Taking a comic turn in pursuit of the write stuff

Let me share a little secret with you.

Many journalists on newspapers secretly fancy themselves as writers of fiction or non-fiction.

The fact that we are, in effect, paid to write makes many of us believe that this obviously proves there is an important book or TV series lurking within us that one day simply must be unleashed on the wider world.

I realised this fact once when I was interviewing an author who told me that he used to work on The Sun.

He said he had handed his notice in when the novel he had written in his spare time was snapped up by a publisher and he decided to devote all his time to writing more books.

When he told his colleagues about this they were all amazed that he had found time to even write a book alongside his “real” work with many also saying they couldn’t understand why he would want to waste his time “messing about” with books anyway.

But then, within the space of a few days, half-a-dozen people, including a couple who had loudly decried him, came up alongside and quietly offered their own manuscripts to pass on to his new-found publisher.

The Sun “Secret Writers Group” was clearly a thriving one.

Seriously funny comedies   

Well, I make no secret of the fact that I would one day love to see a book of mine on the shelves and the fact that a former PA of mine – the lovely Moira Young, author of award-winning Blood Red Road – has already done so merely whets my literary appetite even more.

But could I actually write a novel or do something for TV or radio?

Well, I’m not sure so on Saturday I took advantage (as I said I would in this blog many moons ago) of the fact that the City of Bath College was hosting a one-day course in how to write a TV sitcom to go and find out a bit more about the “write stuff”.

There were only a handful of us on the course but as one woman had travelled all the way up from Plymouth to be there it showed me how lucky we were to have such an unusual seminar on our doorstep.

Top tips - our tutor David Lassman

We were also very lucky to have an excellent tutor – David Lassman, a key player in the Bath Writers’ Group – who stoked all the writing fires within us as he talked about what made a good sitcom, how to develop ideas into making one and what we can learn from the successful shows that have already defined the genre.

All of us on the course came away, I think, feeling encouraged that this is something that we could possibly do and that is why I really admire the college for putting on these kind of courses as part of their excellent Love2Learn programme which give you a taste for something that could readily develop into a full-on craving.

Of course, I’m often reminded that just because everyone can write a book doesn’t mean they should and to the old adage “there’s a book in everyone” I always say the phrase “yes, but it’s probably a bad book”. However, I do think if I did get to the end of my mortal coil having not at least had a go at writing something that could be on the WH Smith book shelves rather than its paper stand then I will be disappointed. Wether it will be a comedy or not I'm not sure - after all how funny we are is like how good we are at driving or how talented we are in more 'intimate' circumstances we probably don't see it as others do! - but I know I will write someday and Saturday may well be the first step in the 'write' direction.  

  

So, thanks to Bath College and Mr Lassman I will now spend more time thinking about the writing game. And, yep, you read it here first.

Yes you CAN write that book. Ask Moira.

This first appeared in the Bath Chronicle on Thursdsay, June 16.

It is often said that there is a book in everyone. That is probably right - but what is said less often is that in most cases it is a bad book. Just because everyone could potentially write a book doesn't mean that everyone should.

Despite that, there is no doubt that many of us dream of one day walking into a local bookstore and seeing our name on the front of a fiction or non-fiction bestseller. It must be one of the most commonly daydreamed ambitions we all share.

And that is why it is always a joy when you see someone's dream realised - and tonight in Bath I will get a chance to do just that.

When Moira Young first joined us here at The Bath Chronicle as a PA we all immediately warmed to her. Witty, intelligent and full of ideas she added a real spark to the room and it wasn't long before she said that, happy as she was to be working part-time for us, her real energy and passion was devoted to writing good quality children's fiction.

She told me she already had a good story in her mind and thankfully her tale was slowly coming to fruition on the page as well.

Over the weeks, Moira revealed more and more about her potential book and I could usually tell by her mood how it was going. She poured a lot of herself into it and agonised when it didn't seem to be going as she hoped. This book clearly meant a lot to her and she was determined to get it right.

Well, she did.

And how!

For as you may have read in theses pages previously, when Moira put her work of teen fiction 'out there' it created a virtual stampede from publishers.

It was snapped up for release in a number of countries and the fact that, in an almost unprecedented way, the legendary film director Ridley Scott said he wanted to buy the film rights for this (an as then unpublished work by an unknown author) only accelerated the general excitement for the work.

Now it is finally out and tonight Moira will find herself in Waterstone's here in her hometown Bath, signing copies. Lovely.

I am thrilled for Moira and I hope she goes on to huge success but I hope her tale also enthuses and excites lots of other people that if you do have a dream you should pursue it.

That applies to everything, of course, but I am particularly addressing all of those who think they have that book in them.

I am certain that applies to so many people, including many who have never admitted it to another soul.

Of course, not everyone can have their books published and indeed not everyone will get remotely near finishing the books they may start with great enthusiasm.

But some people will - and some people will get published.

And if you don't believe me then ask Moira. Ask her tonight at around 6.30pm when she is signing copies of Blood Red Road at Waterstone's.

Every epic journey requires that first step and every book requires that first word.

So what are you waiting for?

Write away.

Right away.