I'm Trying To Write A Musical ...

What on earth was going on when 'Let's write a musical' popped in my head?!
Why did I decide 'Yes, brain, this is a good idea'?!

I'm running with it, this is the same unpredictable brain that has created many wonderful stories and jokes, so who am I to question it? It'll be funny, either way. I love that this idea just came to me, and I didn't just brush it off as nonsense - you won't know if you're any good at writing something new until you give it a good go.

I only have a basic plot, a title, and a few themes bottled that can be used for songs.
I've already made a healthy start on it, and by that I mean it has it's own Word document, is titled and saved. There's also a tune in my head that I need to turn into a comedy song, so I'm looking forward to that.
I need to get cracking!

I am planning on the musical being a comedy/horror theme. I can write comedy, and I have written short stories in the past with a horror twist - I can thank some episodes of Inside No 9 for this inspiration, so hopefully I can mash this experience together.. Which somehow results in a musical (?!)

Novel Research : What Are Other Indies Up To?

I've only mentioned 'research' when I first started my novel - which is still nowhere near finished, please don't question it - and when I discovered you can use it as an excuse to take lots of trips and your husband has to be supportive...

Whilst being more involved with the Twitter's writing community, I've noticed a few patterns and themes within people's queries or pitches. Young Adult and Sci-Fi seems to be what people are looking for / writing themselves.

And I have no idea how to write YA fiction, and I worry too much about plot holes in Sci-Fi stories to even attempt - so as you can see it's off to a good start.
The second most popular genre I've found is Fantasy. I can't write that either.
I cannot for the life of me get into fantasy, books nor television, my brain just doesn't accept it.

BUT - if all of these other indie authors are writing YA, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, then why would mine stand out? Why shouldn't I jump on the band wagon? Shouldn't I be working on something else entirely to distance myself from already popular genres?
YES, I should.
Right, I'm almost out of options. Lots of indies are strong with Sci-Fi or Fantasy. So, the best thing I can do is play to my strengths. I can write comedy, so that's the direction I'll send my novels in. It's always good to stand out - especially if you'll be out of your depth if you attempt something you're not knowledgeable about.

Do your research! It's good to know what's popular with other indies, so you can decide if you're diving in with them, or stepping back to rethink.
The writing community is very friendly so making a query will not go unheard!

Revisiting A WIP : Spitting Ducks

I may have mentioned my sketch show idea, Spitting Ducks, last year or so. I was hoping to film parts of it just to get the hang of things, and a feel for directing a comedy.

The sketch show was written, edited and left in my notes - mainly due to the fact I didn't have any money at all to even hire filming equipment, never mind get anything made. Spitting Ducks is a daytime television parody sketch show - it takes television shows and mangles them, either with puns or taking it dark.

I had to dig out the notes recently, as I was inspired by the new series of Channel Four's Lee And Dean to get back into comedy. (If you've not seen Lee And Dean, you should! Come for the comedy, stay for the incomparable facial expressions).

Anyway, the notes I went through don't seem relevant anymore, or some ideas just come off as desperate or are spoofs of programmes that are no longer on television, and feel long forgotten. I'm glad I didn't throw it away though, as there is more good ideas I can work on than there is bad ideas. I am confident with 80% of the sketches - but there is always room to polish the positives.

I've decided to keep the title of Spitting Ducks, and will be leaving this open to work on as often as possible - I WILL get it perfect, it will be filmed, and I will bother as many people as I can with it.

Coming Soon : The Macroodelzig!

Feel free to share this image / follow the hashtag #TheMacroodelzig on social media!
This children's book will be out in the very near future! Keep 'em peeled!

Writing A Comedy Poem

I recently came across a writing job looking for a comedy poem.
I've written comedy sketches, a screenplay, and have experience ghost writing stand up sets.
A comedy poem sounded interesting.
I've written political, or serious poetry in the past, so a humour poem would be a challenge.

Most of my time went on deciding a topic - it's all good and well having the freedom to write comedy and go off on tangents, but I wanted to stick with one for my first attempt at comedy poetry.
I went with relationships as a theme, they're easy to write about, and even easier to be comical with. It's basically about a tragic date night - we've either all experienced disaster dates or we love hearing about them being cringey!

The deadline is April - so I'll share it after then, possibly on a publication.. Fingers crossed!

I Submitted Oneliners For Newsjack!

BBC Radio 4 are looking for submissions for oneliners and sketches for Newsjack.
I'm working on my own sketch show at the moment so couldn't submit any ideas there, as I'm hoping to film and produce them independently - Watch this space!

However, I did enter three oneliners. It's the first time I've ever put my comedy writing out there - and to something other than a stand up set - so I am excited and nervous. I've never had strangers read or even consider my comedy writing yet, so I'm glad this is where I first gave it a go.
Two are Donald Trump related jokes, and the other is a statistical joke about A&E.
Keep an ear out for them!

Finger's crossed mine get selected and used - and if not I'll be trying again next week!
You've got to try, haven't you?

I've Written A Sketch Show!

This morning I was in a bit of a slump. I started working on a film idea with my brother yesterday, but it seemed to burn my brain out pretty quickly. I got a lot finished for it, but it's all up in the air.

Today I had no motivation until I looked at old notes I'd written - Thank goodness I'm a scrap paper hoarder. I somehow managed rearrange, rewrite and turn it into a plan for a little comedy sketch show.
It doesn't even have a working title at the minute, which is driving me bananas as I can normally name something within minutes of writing it.

I've written a show that contains parodies, and mockumentary style sketches.
I'm quite happy with it, and I've only just finished the overall plan.
I'm spending the rest of the day working out the dialogue, then I desperately need to nail the title.
I will most definitely be filming this during spring and summer this year, and I will be sticking it on Youtube when it's perfect - (Unless Channel Four wants to take me on... Hint Hint.)

Writing Challenge : Stand Up Comedy

This blog post is a follow up from 'How I Help Write A Stand Up Comedy Set' and it's also ticking off part of my 2018 Writing Challenges!

Lately, I've been going over drafted jokes and comical stories to put forward to Adam closer to the date - he may not even use them, I'll find out at his next gig.
I have a broad sense of humour, so I make notes for him, but then have to word it into how he would say it, we talk very differently, so I've had a lot of editing and reading it aloud (with tragic attempts of doing his voice).

With writing comedy, I'll make a list of the jokes, rearrange them to see what flows best - it's all trial and error. I try and bunch the jokes within topics, as he never uses notes on stage and it's all from memory so if the topics are linked slightly, it's easier to have it in a particular order.

I'd love to post some of the jokes and ideas, but I think it'd be better to hear them in person - obviously coming from Adam and not from me..
He is gigging in Leeds from March onwards, so please keep an eye out for his name on the bill for comedy nights and he's also partial to doing stand up at open mic nights!

A Morning Of ~Trying~ To Blog

This is what I experienced this morning...

9am-10am
Make cuppa / Burn tongue / Set down / Forget cuppa / Open blogs / Read notes / Check drafted posts / Hate drafted posts / Delete drafted posts / Play with dog / Feed the dog / Open Emails.

10am-11am
Check Emails / Respond to Emails / Read notes again / Eat cereal / Start new post / Preview post 13 times / Read post aloud / Publish post / Update social media / Obsessively check on blog post for errors / Cup of tea attempt round two / Successful.

11am-12pm
Spider diagram until ideas fall out / Write up creative writing ideas / Dog walks on laptop / Read what dog wrote / Delete dog's attempt at blogging / Check social media / Draft new post ideas / Re-read several times / Take a break.

For The Best - Memories of a Fifties Child

I have written up all the notes my father has made over the years about his experience growing up in Gipton, Leeds in the 1950s.
I made a copy of the book last year just as a gift to him and so that all of his memories are together in one place, but I have decided other people need to read this, it's such a relaxed yet bizarre childhood, and ridiculously hilarious.
Note: The stories are directly from my father's notes and haven't been edited, and not acceptable for children as it contains explicit language.

The book is called 'For The Best' and you can buy it HERE.

How I Help Write A Stand Up Comedy Set

I often help my brother, Adam, write his stand up sets - he doesn't ask but I enjoy writing comedy.
Last year he had a few sets at different venues around Leeds, and he will be doing a lot more gigs this year.

To start we go through what we've each written, pick the best jokes, then we edit what we have.
We don't really have the same sense of humour, which is ideal because a variation of jokes means more chances of them landing with the audience.
The jokes get listed, re-arranged over and over, then read aloud to see what flows best.

Adam will be doing more sets from March onwards.