Waiting for people to get back to you with potentially earth-shattering news is really quite rubbish.
It's like that feeling you get when you're waiting for the bill at a restaurant - only amplified a million times.
Why do we put ourselves through all this? Well, none of us want to work for a living obviously . . .
If you're waiting for vital writing based news, lets all e-holds hands and pray.
What news? Pray tell, if you can without compromising yourself.
Yeah the waiting thing is the worst. I know these companies get hundreds, and must be sick of them but it just pisses me off. Especially as you think its almost certainly a no. Do you ever get the feeling that if you did get a positive response you'd tell them to stuff it cos it took them so long, or am I insane.
Strangly I got my first response today (on my first script), and it wasn't a rejection. Told to rewrite and resend. Weird but told it was ITV sitcom though, which is backhanded compliment if ever I heard one (NOT)
I'm waiting on a few possibly interesting developments. All I can suggest is knuckling down and writing the next thing. It may all seem like we're in some sado-masochistic relationship with prod companies, but in truth, I think they reasonably expect you to re-write, send them your next script, see whether you're maintaining a standard or progressing. I doubt many people immediately get offered the pilot the moment a producer likes a script. These things likely take years to come to fruition.
The theory is to forget what you have sent off and write something else to keep your mind off it.
It works for me
Yeah, and set yourself personal deadlines, 'cause if you ever were lucky to get a series/writing job, then you're going to have to learn to deal with them. Which is why I'm up late tonight trying to finally nail the re-write of the final scene to my latest script.
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 19, 2008, 12:23 AMYeah, and set yourself personal deadlines, 'cause if you ever were lucky to get a series/writing job, then you're going to have to learn to deal with them. Which is why I'm up late tonight trying to finally nail the re-write of the final scene to my latest script.
What you doing on the forums then. I'll help you out. The last line is.
"Who would have thought it was a potato"
END
Now you can go to bed
Wow, are you psychic?
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 19, 2008, 12:09 AMWhat news? Pray tell, if you can without compromising yourself.
Very important man. Massive company. Potential meeting. Pant wetting. Can't concentrate. Just sitting watching Seinfeld in my pyjamas.
All 3 of my scripts have got me on the verge of meetings, but none of got me any further than that - I know I shouldn't get pent up and hopeful but when you've just had to clean a shitty bog it's hard not to dream!
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 19, 2008, 12:17 AMI'm waiting on a few possibly interesting developments. All I can suggest is knuckling down and writing the next thing. It may all seem like we're in some sado-masochistic relationship with prod companies, but in truth, I think they reasonably expect you to re-write, send them your next script, see whether you're maintaining a standard or progressing. I doubt many people immediately get offered the pilot the moment a producer likes a script. These things likely take years to come to fruition.
I just can't relax though, don't you have that trouble?
I've spent most of 07 having great responses from people - BBC and indies - but it doesn't get any easier.
I'm trying to write my episode 2, just to give me a head start but too wound up + too much Seinfeld has melted my brain.
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 19, 2008, 12:23 AMYeah, and set yourself personal deadlines, 'cause if you ever were lucky to get a series/writing job, then you're going to have to learn to deal with them. Which is why I'm up late tonight trying to finally nail the re-write of the final scene to my latest script.
Yeah, I do recommend setting deadlines and I've found it helps a lot.
Best of luck to all waiting for that big email. Nice to know that we're all in the same sort of boat.
Just so long as it's not the Titanic 
Fingers crossed for you.
I quite like the waiting period. It's full of hope and anticipation, as compared to the crushing disappopintment to follow. Even if you progress to the next stage, or get positive feedback, bad news is surely just around the corner.
with that attitude its bound to be.
A positive or negative attitude has nothing to do with how far you get, unless you allow it to influence what you write and how you pitch it. Which I don't.
At the back end of 2006 I gained a life coaching qualification and purely by accident I was able to use what I'd learned to help an author set a deadline for a (now published) book.
What follows is a MSN messenger conversation where I went through basic coaching procedure to help my friend gain some focus for his new writing project. It's all about asking the right questions, NOT giving advice and providing a clear target and deadline for a particular goal.
It is reproduced with permission and includes spelling mistakes to demonstarte the spontaneity of the conversation at the time.
Jez: How’s the book going?
Pal: ok ish. I’ve just finished work and I’m taking a quick look at it
Pal: printed something off 1st 50 pages. I’ll read it tonight to see if it still amkes sense
Pal: it would be ok if I didn’t have to go out to work!!!!
Pal: I need to have time and motivation!
Jez: Why do you write?
Pal: I enjoy it
Pal: but I know now I have a dead line before I didn’t
Jez: Why the problem with motivation then?
Pal: well space is one problem
Pal: I can only get on the pc when my wife is out….she works from home in the office
Pal: so sometimes I think is it worth making a start only for Julie to come home and I have to get off the pc
Pal: we have a different pc for his work but the office is so small I can’t get in ant the same time……………
Jez: OK, bear with me with this…
Jez: On a course recently they told me this acronym
Jez: GROW
Jez: G - Your GOAL
Jez: R- REASONS for NOT achieving it already
Jez: O - OPPORTUNITIES for achieving it now
Jez: W - WHEN are you going to do it - Be specific
Jez: Think of 3 things you can do to get more PC time
Jez: It will come but you need to have an open mind
Pal: Later the kids will all be in fighting over it…………………….I need a laptop
Pal: I think also I know I’ve got this deadline…..it seems more like WORK if you know what I mean
Jez: Don’t think of reasons why you can’t but what you can do
Pal: I must not let it take away the enjoyment out of my writing
Jez: Don’t think of it as work if you enjoy it
Jez: You have an opportunity to do something you love - not many people do that
Pal: I ‘m also a bit worried that the editor won’t like my additions……………
Pal: then I’ll have to rewrite
Jez: Don’t worry about things you have no control over
Jez: You are making additions for the right reasons
Jez: You are doing them because you believe they are correct
Pal: true whose to say my aditions won’t be loved by thousands
Pal: by then won’t I get too cocky if I believe all this……..doesn’t pride happen before a fall
Jez: They say that but it’s belief that gets you where you want to go in life
Jez: If we all worried what might go wrong we’d never do anything
Pal: I know. I do believe that
Pal: but sometimes you just can’t help doubting yourself
Jez: If you feel comfortable you are not challenged so you want to feel a little uncomfortable so that you know you are moving forward
Jez: Comfortable is safe but is it fulfilling?
Pal: I know trouble is I like feeling comfortable
Pal: but you’re right
Jez: Do you want to be a writer full time?
Pal: yes
Jez: OK, what can you do to make that a reality?
Pal: earn enough to give up my job???
Jez: How will you do that?
Pal: no really finish my manuscript and get my novel in print
Jez: How are you going to make that happen?
Jez: And when?
Jez: Be specific
Pal: well reach my deadline!!!of end March/April
Jez: Not specific enough!
Jez: When will you complete the manuscript!
Pal: but just cos I’ts in print doesn’t mean it will sell well enough to make money
Jez: Is that important in terms of writing the manuscript?
Pal: well I said I had to re vamp up to page 50 today and I have. I want to revamp the rest by end of Jan
Pal: no it’s no important in terms of writing this
Jez: Say EXACTLY what you want to do and by when SPECIFICALLY
Pal: revamp the lot by 30th Jan
Jez: What time
Pal: ermmm6pm????
Jez: OK you have something to focus on
Pal: I will do that I know…….(I have to)
Pal: shall I buy a laptop to succeed
Jez: Not because you have to but because you WANT to
Pal: I’ll tell Julie my motivational coach said it would help me acive my goal
Jez: You do that
Jez: If you want to do it and she respects your ambition you should at least discuss it
Pal: we have been discussing it but…………..
Jez: but????
Pal: I want to go on holiday
Jez: What’s more important to you?
Jez: Genuine question
Pal: well I feel I can still do the writing even though it would be easier space wise with a lap top and a holiday would be for all the family
Jez: OK, but remember that you need to look for ways to make things happen rather than reasons not to.
Jez: Only concentrate on what you can control
Pal: that’s good advice
Jez: Yours readers may love it or hate it but you can’t do anything about it other than do the best you can with your writing
Jez: On the coaching course we were told not to give advice but to ask questions
Pal: really?
Jez: The idea is to get the person to answer their own questions
Jez: I could say what I’d do in your situation but that’s not necessarily right for you
Jez: Only you know what is best for you
Two weeks later I received the following email.
Hi Jez,
Just wanted to let you know, I’d set the date of 30.01.07 at 6pm to complete the first re vamp of my book……………….guess what I complete it 30.01.07 4pm!!!
Thanks for that.
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You can even try having a messenger conversation with yourself and ask and answer your own questions.
Remember that no-one knows you as well as you and as such you are best placed to get the answers. If you keep asking the questions the solution will present itself.
Ask those difficult to answer questions of yourself and then say: 'How would you achieve that?' and keep asking questions until the picture becomes clearer.
You can then save your 'conversation' with yourself to read back and pick out the detail. It's quite a useful exercise.
Just for an example, here's one I did for myself:
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So Jeremy what is your duathlon training plan for tomorrow?
Well, I'm quite busy tomorrow because I've got to go to Bretton and deliver the job paperwork first thing and in the evening Jo is going out.
Yes, so what is your plan?
As my training includes cycling I can bike to Bretton so that's 3 miles and from there I can cycle direct into work which will be another 3. It will also mean I have to cycle home which adds another 4. That's 10 in total on the bike.
OK, so what do you have to do to make that actually happen
I have to be up earlier.
How much earlier?
Well If I meet Heather onsite at 8:15am I can deal with what I have to do by 8:30am and still be in work for 9:00am. That means I'll have to leave home at 7:55am. That's 35 minutes earlier than normal so I will set my alarm clock accordingly.
So what about the running?
That will be tough to get that in tomorrow because Jo is out in the evening.
What would you have to do to get a run scheduled?
Ummm, I get up even earlier?
Is that realistic?
It's possible but I don't really want to.
How could you achieve the Bretton delivery and still do the run.
I could get Jo to drive over once the children are at school. It's only delivering paperwork and I don't think she has anything on in the morning. It'll mean I do 3 less miles cycling if I bike to work but it means I will definitely get the running in so I will have done the cross training for the day.
So what is the exact plan? Be specific.
I will confirm with Jo that delivering the paperwork by 11:00am is OK for tomorrow now. If that is fine I will set my alarm for 6:30am to do the 5k route and cycle to work at 8:30am as normal. To make sure I have the time I will get my running kit ready and the children's packed lunches and school clothes before I go to bed tonight at 11:45pm.
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And do you know what? It worked! 