Hello!

Haven't posted for a while. Even though I have no idea if anyone actually reads this its kind of nice to get things down, about what I've been up to. Feels nice.

My pantomime, which in the end was named: 'Will the Real Amy Windhouse Please Stand Up!'  was successful, at least I really enjoyed what the actors did with it and people laughed. I didn't win the prize, but ya can't win everything, eh?

I entered a competition a bit ago to write a mini-episode for teen drama Skins. I don't think I've won as I haven't heard anything back from them, and the set visit is meant to be next week. Even if I haven't won I feel proud that I managed to complete a script (albeit a short one) which was edited and in the end read well, I say.

Plans for 2009 are to continue my writing and really focus my ideas even more. I plan to continue to try and get involved with theatres and write short stories so I can continue trying to get published in whatever way I can. 

Mmm, may update soon. Bye bye.

I'm currently working on my pantomine for Contact Theatre. So far Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty are involved, not the real ones! No, my own fictionalised versions. I'm planning it out, structure etc in my notepad before trying to type it all up. It's actually proving really difficult because I can only have four characters and I think I've made the story too complicated. Mm, don't know.

I was also contacted by That Old Chestnut Magazine, which is a new magazine been created by Leeds University. I sent them my Morrissey short story which has been published twice online now. They said they liked it but would like to see more of my work, and maybe publish something in their pilot edition. Good news!

Aswell as this I'm considering a short creative writing course at another Adult Education Centre. The good thing about this one is it's run by University of Leeds tutors and you can gain Uni points from it! Which may later on help me get onto a degree course, you never know.

Good news all round then. Carrie x.

I've just read Beverley's journal and it mentions about young people finding writing opps.

It is quite hard to find them, especially if you're not at school, or college or whatever. I've been quite lucky in that I found out about The Writing Squad and now they pass on writing opportunities and you can find out things from the tutors and other squad members. For instance I found out about Contact Theatre new writing through a member of the current writing squad.

I found out about the squad by just searching the internet for things relating to writing. I remember I was pretty desperate to find something, because I just wanted to write, wanted to go to some kind of group or class. The Writing Squad is the first thing that pops up when you search young writers in Yorkshire. Of course if you don't have a computer with the internet it will be hard to find.

Although after I'd found out about it my uncle found a leaflet for it in a paper. I don't know how much the squad advertised but they get a lot of applications (100+) so people are finding out about it.

Writing groups are difficult to find, there isn't nearly enough, especially ones for younger writers. Before I was in The Writing Squad I went to a class at an Adult Education Centre. I enjoyed it but everyone was older than me (a lot older) so I felt that they didn't 'get' my writing, and everything was quite slow, and sometimes boring.

If you're not in The Writing Squad, and are too old for Sheffield Young Writers or Leeds Young Authors (think that's what it's called), then where do you go? It seems the only option is an Adult Education Centre doing a short beginners creative writing course. Boo!

I've been published at the online magazine The Underground. My story "He's Been Listening to Morrissey" (which is also in The Cadaverine) is in issue 2. Hopefully it will be in a print version next year, fingers crossed anyway. I don't think they have enough funding yet, argh! By the way I'm listed under the name Carrie Holroyd as my real name is Caroline Holroyd, unfortunately not Carrie Phoenix.

http://www.undermagz.co.uk/Morrissey.htm

A lovely direct link for you people. I'm so happy, woo! It's been described as a "Stylish and Perceptive Comedy." I feel proud!

I'm currently working on a short story which I feel reflects my style and randomness in a tale tentatively named "The Colonization of Bexhil-on-Sea." 

First The Underground, next Hollywood!

Carrie x

As writers we all want to have our own unique voice, yes? Something which identifies us. I've been told about a short story I wrote that my character had a fresh and unique voice, woo!

Unfortunately the majority of my work nowadays doesn't feel like my voice, it feels like I'm forcing my work to be something else, something that I think others will like but I won't. In short: I want to please people. I think all writers serious about having a career in this art want to please, but I've found when I do try and force myself to write differently I hate it, can't feel passionate about it, and it ends up crap. I end up writing boringness, which is something I hate.

My stuff has been described as 'quirky'. I like that, but the only thing with writing quirky stuff is that you're at risk of been labelled immature, insane, or unprofessional, I think it's harder to be taken seriously whenever you try and do something different. Just my thoughts anyway. Hence the reason I feel I've been trying to write what I'm obviously not supposed to - Serious dramas!

I think we all need to find our niche, our own voice. We must look deep inside ourselves and figure out what types of stories we really love, and not be compelled to write things we don't just so we can try and be like everyone else. Writers HAVE to be individuals and I think you've got to stop trying to be like everyone else.

Ramble ramble..

It's difficult because when I listen to people who've written serious stories about characters with 'issues' or political stuff I feel like I'm just childish in writing what I do. I love funny stuff, I love quirkiness, but I'm also deeper than that and want to explore other issues, with all the quirkiness blended in.. Charlie Kaufman, Joss Whedon, and Gus Van Sant are influences of mine and I feel they do this well. Mix it all together.

I also feel sometimes writing classes can make you feel inferior if you're not writing depressing stuff, like you're not a proper writer because you want to entertain instead of make people suicidal. Though that's just my opinion. They want to turn us into soap writers... Noooooooooooooooooo!

Carrie x

Woo! To Barack Obama ! Woo! I stayed up till after 3am watching the BBC reporting as the votes came in, unfortunately I fell asleep before it was announced, too tired!

Anyhoo, an annoyance happened today. I've been in contact with a University, trying to get on a Creative Writing degree course. In their prospectus it mentioned non-standard entry (I don't have the right formal qualifications) so I assumed that if I put together a really brilliant portfolio of writing and had an interview, and whatever 'tests' they wanted to set me I could get on the course. Unfortunately not. They said unless I'm over 21 I need to have a certain number of points. Crap.

Why after 21 does it not matter anymore? Annoyed. I agree that you need to make sure the student will be able to cope with the work, but surely they're missing out on helping potential writers 'reach their potential,' surely? My mum said that it's just the way it is, but why does it have to be that way? I understand with courses like law, history, etc, but creative writing is well... Creative, and plenty of non-academic successes are interested in it too! I don't understand why we can't 'prove' our writing ability through putting together a portfolio, getting references etc... By showing our creativity?

I'm lucky I'm in The Writing Squad because otherwise I would have no contact with writing tutors or any assistance developing whatever talent I have. I'd be completely left out in the cold. What about people who dropped out of high school and have no qualifications?? People who write purely because they're passionate but because they can't get on courses and because of the lack of writing groups never become what they should.

I think with creative courses like art, film, writing, there should be the option to prove you can cope with the course by showing off your ability. I mean why can people who've done A-Levels in completely unrelated courses get on a creative writing course, but people who have been published, have huge passion for the craft and desperately want to be on the course, not get on???

I don't get it at all.

I was told I could do an Access Course or traditional A-Levels to get in. Those are the only options. Really Access Course is the only option (where you have limited subjects you can choose to do) because if I did A-levels now it would cost! There needs to be a change, the Universities are missing out.

Carrie.

Okay, not quite, but he seems like a nice enough chap and so I hope he wins the election. I find McCain incredibly creepy, and change is good. If Obama is elected in my eyes it will mean not only America has moved forward, but the world has. I wish Britain had a new prime minister, I can't stand bloody Gordon Brown.

Now I tend to not trust politicians one bit but from what I've seen Obama seems to really want change and doesn't want to piss around, letting the power go to his head and starting needless wars, murdering thousands. Mm, don't know who I'm talking about there.

Anyhoo, fingers crossed. He's also, as my grandma says "pretty handsome."

Hi dudes. Today I'm thinking about teachers, and whether they've helped or hindered me as a writer.

Well, to be honest I don't feel they've done either, at least not the ones at school anyway. I didn't enjoy school because I had a fair few problems there, so ended up hating the place. The result is I probably didn't get enough out of it academically as I could. I was never interested in writing when I was of school age and wasn't 'gifted' in writing or English or anything.

I started writing after I left school. I had been fascinated by films for a while, becoming obsessed with certain characters and stories. I wanted to create great characters of my own and amazing stories. My writing was borne purely of a passion for storytelling, wanting to tell my own and have people enjoy them. (oh I sound so pretentious! But I think it's true, I was more influenced by the people making and writing the films I enjoyed then any family, friends, or tutors.)

Since I've got into The Writing Squad I feel the tutors have helped me as a writer as when I've written something I can send it off to Danny Broderick and he will send it back to me with advice and constructive criticism, or praise. I can always see where he's coming from and it really helps me see where I'm going wrong, where I'm going right, and how I can improve.

From what I remember from school there was no creative writing in English, or hardly any, I don't remember any. The only creative writing I remember doing in my school years is when I was in drama and the teacher was off sick so they got a supply teacher in who couldn't be arsed with a lesson so set us to work writing a story. I wrote one about a disabled boy and his first day at high school, I got an A! I think there was more creativity involved in our drama lessons then English ones.. When it was all Shakespeare and stuff, which I could not get my head round. Oh, and analyzing poems.. Put me off poetry to this day.

I can't think of much today I'm afraid. Over n out. Carrie x

Watched a good film last night called "This Boys Life". It was meant to be a 'true story' but I'm sure plenty was fictionalized for film. Anyhoo, it was about Tobias Wolff and his and his mother's abuse by his stepfather Dwight as a child.

For me the film was an interesting exploration of what abuse does to two different individuals and their relationship (the relationship between mother and son). It was intriguing to view how they dealt with it in their daily lives, and in the end came out the other end.

The film starred a young Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. I thought Leo was brilliant, he's still a great actor but I love his earlier films, such as The Basketball Diaries which was about the heroin addict turned poet Jim Carroll. Mm, I'm not mad on DiCaprio's films post-Titanic. Although The Departed wasn't that bad.