Sharps: Lessons Learned

My entry for Sharps (On The Treadmill), it is sent. Now I just need to suffer the usual paranoia of whether it will get there in time and if I actually packaged it up properly. The shortlisted writers are informed on June 23, which seems like a crazy short period of time given the closing date of noon on June 16.

As is the norm with these things, no sooner had I sent the script than I thought of about 8 things I would have liked to change in the final 4 pages alone. I always feel that there’s something I can do better, something that could be revised to improve the script (or whatever it is I’m working on – this blog post included).

This perfectionism is tempered by a degree of pragmatism, though. I’m well aware of at least some of my limitations as a writer, and as a result my entry to Sharps is not far off the best I’m capable of at this moment in time. I’m all too aware from my career so far that sometimes “good enough” is just that, and you have to just stop – otherwise you won’t get paid. I suspect that’s a useful ability in all creative endeavours.

Anyway, here’s what I’ve learned from working on this project:

• Deadlines from all aspects of my life cluster together;
• I have a tendency to end my stories too soon – a few more twists keeps it interesting;
• Speed up the beginning – this script in particular took a while to get going;
• I can so write stories that take more than 10 pages to tell.