freelance ghost writer

Ghost Writer in the Sky – Summer time and the living is – well – hard going

I am aware that I have been a bit quiet these last few months but that is not to say I have not been hard at work slaving over a hot keyboard crafting speculative screenplay ideas and entering writing competitions.

In my last post I presaged my annual assault on the BBC Writer’s Room drama contest with my TV pilot entitled Avalon. Unfortunately it did not seem to inspire much interest with the Beeb but I sent it to a few other people and picked some very good notes so watch this space.

The Euroscript treatment competition was  a bit disappointing although I did make the long list which is good but I was hoping for better. Never mind, there is always next year. My Fish entry, the Corncrake, also did not make the laurels but the reader was very complimentary and it will be given further work.

Further to those sallies I have entered the very prestigious Bridport Prize competition and I am hoping for good things from my legal fantasy The Duchess of Rockall but the most interesting news is about my foray into horror writing with the Caterpillar.

I think I told you that a couple of producers from the London Screenwriter’s Festival pitchfest were interested in this idea and they are still on board. One of them, a very personable and professional young man called Ben Mole seems particularly keen. He is an accomplished writer and producer and has guided me along a path which, fingers crossed , may see this project actually getting made!

Whether it does or it does not it has led me into the world of professional writing and I am loving it. Well I say professional, money has yet to change hands, but really that is not the aim. If it was I would have parked all this ages ago.

Finally, I have decided that I must repay my debt to my old dear client Easton Thomas and get his autobiography Black and Green published. This harrowing tale of a black man’s struggle to win the Royal Marine’s coveted green beret in the less enlightened times of the 70s has become quite pertinent  in recent times following the Windrush debacle. I will be looking to you to support this project in due course.

In the meantime, keep scribbling. As a much better writer than me once remarked – at least when I am writing I know there is nothing else I should be doing.