Somebody pointed me in the direction of this blog. It's quite interesting. Don't know who the writer is but he's giving up writing in January if he doesn't sell any work.
How A Writer Dies - Blog
Quote: Jacob Loves Comedy @ July 15 2009, 9:56 AM BSTSomebody pointed me in the direction of this blog. It's quite interesting. Don't know who the writer is but he's giving up writing in January if he doesn't sell any work.
Is it Marc Blake?
Quote: Jacob Loves Comedy @ July 15 2009, 9:56 AM BSThe's giving up writing in January if he doesn't sell any work.
So he's not sending anything to Writers' Room then.
Quote: Marc P @ July 15 2009, 10:04 AM BSTIs it Marc Blake?
Yes
Roll on January, then.
It's funny how this guy, who's been writing and teaching others how to write sitcom for years, has never grasped the basic truth that some people, no matter how talented, just never make it "big".
He writes:
"This irritating Salieri-like nature of what I do/have done is that there is clearly enough talent there to get some recognition - just not enough to push through."
The truth is some very capable people NEVER push through. It can be down to loads of different factors...maybe every idea you had was already in development or had already been tried and failed. Maybe you were just thrown unlucky rolls of the dice in terms of what commissioners are looking for. Maybe you come over as an arrogant, stubborn prick who nobody wants to work with.
But then you get someone like Brian Dooley who tried for years and was on the very cusp of chucking it all in, and then got The Smoking Room made. He's since went on to write for Doctor Who.
So the question is - when do you give up? I always said that if I I didn't have my own comedy series under my belt by the time I was 40, I'd jack it all in.
I've got two years left.
40 is the new 28 so you've got 14 years left to make another decision.
Quote: Lee Henman @ July 15 2009, 10:40 AM BSTSo the question is - when do you give up? I always said that if I I didn't have my own comedy series under my belt by the time I was 40, I'd jack it all in.
I've got two years left.
I have a sneaking suspicion you are going to be quite successful, Lee.
And I hope you are. 
Quote: Marc P @ July 15 2009, 10:43 AM BST40 is the new 28 so you've got 14 years left to make another decision.
Hang on, he'll be 52 in 14 years time. 
52 is the new 36 so he'll still be two years younger.
Quote: Marc P @ July 15 2009, 10:47 AM BST52 is the new 36 so he'll still be two years younger.
One day I'll read one of your books to get the full-on Marc P Experience!
Quote: Marc P @ July 15 2009, 10:43 AM BST40 is the new 28 so you've got 14 years left to make another decision.
Hmmm... 
I'm confused, is it Marc Blake or not?
It could be Ed Reardon.
Quote: Griff @ July 15 2009, 11:42 AM BSTMarc's no fool. He's had novels published and TV scripts commissioned/broadcast.
I think he understands perfectly well that some talented people never make it big.Which Doctor Who episode did Brian Dooley write?
No he's obviously no fool - I didn't mean for it to come over like that. I don't think he should give up trying, it's just that - you know - sometimes the cards are stacked against you, sometimes they're not.
I think Dooley wrote some Sarah janes didn't he?
UPDATE:
Found it on Wiki
"In 2007, he contributed to the Doctor Who short-story collection Short Trips: Snapshots. It was announced in Doctor Who Magazine issue 406 that he would pen 2 episodes of series 3 of the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures."
Has he tried sending stuff to NewsRevue? They buy any old crap. (No offence everyone here).