You seem to be thinking that some form of logic is at work with people reading scripts Pete.
How many of you have full time/part time jobs? Page 10
I do....i think a large part of the notion that these people are illogical is generated by writers to numb the concern they may have sent duff stuff.
It's no different to people getting kicked off X Factor and yelling "what does Cowell know, he signed zig and zag"
I think the two things you need to succed at anything are talent and persistence.
News Revue can be a fab teacher as directors change all the time.
So if it's an intellectual psychopath, like me I may get 10 pieces in.
If it's a normal person I may get nothing.
Same show diferent person choosing.
And I write because I enjoy it, I like the money because it makes me feel the universe takes me a smidgeon more seriously.
But it quails in to insignificance before the joy of watching my stuff on stage.
Quote: Pete @ November 21 2008, 3:29 PM GMTI do....i think a large part of the notion that these people are illogical is generated by writers to numb the concern they may have sent duff stuff.
It's no different to people getting kicked off X Factor and yelling "what does Cowell know, he signed zig and zag"
The television industry is no different to others. There are some good and bad people working in it. The people higher up the ladder are not necessarily better than those below. The script reader might be a goodie then again he might not be.
Quote: Seefacts @ November 21 2008, 2:07 PM GMTIt's amazing how quickly people get back to you when they like you.
Not necessarily. I had sent a MS to to a very respected literary agent who promised a three month turnaround. After six months I got a bit pissed off because I wanted to try elsewhere (the MS was a highly illustrated collaboration with an artist and not cheap to produce). So I chased them up. It turned out that they had been agonising over it; my intervention made their minds up for them, but not in a good way.
Quote: Pete @ November 21 2008, 2:51 PM GMTI wonder how many people have waited for 6 months then got a call saying "we just read your stuff, it's great" ????
Quote: Seefacts @ November 21 2008, 1:49 PM GMTI've not written a joke in 3 months, simply because I don't see the point.
Wow, I pictured you sat scribbling away for hours every day! Maybe not wearing very much. A little sheen of sweat just starting to break out on your foreh-
Well. Anyway. I try to write every day. I don't write every day, or even every other day, but I do try. At the very least I'm thinking about scripts. It's actually probably been a few weeks since I actually wrote a substantial bit of a script or a sketch. Hopefully I'll break that trend today. Probably not. But I will think about it.
Quote: David Bussell @ November 21 2008, 2:00 PM GMTI mean writing at work. It takes a while to get used to it but you get there eventually. It's a good skill to have. I could write during an air raid nowadays.
Are you serious about stopping writing while you wait on producers, Tom? I couldn't do that myself. I feel awash with guilt if I don't come up with at least a couple of funnies a day. And I just bought Fallout 3 for my X-Box.
How is that Fallout 3 Bussell? I'm torn between that and Gears 2. Or do I wait until Lara sashays back into my life, the big-titted firm-thighed minx.
Oh and Seefacts, I think it's always wise to write a script / sketch show / whatever, get it whacked in to whoever and then start on something new. It stops you worrying about projects up in the air and also makes it easier to take when it's rejected if you're working on something fresh.
Quote: sootyj @ November 21 2008, 3:35 PM GMTI think the two things you need to succed at anything are talent and persistence.
sometimes just persistence.... 
Or a mate who happens to be a commissioner.
I'm a second year uni student so I have to find time to write.
I left my job a few months ago (about 2 years too late) as it was depressing me beyond words - although I did get the idea for a sitcom from it, so there is an upside.
Now I'm in the unfortunate position of being too proud to get a shit job and too shit to get a good job.
Plus, beyond writing, I don't know what I want to do. I don't want to do anything else. And as people seem to love reminding me, I'm 26 now. I really should have sorted myself out by now. (I apologise, I am in a self-indulgence wallowing pool today)
But I have got a lot more writing done since embarking on unemployment, although sadly not as much as I have played Mario Kart and watched Midsomer Murder repeats on ITV!
Not knowing your background, have you ever considered care/community work.
Money's okish, flexible hours and if you're helping others you don't mind a crappy job so much.
Quote: sootyj @ November 22 2008, 6:17 PM GMTNot knowing your background, have you ever considered care/community work.
Money's okish, flexible hours and if you're helping others you don't mind a crappy job so much.
I have done a bit of that in the past, and although I enjoyed it, I never thought that it was really for me.
My last job was assistant manager of an off-license, and during my down-time I've been doing quite a lot of volunteering, mostly in charity bookshops, which I do enjoy. I have gone for a few jobs with charities, but haven't got anywhere (not good enough to get paid apparently).
I think it's just annoying me as I've been trying to get work for months and not getting anywhere! So I'm going for anything. In the past week I've applied for receptionist at a vet, admin for the English Heritage, assistant manager at an Age Concern Shop and exhibition assistant at a children's book museum.
My mum said she might be able to get me some work copywriting work though, which I so like the sound of (once it was clear that I wouldn't be working in a patent office or something!).
I suppose that since my life is a bit of a mess right now, that the retreat to the fantastical world of writing is even more satisfying. (I'm not very good at being an optimist).
I hate to say it but in care; if you're an native English speaker and not a rapist (atleast not caught)
You can go far.
Check and Check.
There's a college for students with learning difficulties near where I live. I know a couple of people who work there, I may check it out.
Well I stuck with it for years and now I'm the boss!
Of a tiny project with 2 staff.
The college sounds like it could be fun.
Why am I touting for care work on a comedy forum?
Shit it's not like anyones paying me.
I'm a 3rd Year Film student currently doing my dissertation on Jacques Tati - are we all familiar with him?
And I work on Saturdays and occasionally during the week at my local library - free CDs and DVDs. Woo hoo.