14 posts tagged “writing”

Poppy

By the time I've drunk my tea and finished scribbling this, my new blog Poppycockney will have launched.

Poppycockney is a blog about London, but it's fictional. Every character has their own opinion (they're real), but they also have their own lives and that's the fun part. We get to play and have silly characters and do silly things.

I write the character of Poppy (who else) and it's a blog about her life. Well, her and her friends. I don't know why I decided to write a blog in fiction. It's like Gossip Girl but backwards so maybe I was subconsciously influenced by that.

It's been such hard work. Getting a team of people together and keeping things going is tough. Especially as we initially planned to launch on June 16th! Things get in the way - like y'know - life and shit.

One of the main things pushing me was when the guys at Messy Media telling me that I couldn't edit a team of people. At the time, they were probably right. What the hell do I know about editing a website and leading a team of people? Fuck all. But I do know this site. And I do know my team. I'm very passionate about both. I don't know if that's enough and I've got loads to learn, but surely every editor has to start somewhere? If I knew what I was doing and didn't fuck up that wouldn't be much fun at all. I'm also constantly amazed by how supportive the guys writing for me are. They believe in this site and, more surprisingly sometimes, they believe in me. Even when I'm freaking out like I have been over the last couple of days.

I love what we've done with Poppycockney. Really really love it. I know how much work has gone into it. Blood, sweat tears, vodka etc. But it's all been worth it.

You can check out the site here... it's about to go live in 5...4...3...2...1....

To give you an idea of where my head is at the moment, here's a Skype chat I had with Marcus earlier today:

Sian Meades says: Marcus, when you guys set up Webjam, did you have million things to do the day before and think it was all going to go wrong and be a big fat mess?
Marcus Greenwood says: thats my life in one sentence
Sian Meades says: so this feeling of panic is normal? it's OK that by three o-clock you might find me hiding under my desk?
Marcus Greenwood says: thats fine
Marcus Greenwood says: you can take your laptop down there
Sian Meades says: or throw it out of the window.
Marcus Greenwood says: this is also acceptable
Sian Meades says: brilliant

My website launches tomorrow. The website that I've been working on since April 27th. The day after Ant's birthday when I said to Cate that I had an idea for a website that had been in my head for a few days. She bloody well went and told me it was a good idea so I did lots of scribbling. Damn her! Over three months of hard work is all going to be in front of you tomorrow. And you can judge it and tell me it's shit and think I'm rubbish and there's fuck all I can do about it.

It's the scariest thing ever. IN THE WORLD. Scarier than that film with the scary things in the caves (and that's SCARY SCARY.)

Because this is the first time I've worked hard on something for just me. I haven't got anyone behind me. I've got a GREAT team of writers (many thanks to Jane for keeping me sane today!) and there have been a million people who have stopped me from going crazy. Sam has helped me get the site to where it is now. He was like my Media Assistant and basically trawled through all of my thoughts and rubbish to pick out the good stuff. The important stuff than I need to concentrate on. Without that, well the website would probably read a lot like this blog and full of crap no one cares about. Without Cate saying to me that the idea was brilliant in the first place, I wouldn't have started. With Matt bouncing ideas with me back and forth and being practical (really) I'd have got distracted. Without Rob H helping me with all the techy stuff and Alberto doing a FABULOUS design, I wouldn't be in this blind state of terror right now. Because I wouldn't have a website to launch.

And despite web launch terror, I think you're all brilliant and I'm humbled that you've all been so helpful and supportive.

I hope you like the site.

Sometimes, life is so brilliantly easy that you can't help but smile. Today two strangers had a conversation that went a bit like this:

"I'd love you to write for my new project but I can't pay you yet."

"Your project sounds great! I'd love you to write for my new project too! But I can't pay you either. Why don't we write for each other instead of worrying about money!"

This is how networking should work! This is what is meant to happen in a freelance writer's day! Everyone is happy! Everyone wins. It shouldn't be any harder than this.

Take note fellow editors: This is how we want to work. It's simple really.

Which means more time for cocktails and cake.

Peanuts

I'm constantly torn in the argument between paying work and doing freebie stuff to gain experience.

On one hand, I don't think it's OK that writers work for nothing. After all, everyone has bills to pay. People seem to think that writers don't. On the other hand, it's the best way of gaining experience which can be invaluable.

I've experienced both sides of this debate and after two years, I'm still undecided about what is 'right'. Without the work I did for Londonist, for free, I wouldn't be doing any of the work I'm doing now. I'm certain of it. Never have I worked with more supportive and brilliant people than that bunch. They're fantastic at what they do and by working with them every day, my writing got better. Which is a godsend, because I cringe at the stuff I wrote when I started out. It was shit.

So, points to Londonist who make working for free fun and worthwhile.

Minus points however, to this somewhat dubious music magazine. Who not only have an editor who's rude and insolent, but you also get no thanks or respect for the fact that you're giving up your time for nothing. Yeah, there was the occasional gig ticket etc, but frequently being called a hack (twat!) and not even getting a 'thank you' for a three page feature isn't my idea of fun. If you're going to work for free, there has to be something in it for you. A bit of enjoyment perhaps if that's not too much to ask.

Then there are the people in the middle and somehow, these are the worst. The people who advertise on Craiglist and want to pay people $1 per article. I swear I didn't make that number up. I was even told that I should be grateful to have a platform for my work. Cheeky fuckers. I really would rather work for nothing instead of working for this rate. And I do.

But then, when it comes to my own new project and I can't pay writers, I feel awful. I feel bad asking people to work for free, if only for the time being. I hate the idea of exploiting people and abusing their talent. Hate it. Hopefully they see that it's a good enough idea to get something out of it. In the meantime, I'll feel very guilty about it and buy them dinner.

I always battle with this argument, and I will turn down work if someone is taking the piss. And then I'll spend my time working on something for free instead. How does that work? How does this whole thing work? I don't understand it.

The Guardian have a column called "How I write" and it surprises me how interested everybody is in this. Writers use it as a kind of 'competition' between one another - as though their way of working means that they are more accomplished, more professional. It's all bollocks of course. Non-writers are always fascinated by it - either to hopefully confirm that it's really hard (so they shouldn't start that book), or to prove that they're right and it's really easy and we don't work hard at all. They're the worst.

I realised the other day that I write in my head. Which seems obvious, but it's a really helpful thing. So yeah, while everyone thinks that I leave things to the last minute (yes, a little bit of that is true but there are a lot of bars in London that I must go to), by the time I get around to writing something, most of it has been written in my head. Like this blog post. I wrote this in my head on trains over the weekend.

I even correct myself when I write in my head. Which is strange. Sometimes I picture typing when I do this, but only when I'm correcting stuff. It helps me remember things. And it's very rare I forget stuff which also helps.

This means, that I can actually knock out an article quickly. Really quickly. I can write the first draft of an article in less than an hour. And I always feel like I'm cheating. Like it shouldn't be that easy. It helps that I write a lot of opinion pieces, but it's still pretty speedy. Unless I haven't had tea in which case I might as well try writing blind folded and with my right hand.

Mostly, unless I haven't done enough thinking on trains, the first draft isn't much different to how the article ends up. I still feel like this is cheating. After all, I've been taught that most of writing is rewriting and I just don't have to deal with this. Sure, if I was writing a book it might be true, but it's online stuff - it's off the cuff. That's not to say that I don't put all my effort into my work, but I don't get precious anymore. Well, most of the time. Sort of. I guess I can look at things objectively. And if I have to cut things that I liked to start with, I don't mind.

As for where I write, mostly in bed, or sat on my bed. I'd sit at my desk but it's messy. There are three plates and about 8 cups and glasses on there at the moment. Ooops. I'm still very messy. I write with the TV on, but not with music on. I write non-fiction on my laptop straight away but I have to write fiction by hand. I interview people and scribble in my little grey notebook. The one with the flower print on it. It has to be that book. I'm shit at interviews, I feel like a twat when I do them and never feel professional. But somehow, they turn into some of my best pieces which makes me happy.

It might not be the best way of writing. But it works for me.

So the Foo Fighters were amazing. Realy really really amazing. I would happily marry Dave Grohl. And I stil adore Tayor Hawkins but he looks like Ed so fancying him is a bit weird. BUT YES. They were brilliant and I'm happy. I also can't move.

So today I am sitting. On my sofa with a balnket. I am being lazy and generally being chilled. Not least because I can't feel my legs of my head or... any of me really. But who cares. Lots of fun. Best gig ever. I have a little mini Dave Grohl running around in my head singing Foos songs. This happens a lot after I've been to a good gig.

I got more writing work yesterday too. I'm an arts correspondant for a new website for Chelsea socialites. A strange audience to be writing for, but it's OK money and another platform. Writing about art is fun too - I get to go to all those shows and mentally punch the arty wankers who talk bollocks. If I ever find myself talking like that I want someone to throw cheap wine at me from their plastic cup.

This means I've got enough work. In fact, with the website launching, I might even have too much. How the fuck did that happen? Two weeks ago I was crying coz I didn't have anything to do! Now I'd have to turn down work! Freelancing is strange.

But I've thought about things, and yes it means for the next couple of weeks I'll have to get used to everything and not go out to play as much as I like, but I'd rather have all this work and be tired instead of having no work. For all I know it could all dry up next week. As long as I actually save some money and look after me and don't spend all of my wages on shoes then I'll be fine. Then I'll have money to drown my sorrows when I'm unemployed. Clever.

What am I doing this weekend? Today I am chilling out on my sofa. Not even moving a little bit. But I might have a bottle of wine later. And then tomorrow I'm off to a photo studio in Spitalfields to have a chat with a guy who photographs all the people visiting the market each Sunday. It's cool. I'm also planning on buying some new shoes to wear on Tuesday. None of that sounds very rock n roll, but neither was the cup of tea I had after the gig last night.

Ooooh... cup of tea....off I toddle...

Today I got offered a brilliant brilliant job. A job that's perfect for me and a job that I can do well.

I'm now Community Editor for the site Webjam.

Community Editor. Sounds shiny doesn't it?

I'm happy today. I really think this job is going to be good for me and I'm excited by many things now. I'm still freelance. The job is part time which means that I'll get out of the house for half of the week. Thank fuck for that. I can actually go a whole day without speaking to people in the real world sometimes. That's scary.

But it also means I've got time to do all of my other projects too. In fact, I'll have to manage my time better to fit it all in so I'll probably write more instead of playing Mario Kart. Brilliant. My website is still launching this month. I'm still excited about that.

The most important thing? Well I left my job at Cedar six months ago. It's taken me six months to get my little freelance world all sorted out. In a few weeks time I'll be earning real money. I've spent half this time tearing my hair out and crying. A lot. With frustration mostly It's been pretty shit actually. I'd love to say it's been a great six months, but it's been hard and actually not that fun. I'm too tired to have a beer to celebrate. I still need to write four more proposals this evening.

But I'm happy.

Because I did all this. It took me a while and I couldn't have done it without the support of my wonderful friends and family but this was my work. It was my pitches, my hard work and my 'fuck off I bloody well can do this' attitude. And the fact that I actually am a bloody good writer. I forget that sometimes. I was really close to giving up a few times but I'm far too stubborn for that. And it's paid off. Writing at three in the morning for six months has paid off. And it's worth every single minute of it.

I'm going to catch up on some sleep now.

One of the things that comes with freelancing is insecurity. Or rather, fear.

Fear that I'll never ever work again.

Ever.

A huge amount of my freelancing time is spent looking for work. Sometimes this is easy - London writers are pretty close-knit and a large amount of my work comes from people I know. Or people who suggest me to other editors. Rob H is a case in point here. Other times it's like hitting my head against a wall.

This last couple of weeks has been tough. People are fickle and a job that is solid can suddenly go up in smoke. I can spend hours on some samples for a prospective client and get nowhere. Sometimes it doesn't matter how much work I do, it feels like I'm fighting a losing battle.

Then out of the blue, people get in touch. They want to see my work, they want articles and they want ME. Suddenly, I feel very in demand and this is lovely. The tough thing is being able to carry on pushing myself when things are a bit shit. Teary chats with my Dad help.

It's difficult to get perspective sometimes. There's no one to help me do this. I'm used to having a team of people around me when I work so I didn't realise I'd miss this so much. It's very easy to see all the bad shit, and not see than a lot of good things have happened in the last week. It's easy to see the bad stuff. I've had two articles commissioned in the last week and I as getting so consumed by other shit that I forgot to get excited. Not only that, but I get to write about stuff that I'm really interested in. I get paid to do what I really want.

So I'm feeling reflective today. This isn't a sad, ranty post. I've felt both sides of the coin today and it's made me realise that even if things are shit, they do get better. I just have to keep doing my thing until they do.

My Dad is always right.