It's Snowing...

As I watch the fluttering snowflakes falling outside, this seems a very appropriate moment to carry out the tag order served by Elinor...

List the top five ways you distract yourself when you should be writing and then procrastinate some more by sending it to all those other writers who should really procrastinate more often (so we can all catch-up!).

Here they are:

1. Watching snow falling/drifting (if not outside my window then via Alpine webcams) - a creative, visual release
2. TV - could be seen as indirect research
3. Gardening - it does actually help me rationalise plot holes/issues
4. FaceAche - doesn't help anything
5. Doing these memes/tags - ditto
   

Anyone who is reading this, hasn't completed the task and wishes to procrastinate - consider yourself tagged.

As for me - having been gardening most of the day and now in front of the TV completing this tag, I'm just going to check into FaceBook and then watch the snow fall again. :0)

One 2 Go!

That's what The Kid says at the top of the stairs before launching himself into my (thankfully) outstretched arms.  But it also lends itself beautifully to this weekend...I seemed to be waiting for "three" and then suddenly - the weekend was gone.  Although my geeky iPhone application reliably informs me I only have 60 sleeps until Christmas I am still smarting over the fact I got an extra hour in bed but feel no better for it. Ho ho ho. Sparkly baubles with bells on to you, sleep deprivation fairy.

I have not managed to complete any work over the weekend as my hands have been rather full with The Kid and his headstrong ways, (not really sure where he gets that from...) but I have been toying with a new idea, which - if I can rationalise in my nonce - would be jolly good fun for all those taking part. But perhaps more on this another time. 

Whilst lazily floating around the Scribosphere today, I noticed quite a few peeps have been partaking in a Drawing Personality Test.  I thought: well it's Sunday night, all's quiet on the western front, so let's have a go.  Scary.  Not sure who it is describing but it couldn't possibly be me.  Here's my titchy doodle:

And the analysis:

You are driven and ambitious and tend to make radical moves to reach your goals.
You are a thoughtful and cautious person. You like to think about your method, seeking to pursue your goal in the most effective way.
You are creative, mentally active and industrious.
You have a sunny, cheerful disposition.

So off you go...what does your drawing say about YOU?

Blogging is Good For You

I don't know if any of you listen to Simon Mayo on BBC Radio 5 Live but I generally like to try and catch up most days with who is promoting their recently released book/film/album etc.

This Wednesday, RTD and Benjamin Cook were talking about "Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale" - which I haven't yet read, but I think I may grab a copy (or ask Santa nicely) - but I digress, and that's really unusual for me on a Friday (Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday, Monday...). Anyway, if you listen to the interview, about half way through RTD not only recommends the BBC Writers Room for getting your stuff read, but also checking out the Blogosphere and the writer/bloggers online who are all in touch with each other - better known to us lot as the Scribosphere. So you see,  this blog malarkey is not that bad a procrastination tool. Honest.

If you want to listen to the interview (or others from this week) there is a listen again facility for the past week's programmes and also podcasts of the main 'arts' interviews (which I think are available to download for a week after the tx?).  The RTD/Benjamin Cook podcast can be found on this page.

I bid you all a good weekend - personally, I'm going to get on with the Kiddie TV Project interspersed with autumn garden tidying, so catch up soon.

Fancy Being a Judge?

Just a very short post about this year's Costa Book Awards.  Although this isn't necessarily something many of you may be interested in doing, you may know someone who would. Of course, as with anything, check all T & Cs but make it quick - closing date is 31st October 2008!

If you fancy having the chance of picking a winner and having a say in which book is named Costa Book of the Year, "...all you need to do is submit a book review and give a good reason why you'd make a good judge.  If you win, you'll attend the gala presentation awards ceremony in January 2009 and brush shoulders with giants of the literary world."

Full details HERE.

Good luck and if you win, mine's a double macchiato.  Ciao. :0x

It's in the Post

Well, that's that, then - half a ream of paper filled up with my words, observations and nonsense is now pounding it's way to Screen East in Norwich.  

I started printing this morning and have only just managed to get to the Post Office, but this was mainly down to my printer not playing ball well enough when it came to the mock-up posters I had to produce as part of my submission.  

After a few arguments with myself about quality control, I went out to my local printy-place and the nice man printed my posters off. As I was admiring how posh they looked, he was looking rather confused at the poster for Brad Pitt's Pants - one of my screenplay subs.  I asked if there was a problem and he replied he couldn't remember modelling for me.  Funny man.  In your dreams.

When I returned home, Cat had been having a brilliant time playing with her sparkly toy balls. Unfortunately for me, she had obviously been running after her toys at top speed, couldn't stop on the wooden floor and had slid straight into my neat little piles of Screen East printouts on the floor, scattering everything everywhere.  After a few choice words, and fishing her toys out from the papers, I then had to reprint six story outlines which had been screwed up against the desk and/or slashed by her claws.  Little f*cker. 

Anyway, it's all gone now and as I said, that's that.  

Next...?

Ah, yes, had a meeting yesterday about a new kids TV series which I am really looking forward to collaborating on - that'll be taking up a bit of my time from now, but at least I have practically finished my Christmas shopping: I gave myself the weekend off, remember?!

Whilst I am thinking about it, I emailed a peep at the Beeb yesterday for info on the new "rolling commission" protocol they are introducing for CBeebies which will be coming into force in January 2009.  All subs will now be via e-Commissioning (all info HERE) and full guidelines on the rolling commission will be released early in the new year, so if you have any children's TV submissions then keep your eyes on the CBeebies Commissioning area.

Bye for now. x