November 2008

We met to discuss Cathy's novel on the 14th. Sound familiar? The Rooinecks aren't being very prolific. Nick, Terry and I talked critiqued the story. The tension is mounting, the plotlines coming together but I can't say more. You'll have to wait until it's published.

Last Thursday Nick and I went to a Writers' Room question and answer session run by the BBC. The writers were Kwame Kwei-Armah and Sarah Daniels. Kate Rowland, the head of radio drama, interviewed and chaired the discussion. It was well organized, they even gave us beer and wine. We had an introduction to the writers which included brief excerpts from their works.

While they all celebrated the idea that radio drama gives writers freedom to set their works anywhere and at any time without budgetary contstraints, they felt there is no particular rule for radio writing; that writers took their influences from diverse places, theatre and film, and had to follow their own passions and not be discouraged. The questioners asked about individual feedback for plays submitted to the Writers' Room but this was not feasible. A huge amount of work was received every year and there was no time. One big advantage of radio drama was the individual attention of one producer who edited and advised through the process. The audience was quite a mix of younger and older writers. A few had written for TV, it would have been interesting to know where we all came from. Were there many from creative writing courses?

Afterwards Nick and I went to our old haunt the Dover Castle for a pint. The Rooinecks used to meet there until the room we used was opened to elements to create a smoking area.