Finally back into the writing game after most of the summer off (wedding if you're interested)
And just found out I've completely missed this opportunity. D'oh! Luckily the open-sub opportunities are coming thick and fast so onto Newsjack!
(P.S. Did enjoy the formatting conversation. I too would recommend stacking the odds as much in your favour as possible)
Spent so long re-writing after the format f**k-up I ended sending just one.
Idiot!
Is there anything longer than a 'long shot'?
Quote: garyd @ September 15 2013, 3:57 PM BSTIs there anything longer than a 'long shot'?
My penis.
Quote: groovydude89 @ September 15 2013, 4:10 PM BSTMy penis.
But that's still somewhere between slim and none
Quote: garyd @ September 15 2013, 3:57 PM BSTSpent so long re-writing after the format f**k-up I ended sending just one.
Idiot!Is there anything longer than a 'long shot'?
Of course, I meant 'send something in the wrong format rather than nothing at all'.
Sorry re: ranting. I didn't mean to cause you to miss the deadline!
Dan
Hi Dan,
No probs, my own fault for rewriting as well as reformatting.
One rejection is better than five!
If five girls rejected that summer night in 1999 I'd probably have died from five times the broken heart. As it stands only gemima dewhurst rejected me. And now I'm practically married. So you see, one rejection is better than five.
Fish analogies are for oxfam adverts.
I have no idea how I did that.
Quote: Tim Azure @ September 17 2013, 3:33 PM BSTSomeone who only has one rejection is probably less of a writer than one with five.
Tim, this is an absolutely ludicrous thing to say. If you submit one sketch or five sketches it doesn't indicate your quality as a writer. The actual content of that one sketch could easily knock the spots off the five other sketches.
So what does five rejections and a cease and desist order from John Stanley Productions mean then?
So if you write one earth-shattering sketch once eg . fork handles , dead parrot etc. are you a "better" writer than someone who writes 500 a year and gets a couple of one-liners used from time to time?Is it better to be king for a night or schmuck for life in the great words of Rupert Pupkin? Who can say? Certainly not I.Remember the sketch in Not the 9 O'Clock News when there's a close-up of Griff R-J being an obnoxious oaf , camera pans back and he's a cop.The guy who wrote that only ever punted that sketch to them , as far as I know.It's a killer and memorable.It's probably the hardest job in the world writing comedy, let's face it. Now don't shout me down . Those brain surgeons think they've got a hard job.Try thinking of a punch-line you over -paid butcher , you!
Quote: playfull @ September 17 2013, 8:20 PM BSTSo what does five rejections and a cease and desist order from John Stanley Productions mean then?
It's about getting the right level of skill and then just going for it and then maybe getting lucky.
Probably the worlds greatest sketch is sitting on someone's hard drive untouched and forgotten.
But if you're good enough and the stars are right, then maybe you'll get that chance.
It's the alchemy of effort, talent and luck.
Quote: garyd @ September 15 2013, 3:57 PM BSTSpent so long re-writing after the format f**k-up.
A quirkily-formatted sketch might stand out from the massive crowd. It just might be the new writer they want.
Nothing says 'tired old hack' better than a perfectly- formatted script.
Nothing says 'doesn't know what they're doing' more than 'quirkily-formatted' sketch.
Dan
Quote: JohnnyD @ September 18 2013, 11:27 AM BSTA quirkily-formatted sketch might stand out from the massive crowd. It just might be the new writer they want.
Nothing says 'tired old hack' better than a perfectly- formatted script.
Quote: swerytd @ September 18 2013, 12:01 PM BSTNothing says 'doesn't know what they're doing' more than 'quirkily-formatted' sketch.
So the way to get noticed but not look like a rank amateur is to alternate pages of quirky and standard?