Job

I got one!

It's a 4 month contract which is nice for easing me back into the world of work. Been at it for about 3 weeks already and it's keeping me busy which is nice. Just have to finish a couple of little freelance jobs I had on the go and then my evening will be free for writing. It's all good for now.

The other thing I've found is that I actually do enjoy "doing web stuff" which is how I've always earned my bread. I don't think I was enjoying it when I left 3 years ago but maybe a break is what was required to rekindle my interest. Just imagine it, I can have a day job which pays the bills and I actually enjoy it! Then, in my other life I can write and enjoy that too (apart from the rejections obviously). It all feels a bit too good to be true just now.

Sharp focus

Found some time today to concentrate on my Sharps submission. I polished up an old script which will be in the post tomorrow. I'm pleased to get something out there just not so pleased with it being something old.

In other news I'm closer than ever to the Holy Grail of a proper day job. I've a 2nd round interview tomorrow for a job which looks like it has plenty of creative focus which is a big positive for me.

More as it happens...

Change

I've had a few job interviews recently, both for full time and contract work, and they have been asking me a lot of questions. I's been very useful for me to answer them too. essentially people want to know where I'm headed in life, what I want to focus on, what my priorities are. These are important things for potential employers to consider when they are interviewing somebody who has aspirations to be a paid writer. The more of these questions I answer the more clear it all becomes in my mind. What I want, more than anything else, is a regular income. I have a family to support now and, if I'm honest, the strains of self-employment have impacted heavily on my writing time anyway. I can't imagine that I'd get any less writing done if I work full time than I already do. In fact I hope to be able to focus on it more clearly in what time I do have available, knowing that the mortgage is safely in the bank.

So here's my new life plan: Get a job, keep writing. That's it in a nutshell but I don't want just any job, I need a job which is going to allow me to write as an element of it and which also satisfies my inner geek. As a result I've streamlined my plan of attack to some specific online work which will include website management and optimisation as well as some copywriting. Add to this my background in project management and client services and so far I've had a couple of very positive interviews.

The strange thing is that I'm feeling very optimistic and energised now that I've got my plan. When I first started looking around I really didn't know for sure what I wanted to do or how I was going to buy bread while satisfying the writing beast within. Now I feel like I've got a new lease of life and I'm certain that my writing is going to improve drastically.

Of course the other good thing about getting a job is the opportunity to work in an office with other people. I didn't realise how much working from home had affected me until I started going for interviews. My first couple were awful, I was a gibbering wreck and got nowhere. Now I feel confident in representing myself and communicating with people in a normal way.

So, onwards and upwards, no more going sideways.

Show me the money

I widh I had more screenwriting related news to share but alas no. I'm still working on my Sharps submission and fixing up my short film. My efforts are being hindered by the pesky need to earn some money. I'm still picking up little bits of work here and there but nothing substantial but I may have turned up something very good. I might have the chance of going back to a company I used to work for years ago to do a short contract for just 4 weeks. The crazy thing is, my belt has become so tight during my recent student and self-employed years that I would earn enough in those 4 weeks to pay all my bills for 4 months! I'll let you know how I get on.

I'm also getting quite into writing articles. I've done 4 that are published on Helium now and they are all in the top quarter there. The SEO one is at number 1 which is pleasing. I'm considering buffing them up and taking them to a real world magazine to see if I can turn them into money. Having no experience I'm doing this in the dark but here goes nothing. Any tips from those of you with journalistic experience would be gratefully received.

yawn

Nothing much to report. I've turned to publishing articles online to increase my visibility as a writer. I'm trying to get some web copywriting work but it's hard to come by. Anyway, see my articles here

Virtual Garret

Well. I still haven't found a job so that's been taking up all of my time. I'm trying full time jobs as well as contract and part time work but coming up against a brick wall. Seems I'm over-qualified for the things I want to do. I'm also not finding much in the way of paid piecemeal work, I've done a little transcribing but not much else. So if any of you lovely readers have any tips on where a writer might earn some bread, then please let me know. I'm new to this and am all at sea.

On the plus side. A short film project of mine is building up a bit of momentum. I just need to do a little work myself on funding sources but people just keep saying they're interested which is nice.

I'm also redrafting an old 30 minute script for Sharps. It's one that got good feedback for the story but rubbish feedback for the mechanics. I wrote it when I was just starting out though and I feel that I've learned so much it's worth going back and fixing it up. How's everyone else getting on with Sharps?

Dribble

Launch party was very good fun. I went overboard on the vodka shooters though and ended up making a bit of a tit of myself on the dancefloor before a white knuckle taxi ride home.

Meeting with director went well too. I'm turning semi-producer on this project and trying to put a team together. it's the only way I'm going to get anything done I think. First I have to write a treatment though to crystalise my ideas, which is also a good thing to send to other interested parties.

I'm also getting a dribble of work coming in as well. I've managed to pick up a couple of jobs transcribing things for people, not the most fun job in the world but it's all writing I suppose.