tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35593833448087032142024-03-13T23:48:46.975-07:00The Tom, Dick and Harry ProjectA blog following the fortunes (or otherwise) of an escaped teacher. Gareth Mottram has two years to make it as a writer or it's back to the marking!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081612509971985739noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3559383344808703214.post-45628673811909773462014-09-15T05:02:00.000-07:002014-09-15T06:29:41.566-07:002. Extreme Prevarication<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Curses!</strong></span> Week 1 of being a world famous creative writer/games
designer/copywriter all done and I’m not rich or famous yet.<o:p></o:p><br />
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The house did get dusted though, and the fish fed and the
rechargeable cleaner fixed and my new glasses picked up and… and…<o:p></o:p></div>
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So I did a spreadsheet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HK_ZOFOHvfY/VBbSixx233I/AAAAAAAAADQ/TOMLxae41Xk/s1600/2%2B-%2Btimesheet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HK_ZOFOHvfY/VBbSixx233I/AAAAAAAAADQ/TOMLxae41Xk/s1600/2%2B-%2Btimesheet.png" height="354" width="640" /></a></div>
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A timesheet in fact…<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s fab, I record how many minutes I have spent on various
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you can see, I have my
different projects, sub-divided into different task categories and also non-income-generating
(ha ha) activities like chores, kids and time off.<o:p></o:p><br />
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And then I can analyse stuff… automatically!<o:p></o:p></div>
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So I can see at the flick of a formula what percentage of
each day I have spent on book writing or research, game production or… napping.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Percentages aren’t great so far (61% productive)!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, it’s not just a tool for beating
myself up with (or should that be “with which to beat myself up”… no that doesn’t
get rid of the preposition at the end of the sentence. But it’s OK to do it now
according to <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/ending-sentences-with-prepositions"><span style="color: blue;">OED</span></a>
. You’re still not supposed to start a sentence with “But” though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s tough this professional writing
lark.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Back to the timesheet - it is, in fact, quite
motivational.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of me just thinking
I failed to write 10,000 words on Monday, I can now see why I failed and actually
give myself a pat on the back for doing other productive thingummies that I don’t
tend to give myself credit for.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And best of all – it showed me that in one week of “full
time” creative existence I have done what it would normally have taken me five
weeks to do when I was teaching, lesson prepping, marking, stressing, moaning
etc.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I bet you all want one of these now, don’t ya?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re welcome to nick it or if you’re not so
hot on Excel formulae, then message me on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/jasonwillow666"><span style="color: blue;">www.facebook.com/jasonwillow666</span></a>
and I’ll send you a copy to prevaricate with ;-)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, two little progress updates on tunnel digging –
both regarding tunnel Tom (book and script writing – see blog 1)<o:p></o:p></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2053935046/the-piddletons?ref=email" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Piddletons - Kickstarter" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-exOuTcUL0Qk/VBbTLmqAGdI/AAAAAAAAADc/2x8FksIGae8/s1600/2%2B-%2BPiddletons%2Btitle%2B-%2Bgood.png" height="180" width="320" /></a>1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I’ve
got my first paid commission</b> – script editing and developing on a great
little cartoon called the Piddletons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
a cross between The Simpsons and Fawlty Towers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, I say it’s a paid commission – we’ve got to Kickstart it
first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have a look at the vid for some draft
artwork and the storyline and maybe sign up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mn6qYsdkIUA/VBbTLc7b1WI/AAAAAAAAADY/UtFtWufnE9Q/s1600/2%2B-%2BPiddletons%2BGigantamart-%2Bgood.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mn6qYsdkIUA/VBbTLc7b1WI/AAAAAAAAADY/UtFtWufnE9Q/s1600/2%2B-%2BPiddletons%2BGigantamart-%2Bgood.png" height="216" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2053935046/the-piddletons?ref=email" target="_blank">Kickstarter - the Piddletons</a></o:p><br />
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2. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m off to <strong>a room
full of literary agents</strong> on Friday evening (Sept 19<sup>th</sup>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re going to tell us things then we (almost)
famous writers can talk to them (ahhh!) about our creative masterpieces and
tempt them into our web of words.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Luckily, there’s wine.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ll let you know how it goes next blog-day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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It's a bit of a shame I didn't make it to 25 years service - we used to get a <span style="background-color: yellow;">£50 M&S</span> voucher from the local authority for long service - presumably to renew our corduroy jackets with leather arm patches. Sadly, this motivational tool has been discontinued due to sarcastic comments.<br />
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_tRMeGGzqCU/TxlpUaICnbI/AAAAAAAABdE/2cgYDxySpqI/s320/p009ml3y_640_360.jpg" height="180" width="320" /><br />
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Anyway, what will this occasional blog (fortnightly/monthly ish) witter on about? Mainly my Earth shattering progress towards creative stardom - possibly to inspire/depress others about breaking out of whatever working life they want to escape from. My three tunnels to escape are:<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>Tom</strong>: Fiction book and script writing. Initially, this means finishing and marketing my paranormal action novels - the <a href="http://www.jasonwillow.com/">Jason Willow</a> series and a picture book idea.</li>
<li><strong>Dick</strong>: Designing and marketing games - currently a strategic card game and a board game concept. </li>
<li><strong>Harry</strong>: Working as a massively in demand, award winning, freelance advertising copywriter.</li>
</ul>
There's also a couple of side-lines like some invention ideas (from toast to toilet life-changing gadgets) but I'm kind of suspecting those tunnels will hit rocks pretty soon.<br />
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I'll probably keep a track of certain key progress measures... like rejection letters (publishers, distributors etc.), money earned (small space needed), alcohol units per week and that sort of thing.<br />
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Also, for the jaded amongst us, I'll likely have the odd thought about education (much like my last 24 years really) and whatever else I can vaguely link to the theme here.<br />
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So - time to stop now as it's 6:22 a.m. and I need to put on my teacher costume for one final show.<br />
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TTFN<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12081612509971985739noreply@blogger.com0