Tuesday, September 14, 2004
One Giant Step...
Here is a transcript of the most exciting conversation I had at work today:
Colleague: "Would you like a drink?"
Me: "Coffee please."
Colleague: "Milk?"
Me: "Please."
Colleague: "Sugar?"
Me: "Two please."
[End of transcript]
Earlier this year I submitted an entry into the BBC - End Of Story competition. Six famous authors each wrote the start of a short story and the remit was to write the conclusion of the piece in no more than 1200 words. The winners for each author would take part in a TV programme and a national vote would take place for the overall winner who then gets to spend time with their chosen author and have the sory published. I chose Imitating Katherine Walker by Alexei Sayle.
Today over lunch I read the six entries that were shortlisted for this story. They were all very well written, but two in particular really stood out. One of them, followed roughly the theme I had chosen in that Rory, the protaganist, goes mad and loses the plot entirely. He wrote it in a more humourous way and slightly tangental to mine, but it was close in comparison. The author didn't leave as many gaps as I did - which was my problem. I knew I had come up with a good story, but 1200 words isn't a lot and I had to cut huge amounts out of mine before it met the criteria leaving gaps in the story.
Would I do it differently next time? You bet. I compare what I am writing now to back then (six months ago) and I know I am getting better - I can see it on the paper at the end of the day.
I logged on when I got home to the chatroom in my forum and chatted with some buddies. After I logged off an e-mail arrived in my inbox - from the editor of Keep It Coming. "Welcome to KIC," it said.
It is impossible to describe the surge of energy and excitement I felt at the time. Comparable perhaps, to the eruption of a volcano, only not as messy. I read through all the documentation that accompanied the acceptance, took great pride in updating my submissions spreadsheet, and jumped around hysterically scaring both the goldfish and my wife. I was visibly shaking and babbling incoherently, and that was AFTER Gail went out!
When I went to bed, it dawned on me that finally, without any doubts in my mind, I do feel comfortable with the phrase, "Colin Galbraith - Writer".
Colleague: "Would you like a drink?"
Me: "Coffee please."
Colleague: "Milk?"
Me: "Please."
Colleague: "Sugar?"
Me: "Two please."
[End of transcript]
Earlier this year I submitted an entry into the BBC - End Of Story competition. Six famous authors each wrote the start of a short story and the remit was to write the conclusion of the piece in no more than 1200 words. The winners for each author would take part in a TV programme and a national vote would take place for the overall winner who then gets to spend time with their chosen author and have the sory published. I chose Imitating Katherine Walker by Alexei Sayle.
Today over lunch I read the six entries that were shortlisted for this story. They were all very well written, but two in particular really stood out. One of them, followed roughly the theme I had chosen in that Rory, the protaganist, goes mad and loses the plot entirely. He wrote it in a more humourous way and slightly tangental to mine, but it was close in comparison. The author didn't leave as many gaps as I did - which was my problem. I knew I had come up with a good story, but 1200 words isn't a lot and I had to cut huge amounts out of mine before it met the criteria leaving gaps in the story.
Would I do it differently next time? You bet. I compare what I am writing now to back then (six months ago) and I know I am getting better - I can see it on the paper at the end of the day.
I logged on when I got home to the chatroom in my forum and chatted with some buddies. After I logged off an e-mail arrived in my inbox - from the editor of Keep It Coming. "Welcome to KIC," it said.
It is impossible to describe the surge of energy and excitement I felt at the time. Comparable perhaps, to the eruption of a volcano, only not as messy. I read through all the documentation that accompanied the acceptance, took great pride in updating my submissions spreadsheet, and jumped around hysterically scaring both the goldfish and my wife. I was visibly shaking and babbling incoherently, and that was AFTER Gail went out!
When I went to bed, it dawned on me that finally, without any doubts in my mind, I do feel comfortable with the phrase, "Colin Galbraith - Writer".
Colin 11:02 pm
2 Comments:
Congratulations, Colin!!
Umm.. that was me, Zarina.