Tuesday 26 May 2009

I've Chickened Out


I’ve studied the guidelines of the CBBC script writing competition since my last post, and decided to chicken out.

There were a few things that put me off. And, quite frankly, on the top of the list was my age. I’m no spring chicken as you know. And the first line of the guidelines says ‘we want to find the next generation of CBBC writers.’ Well that’s not me is it? And my theory was concreted, I think, by the fact you have to give your date of birth on the application form. So that’s that idea out of the window. Shame, I was quite excited about that.

So instead, I will do some ironing. No only joking. That can wait ‘til Christmas! Instead I’ll do some work on my novel, post a short story to Woman’s Weekly, and structure an article about my favourite haunted location, Minsden Chapel! Although where to send it once written is quite a mystery. Any ideas?

Hope you all had a lovely bank holiday – wasn’t the sunshine lovely!

12 comments:

Helen P said...

Hi Amanda - good luck with your haunted feature. I would suggest this mag http://www.paranormalmagazine.co.uk which is full of spooky tales. I used to work with the editor (lovely chap). Feel free to mention me if you want to!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I've been put off by the age thing too in the past.

I don't know where you could send it, maybe My Weekly? I'm hopeless at these things.

HelenMWalters said...

Well done on getting the WW sub off. Good luck with that.

Lane Mathias said...

The age thing puts me off too:-(

The weather was lovely ... until the storms yesterday!

DJ Kirkby said...

I actually thought it was illegal to ask someone's age but perhaps that is just on job applications not on contest submissions.

Amanda said...

Thank you, Helen. And thanks for the tip, I will whizz over there right now :-)

I have too, Debs - I noticed one of the biggest short story writing comps asks your age - I never enter!

Thanks Helen :-)

British weather, Lane - so eratic!

That's true, DJ - Must be different for comps! :-(

Unknown said...

I thought ageism was against the law too. It ought to be. A 90-year-old can write for CBBC just as well, if not better, than an 18-year-old. Grr.

Minsden Chapel - My Weekly, The People's Friend, The Lady, local 'county' mags?

Good luck with it all!

Amanda said...

Thanks for the tips, Shirley. I suppose CBBC would argue they are not being ageist. Perhaps they're not and it's just my interpretation of the guidelines. However, I do prefer the competitions that keep your personal details seperate from the piece and then judge it - like the Frome Festival Competition.

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

It sounds like you've enough going on without the comp anyway. Requests for photos in comp entry rules put me off, too.

All us NoSpringChickeners should stick together (actually, that makes no sense, but I hope you know what I mean).

:-)

Amanda said...

I think I may have, Suzanne! Just need to get my head down and stop procrastinating!

'NoSpringChickens' United! ;-)) Hope we do better than Man United!

Karen said...

I think I'll stick to writing for young-at-heart adults :o))

Good luck with the sub x

Amanda said...

Best kind of people, Karen! :-)