Hiya Everyone

Hi all

Just wanted to introduce myself. Living in N London now and after many years as a pro illustrator/artist and teacher, I decided it was time to give my writing a real 'go'!

Always been interested in writing, even from a very young age, especially comedy and have no idea where it may take me but, feel like it is actually time to do more than just peer thru the crack in the door! I want to get a bit braver and creative and just get out and meet others like-minded who have a love for the craft, be it pro or just a fun interest. I have spent YEARS doing that with my art and now, figure this is the right move, even if it's just to help get the creativity going as my art has suffered a block due to ilness and this is my insane, creative cure!

Got lots of ideas, some seem crazy to me but hey . . that is what works sometimes, right? Had lots of experiences in lots of areas thru my life so hoping to crow-bar (or hopefully, ease them!) in to my work from now on . .

Anywhoo - I AM Beej - so hello, hello and here we go . . .

Hello Beej.. don't listen to any advice.. just do your own thing.

Just write and see what comes out.

Ignore this advice.

Hello Beej

Hello

Hi all thanks for the warm welcome.

Spent the last couple of days writing and writing and digging out my old ideas, some of which I think are OK! Really feeling a release from my creative block now and enjoying the writing SO much . . dunno if it's any good or not but just doing it anyways, to get it all out!

Talk more soon . .

Beej

Write from the heart. I've copyrighted this advice and if you make it I get 50% of the royalties.

Quote: roscoff @ December 8 2011, 3:04 PM GMT

Write from the heart. I've copyrighted this advice and if you make it I get 50% of the royalties.

View original

No, don't write from the heart. *Write from the gut!

*My step-by-step guide to creating your very own hit sitcom, 'Belly Laughs: How To Write From The Gut' is available to buy for just £19.99 from all good booksellers.

Welcome, Beej.

Quote: Beej @ December 8 2011, 2:41 PM GMT

Spent the last couple of days writing and writing and digging out my old ideas, some of which I think are OK!

View original

Hi Beej,
you can upload them to a place here called 'critique': https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/critique/

...but best to read through some of the others there first, so you can harden yourself against the criticsm, which can range from positive, through "hard but fair", right down to stupid and unhelpful.

What sort of illustration do you do?

Quote: Nogget @ December 10 2011, 7:36 AM GMT

Hi Beej,
you can upload them to a place here called 'critique': https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/critique/

...but best to read through some of the others there first, so you can harden yourself against the criticsm, which can range from positive, through "hard but fair", right down to stupid and unhelpful.

What sort of illustration do you do?

View original

Hiya and thanks for the advice.

I've done ALL sorts of illustration thru the years, traditional and digital, from children's books, murals, signs, lettering to more recently over the years, auto and bikes, choppers and airbrush art. Got voted 3rd in the world for my art and was teaching for several yrs which went well. Had students from all over the world but illness and rsi meant a halt on artwork! More depression, stuff to write about!!

So, I guess my biggest bug-bear is this guys (n gals): Are you ever too old to start a career in writing or stand-up?? Would love to hear thoughts on this. One day I think I have some great material, spent years as a DJ and working in clubs in the 80's-90's and don't mind being on a stage (although I never did stand-up), but I keep telling myself I have left it too late?? It's like a real annoying itch or demon on the shoulder saying, 'You can't do it, you know you can't - not really!' (bugger off demon!)

I know I have lots of yrs to pull material from so I guess this is a big advantage, but still, there's that niggle inside my head that says I am just too old!!

You can see some of my artwork on FB at http://www.facebook.com/beej.curtis

Also, how do others feel about posting up their own material in this 'public' domain??

Look fwd to more comments . . I'm off now to turn my pencil scribbles into legible text on the gfriends'brand new, huge computer . . cos my PC just went k-putt! She's now got a 27" iMac an iPhone4S and an iPad2 after me stupidly asking her to go to the market after work in Covent Garden and pick me up a Big Mac, a couple of apples and a new sketch pad! I gave her £20 and she managed to spend £2,500! Result!! So we now have a huge apple in the office as a paperweight that connects to the internet which she only EVER uses for Gmail (which she could have done on her chuffing iphone or the iPad2!) It's nothing more to her than a REALLY expensive iPod charger and I can't install any of my PC software on it AND, I had to settle for a cheese sandwich and a couple of grapes that day. I told her though that she could use it for iTunes, 'Where's that?' she innocently inquired, 'It's on the desktop darling' I patiently replied . . and she proceeded to shuffle my sketches and paperwork on the desk replying, 'I can't see it anywhere. Shouldn't it be on the computer?'

Oh dear!

I'm definitely not sending her out to buy CS5 Photoshop for the Mac and GarageBand . . I'm sure she'll come back with a hand full of glossy, True Prints she's had done of some burger (I never received), 5 copies of CSI and a tape of early tracks by 'Gary Garage and the Shed-tastics'!

It's really time to take her back to the Apple Store in Covent Garden and use the £75-worth of Training time with those guru's . . . if only I could find the card she bought . . I think she said she left it on the desktop . . . .

Beej