Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 9th August 2020, 12:25 AMThat was an excellent lesson, how much do I owe you?
Thanks Alf, that'll be 10/-. I presume you know what that is. 
It's a lot of work to get those all posted and I was flagging a bit with what seemed lukewarm response, so you've given me encouragement to carry on. 
I hope to get Lesson One posted by this weekend, so I hope you are all (?) paying attention.
OK, serious business now, with Lesson One, so quiet in class................
...........And here's your homework
Yes/No? Anyone reading it? 
Yes I am, I'm just trying to keep quiet about it in case you send me a bill.
The first few sub lessons are very relevant still to sitcom writers. The others are more general to any sort of writer and the scope of the whole course seems very wide, but they are right to do it as very few writers specialise in one form only.
Obviously the advances in IT have made some of it look quaintly obsolete but this was done just before the big advances came in from Microsoft, I think. It looks to me like it's done on a word processor, but in 92 I was using an electric typewriter which I loved, the feel of writing on a proper machine that whirred and dinged and the fact you had to load paper sheets into it fairly carefully was half the fun of writing.
Today's silent keyboard tapping into a laptop which then arranges everything for you is a lot handier, I know, but it does lack the old tactility and rigmarole of proper writing, with dictionaries and reference books and tippex and paper clips and the whole lot. I'm glad I learnt that way, as hard as it was, it made you really learn your craft.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 16th August 2020, 9:43 AMYes I am, I'm just trying to keep quiet about it in case you send me a bill.
Thanks Alf, seems it's only you then, and at the 10 bob I quoted you, a bargain methinks. 
No ya wrong.
I've read em too.
I compare them to the correspondence course I took from The Writers Bureau.
Me too.Waste of time for me though.I can't think of anything original.
I remember seeing a video where Johnny Speight and Marty Feldman had a disagreement over writing comedy.Marty said you had to write it to please your audience but Johnny insisted you did it to make yourself laugh.
Quote: john tregorran @ 16th August 2020, 10:45 PMI remember seeing a video where Johnny Speight and Marty Feldman had a disagreement over writing comedy.Marty said you had to write it to please your audience but Johnny insisted you did it to make yourself laugh.
Yes, I remember that. There were some other writers there too (they were all sitting in a semi circle) and it got quite heated between the two of them.
Nice to know others are reading.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 16th August 2020, 7:03 PMNo ya wrong.
I've read em too.
I compare them to the correspondence course I took from The Writers Bureau.
Thanks Stephen.
Unlike other forums, this one has no 'view' count so it's impossible to know how many people are looking at any posts.
It's a handy thing to know if you are being read.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 17th August 2020, 8:27 AMUnlike other forums, this one has no 'view' count so it's impossible to know how many people are looking at any posts.
It's a handy thing to know if you are being read.
Hmm, very interesting - I'll re-post to Aaron. Thank you.
This is proving a very interesting thread, Herc. Please do continue posting!
Thanks Aaron, and will do now I'm sure I'm not wasting my time.
LESSON TWO
"THE GREAT TART ROBBERY" NB It's as it was sent to me, that is it is only part of a script starting at page 23
HOMEWORK
They mention Jack Benny.Lots of his radio shows on youtube.I'm not saying it's as good as Hancock but it comes quite close