South West Voices

Earlier in the year I applied to the South West Voices initiative, in partnership with the BBC Writersroom, when they asked South West writers to submit drama pitches.

110 people applied and out of those 18 were invited to a workshop at BBC Bristol. I was one of the lucky ones. So off I set via train to find out what it was all about.

The workshop was hosted by Paul Ashton (Writersroom), Beverley Booker (BBC Commissioning), Chris Moll (South West Screen) and Hannah Rodger (Writersroom). The first thing that Paul made clear to us all was that if we didn't make it through to the final 8 it wasn't the end. We had been invited to the workshop because they wanted to form relationships with South West writers, to have ongoing dialogue with us and to find out what we are passionate about.

I have to admit I was a little overwhelmed when I got to Bristol, because I'd looked up the other writers attending on the Internet and found that I was probably the least experienced one there. But then I thought if I had been chosen to be in the 18 with all those other writers, then the BBC Writersroom and South West Screen obviously saw something in my writing they liked. So I shoved my nerves aside and threw myself in at the deep end.

I really enjoyed myself, meeting other writers, learning more about the BBC commissioning process, making new friends and actually getting the opportunity to practice my face to face pitching. Let's just say I need more practice.

Unfortunately I didn't make it through to the final 8. A bit gutting, but as Paul said it wasn't the end for any of us. The BBC Writersroom have their eye on me and at least one BBC Commissioner knows who I am. Now all I have to do is keep those relationships alive and maybe it'll help me somewhere in the future.