I'm afraid that for the time being, this blog's going to have to go on the back burner. Which basically means no more updates until the end of the year.

Some of you may have noticed that my blog has gone a bit funny, though it may now have corrected itself. TBH I can't be arsed checking as it's 4am and my usual on/off love affair with insomnia is on the verge of kicking in. Usually I can get away with just being up for an hour and then pretending to my body that I'm off to bed for the first time. After an hour, the insomnia starts to properly kick in and it's time for a bowl of cereals and embarking on a film, or doing something worthwhile online. So far I'm yawning my head off and am icy cold so maybe back under the duvet and see if I can drop off, or do some thinking. I often find my self philosophising while I think, although I think I need to be more disciplined, so perhaps I'll think some more about this recurring series I have in mind. Back to the initial reason for the blog, my website seems to have gone a bit wobbly so I may spend a day this week tackling it, so be prepared for another regeneration. I'm thinking an all white look this time.

AS you will have no doubt noticed it's been a bit quiet around here of late, and I have a myriad of excuses.

Firstly, a couple of weeks ago I was offered a job interview which involved a week or so of reading and writing for a presentation as well as the usual prep that goes with any interview. It was all worthwhile as I was successful although I've had a bit of post interview/pre jop prep to be doing which has kept me busy.

Secondly, I've been doing a bit of freelance work reviewing restaurants. Very entertaining and tasty, but it does take up precious hours eating, reviewing and then writing. This, and other factors has led to the purchase of an exercise bike which I'm slowly getting use to, but I'm expecting the pounds to roll away faster than they have been.

Thirdly, I'm off on holiday in a few months to California for a wedding and a relaxing couple of weeks, so I've been keen, before I go and before I start the new job, to have produced something to show for my months of unemployment. I'm also keen this year to produce a portfolio of scripts with a view to securing an agent. To this end I've really been working flat out on a script idea for biographically orientated drama which I'm hoping to get up to a suitable draft to send to a reader before I depart on my hols. I have been spending a lot of time planning, drafting, writing, then re-planning again. As it's a biography, it doesn't feel like I'm writing a fictional piece. There's the usual beginning, middle and end, with all that's in between, but because you know there are key events, it can give the piece a bit of a jumpy feeling, so I've had to move some events rounds to make it feel smoother, and I've also brought some events from earlier in the main characters life into the period covered by the story. I've done this to demonstrate the character and his flaws, rather than making events up. Having re-read my notes and noticed that I had written most of a first draft, using Story View and because I've been writing it in different chunks as opposed to linear, I decided that I would effectively start work on the second draft. I think because it's not been written linear, i.e. from start to finish, rather I've dipped in and out, it really doesn't feel like I have written a first draft. But there are no rules on this sort of thing so if I think I've done a first draft, then I have.

So the fourth reason for not having blogged as much as normal, is that I seem to have become entwined in Twitter. Goodness knows why. Perhaps it's laziness in having to do a post of only 140 characters instead of the reams when I blog. Either way it is a bit of a distraction and I should probably avoid it more, and do more of this.

If you're looking for me on Twitter, I'm here.

Been very busy the past week doing writing and job stuff as well as a wee trip north to see family. I should blog about something more serious sometime, but all I could think of was to whinge about my driving licence. I'm off to America soon and had to renew my licence. It happens every ten years or something, so dutifully sent it off, enclosing £20 for a renewal. Not really fair that the charge this 'admin' fee. I don't think I've ever needed to show my driving licence for anything other than when I go to the Post Office to pick up a parcel, although once I did need to show it to get into a nuclear power plant, so I guess I've had some value from it. It arrived back in the post this morning and boy is the photo not hideous. I don't take a good photo at the best of times, but this one is just plain bad. They've processed it, so it looks like some line drawing arty effect that you get on Photoshop! And it's got raised lettering and stuff!

Not sure if it was a good £20 well spent or not?

Someone, not too long ago, posted a blog entry about writing a scene with two people on the telephone, so cutting between each person. I can;t for the life of me remember who it was, or where it was posted. Can anyone help?

The Cultural Enterprise Office, here in Edinburgh, are organising an information/help session for the self-employed who are just starting out in business.

The session will cover;

What to Expect
This session is a mix of both practical exercises and discussion to help you:

Define your work – clarify what you are creating and identify your target audience. Establish what you have achieved to date and what you wish to achieve in the future.

Value your work – share experiences of costing, pricing and financing your work and time. Explore how work is valued, by using formulae to determine whether your ideas are lucrative and how they can achieve their true worth.

Take stock – reflect on your profile, skills, relationships and rewards to date. Use a tool to identify circumstances that motivate you and maintain your business.

Make a plan – how to take your work and financials forward, alongside planning your time more effectively. Covers simple tools to help you establish the actions, resources and time required to help you move to where exactly you want to be.

Make legal sense – examine structures to pay your tax and protect your working relationships, finances and intellectual property. This section homes in on helping you to decide whether self-employment or running a company is the best route for you.

Start marketing – map who you work with and want to work with to help initiate and maintain communication with current and future contacts.

Here's the link to the website.

Laura previously attended one of these sessions and gave good feedback, mentioning that it was worthwhile for freelance writers, producers, etc. Here's the link to her blog on the session.