitting on Sarah Francoise's desk by 9am Monday morning, and it's just about ready. I want to go over it again another couple of times and make sure I'm happy with it as it is. I would ideally like to turn it into a 'full-length' play, but for now I think this will have to do. We're all meeting up tonight and hopefully the others will give me their thoughts on it, and I can spend tomorrow making any adjustments that are needed. Mouse now opens the play, which I quite like, though I'm not sure if it will stay that way. I also have to pen a letter to TWP explaining why I went over their 'only three characters' quota and beg them to consider my play anyway. Hmm.

I'm itching to get started on my fantasy play. Thanks for everyone's comments on my previous post about it. It seems that everyone is really enthusiastic about it, and I really like it. I've been mulling it over since January, so now I will hopefully be able to dedicate time to write it.

So then, what next? Life after Momentum. There's a weird thought. I've been part of the programme for three years now. Wonder what it'll be like to be deinstitutionalised and working independently for a while? Quite daunting really.

Magic

I've had a new idea for a play, which I hope I can write in time for the Vertiy Bargate prize, but I probably won't get it done in time. It's a fairy tale about a girl called Lara who lives inside her imagination and who doesn't cope with the real world very well. It sees Lara falling in love, but she is unable to deal with the relationship and ultimately she has to decide whether to stay in her fantasy world or enter reality. I am putting this play on the backburner though, as I've got to finish my Hoodies play first, which, I think will officially be called "Hoodies" from now on, unless I have a sudden flash of inspiration before I post it off.

The picture is by Zindy S. D. Nielsen