But we Sevens do have some good news. Two of us – Vanessa and Hilary – have received OzCo New Work grants in the latest funding round. We quite like this two-out-of-seven thing!
Here's the link:
And Vanessa, as we speak, is about to jet off to the National New Play Network Festival in Washington where her play, Every Second (along with Declan Greene's play, Moth), will be read as part of a playwright exchange through Playwriting Australia. Woo-hoo VB! as we say in Seven-land. There has been much chat over email about the ways and means of overseas travel. Some of us are better at it than others – it's just another illustration of the strength we have found in our numbers that bits and pieces of sage advice or even just a cheer-up whizz between us when required.
Sometimes, of course, it also feels as if you're just not getting anywhere. I've had three conversations in as many days with people in and around parts of the arts industry – a producer, an actor, no, two actors, and a writer – so, four people, all great practitioners of their art/craft – who are feeling stuck – or as if that door that is my effort at a picture this post, has been permanently shut in their face.
It's all right if you CAN find another way of living – a more sensible and still fulfilling life. But if you're an arts tragic, it's a bit harder. All I can say is 'hang in there, use the time to perfect your craft, use the time to learn more about other people's work, use the time to write draft scripts, to do exercises, whatever. ' Time and again, one or other of us has found that that boring bit of monologue writing, or that effort yet again at a playwriting exercise has translated – way down the track sometimes – into a proper piece of work. Another trick is picking a scene from a play by someone you revere and writing your own version. It's the best way to understand another writer's work.
And if none of that works, well, hey-ho and onward to the silly season!
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