I know this conversation has been maintained at a very slow pace, but I really must apologise for taking months and months to reply. I talk about me loads and then you spill your guts and I don't reply. Sorry, really. Though part of the reason has been my lack of activity, I have to admit that the main reason is that I wanted to actually try to say something that might be at least vaguely helpful, rather than just nod my head and bullshit a bit.

Which is probably what I'll end up doing. But for what it's worth, here are my reflections:

Though I have never written exclusively for a lover or object of desire, I have been (and in some respects still am) in the position of writing to please one person. Of all my various collaborators, the one I have worked most closely with and for the longest period of time used to dominate my output. He is probably the most up and coming of the filmmakers that I work with, and as he is the most likely person I know to be directing a feature film in the near future, I found that for a couple of years or so my writing was pretty much all about trying to provide him with that first feature script. He championed a project that I had written before we started working together and, though it got some interest, it was ultimately going nowhere. After that I felt compelled to fill the gap. It was clear that he had the means to take a project all the way and I needed to make sure that project was mine.

But that just doesn’t work. In trying to satisfy purely what he wanted, I found that I lost my own ability to judge what was good and what wasn’t – which meant that neither of us was satisfied.

We still work together and both of us are probably stronger now than we ever have been, but in order to get to where we’re at now, I had to go away and rediscover what I wanted out of writing. I went back to prose and concentrated on writing things that I wanted to explore, without looking to anybody else for consultation, guidance or approval. I didn’t even allow myself to jude whether it was good or bad – judgement, after all, is irrelevant; you can never second guess an audience. Actually, “The Monkey Puzzle Tree” (one of my dA submissions) was probably the breakthrough point in this process.

Now, when I write with him, I still have an eye for what will suit his taste, but I also know when to follow my own instinct. I make sure that I keep my own stuff going separately as well, when I love an idea but know it’s not for him (which happens a lot).

I know this extended ramble might not speak directly to what you were saying, but it’s probably the closest I can get in terms of sharing experiences. I’m not sure exactly where you’re at career-wise, but I know you at least edit professionally (I’d be really interested to hear about any publications (past, present, or plans for) and stuff, by the way), so I don’t really want to preach at all – but if there’s a writer in you (and we’ve all seen the proof of that) then there’s only one person who can tell when it’s actually being fulfilled.

I know I might sound like I’m getting a little bit trite there, but hey, clichés are clichés because…

And in any case, to reinforce it, I’m going to quote your good self back at you from your recent article:

“She crosses her fingers, and she writes, and some will read (and some will not), but she must be the one comfortable with her content, and her voice, and her role. It is in discovering this that every woman, and every writer, is truly empowered.”

I hope I haven’t come across as didactic or any of that shit – I never want to come across that way, least of all to you. You know that I – and many others – think very highly of your writing, and it would be criminal to think of you being censored – by yourself or anyone else.

Sheesh, they say that people only write because they want to get laid, but this is ridiculous

And by the way: watch my film! (Link in signature – I’d love to hear your thoughts)

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Check this out! [link]

He does! And yeah, after writing that reply I thought I should just get on with posting a journal entry before it all gets too old.

Yes, I edited it too. It's wicked that you liked it. I am pretty pleased with it

It's always been an ambition of mine to share my nostrils with the world. Perhaps we should start a dA trend of posting nasal hair close-ups. But then again, maybe not...



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Check this out! [link]

Well apparently SIMEBERG NEEDS ME, so I suppose you've got the announcement under control.

I thought it was great. Did you edit, too? It was nice and clean (and fucking funny). Oh I feel so close to you know that I've been up your nose.

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Cool! How was that for glamour shots? What did you think of it?

I need to do a big announcement but I'm feeling particularly lazy right now.

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I just saw your film. :d

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*WordCount : Prose Exposure

It's cool, don't worry about it. I was only asking out of interest. I just like to know if someone pimps me in case I haven't thanked them for it.



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Check this out! [link]

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Maybe I am very small.

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it was on someones journal. I forget whos but I'll look later.
livingcomforteagle is the only one I can see that we have in commen so it might be her.

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Fight the fight or lose the right

o: If there is a coffee cup that big I will swim in it too.

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How about a coffee cup?

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I request an action shot of Simon simultaneously scribbling a screenplay, chasing rubbish clients, calculating his tax returns, and all while performing the breast stroke. The body of water is your choice.

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Thank you very much vamp. How nice of you to say so

Which friend?

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hiya. I heard about you on a friends page so i decided to swing by and check you out.
lovely writing =]

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Fight the fight or lose the right

I know what you mean about piles (not in the biological sense, thankfully). I'm a bit all over the place at the moment too.

I haven't really written any prose recently cos I've been working hell-for-leather on a new screenplay to try and hit a deadline whilst chasing rubbish clients, struggling to keep my head above water financially and doing my tax return which is boring me to tears and taking ages, as well as attempting to get some really dull paid work cleared and also finish off what will be my first broadcast piece (very exciting, but more of that when it's in the bag... and funnily enough, speaking of glamour shots... well, you'll have to wait and see).

And how are things at your end? I'll have to come over and read some of those shiny new pieces on your page (not sure how new, but I know there's at least a couple I'm missing out on).

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Oh, you are free to neglect! I was just checking for a pulse and seeing if you weren't willing to take some more glamour shots, eheheh.

Things are currently in piles and I am trying my best to tend to all of them. How and in what form are things on your end?

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Hello Meg.

Sorry, I have been neglecting dA lately, but I'm still lurking around.

How's things?

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Haalloooo :echo:

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No probs!

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"We dug a grave, you weren't so brave, a ten gun salute, a tear of dilute ... the rain washed it away ... Nothing more to say." - SonicAnimation

Heh heh, why thank you I very much look forward to seeing what you have to say about the rest.

Thank you very much for the I'll pop over to your page and take a look at some point - although I'm not very active at the mo, so my apologies if it takes me a while.

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Check this out! [link]

I read The Sprog, and am fully pumped to read more of your Art in the not-too-distant future.

I like playing with the muds. It is cold and squoogey and made of dead people. The garden is also good because fairies and pixels lives there.

X2 just in this little excerpt.

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"We dug a grave, you weren't so brave, a ten gun salute, a tear of dilute ... the rain washed it away ... Nothing more to say." - SonicAnimation

I gots the pic 2... I just need an email

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WOO! I love this game! [link] Check it out, it's tons of fun

My record [link] (okay, now go play the game)

Yay! Well, 1003, but it's the thought that counts and you were pretty close.

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Check this out! [link]

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Check this out! [link]

I GOT 1K SHOT, see in note... hey wats your email so I can send it...deviant is being retarted this morning...

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WOO! I love this game! [link] Check it out, it's tons of fun

My record [link] (okay, now go play the game)