Writing and how I try and do it.

Please take from this what you want, there are no hard or fast rules about writing.

First of all, don't listen to anyone except yourself.  You know if your work is any good, you don't need others to compliment you (but it does help).

lesson 1 

Idea – the idea is the most important part of writing my stories.  To me they usually come out of the blue and very quickly.  I usually write a half page synopsis of every idea.  If the idea is any good it stays with me, I think about it night and day and let it grow in my head. 

Ideas I’ve never written are numerous.  Some ideas stay with you for years.  One of my plays, GRASS took 5 years, until I could get all the components to finish it.  Sometimes it’s because I can’t think of the end.  I think sometimes as I get better at writing I’ll be able to do the really mad ideas I have, I’m not good enough yet.

Ideas come from every where, friends, family, personal stories (Grass), internet, newspapers, photographs, flyers (walk this way). 

Lesson 2

Research - the world, the characters, the story.  I use the internet, the library and then I talk to people.  This time can take months, its writing but in your head mainly.  At night before I go to sleep I think about the problems in my story and I try to solve them. 

Who are the characters, where do the characters live, work, their age, etc?  The answers to these questions shape your story and the lives of the characters.  

I write a graph for my characters like this.  Every new play I start writing notes about the story.  The notebook and the graft is a great source of information if I’m stuck. 

I also write the story scene by scene where my hero is going - From Knife Edge  

●          Brian turns up and sets up theatre  

●          Brian gets annoyed by Alan, Brian invites Alan on stage.

I don’t always stick to this, but it helps. 

Lesson 3 

Write – Before I write I need to know the end so I know where I’m going.  Think of it like a journey, get everyone in the car and set off to your destination.  Along the way you might meet some interesting characters, your car might break down or there might be a massive diversion, but you always know where you’re headed. I think how it is best to start (usually slowly as an audience need time to settle) the middle part I make up as I go along; it’s the organic stage that I love.  If you’ve done your research the middle should come easier.   I like to get a first draft finished quite quickly no matter how bad it may be.   After I’ve written something I usually leave it alone for a week or two then I come back to edit. 

What is it about?  If a play were about love I would examine and explore the depths and widths of love.  Self love, young love, obsession, loathing, lost love,  

We write drama – what is drama?  It is conflict, things rubbing against each other.  One says yes, the other says no.  So my love story wouldn’t be boy meets girl they live happily ever after – that’s boring.  

Lesson 4

Edit – when I edit I start with first draft and rip it to bits.  Never be scared to take things out, if it doesn’t work cut it.

○      Find out what the plays about?

○      More in-depth Research, is the world and characters plausible?  I want an audience ideally to believe me and be carried away with the story and my characters.

○      Smooth out the scenes, most of my first drafts are disjointed, I might repeat myself.

Re write.  I have never finished writing a play yet.  Even as the play is being performed I’ll still be thinking, tinkering.   

Lesson 5

Structure - You need tension and excitement as well as climaxes.  

and finally...

Rehearsed reading – if you’re planning to get the play on, try and get people to help you listen to it.  Plays are to be played by actors and actors are great at finding all the holes for you.  When a play is cast the actor will concentrate all the attention on their part, they will underline or highlight only their words or their actions, that’s what they’re (we’re trained to do).  If an actor comes up with something better steal it, the play will always have your name on it.  Knife Edge was read in front of an audience of actors, writers, producers and directors – it was very nerve wracking, but a good way to pick their brains. 

I have a CSE in English  

My story would be like Romeo and Juliet – two lovers who can’t be together because of their families.  

Unidentified Floating Object

My brother, Darren was the first to spot it.  He switched on the living room light at my grandma's house and as he went to close the curtains it was there.  A floating glowing orange orb hovering over Fraser Crescent.  Darren read about UFO's and had a great knowledge about extra terrestrials, so we all listened.

"What they do is take data" He explained.  "These surveillance ships scout planets for minerals and stuff, then when they have what they want targeted they give the signal to the mother ships".
"Our Darren knows what he's on about" My Grandma said. "Tell em about the pipes they stick on your head to drain your brains, do you think we should ring someone, get the experts in?"

Darren explained that in Close Encounters nobody was believed until it was too late, we should ring the Evening Post.

The girl on the phone didn't seem too interested, even when told her about the pipes sucking out brains.  "I'll take your details and pass them on."  She said.

By now word had spread and the slow trickle of excited kids wanting to see the phenomena was getting longer.  "As long as they wipe their feet they can come in." Gran told us. "We should charge." I said.

Within hours, Mr. Swanick learnt of the news and was knocking.  Mr. Swanick (Ted) worked for the council and was famously doing an Open University course, so his views were always sort.  "I've heard all about your sighting" he said. "Thought I'd come and see it for myself."  He walked into the living room where a group of ten year olds were talking about the best places to hide when the alien invasion happened.  "If they came now I'd lock myself in the Co-Op, you could live for years".

"Have you tried communicating with it?" Mr. Swanick asked. Everyone looked at him open mouthed.  "What would we say?" Grandma said.  "I'd ask why it only appeared when Darren switched the living room light on?"

NEWS OF OUR WORLD

3 Is the magic number. Hello and welcome to the Hard Graft Theatre Company email service.   Someone called me last week and asked what we were doing next, so here I am. I am currently putting together 3 shows that I think you are going to love.  If you likedThick As Thieves, then the follow up GRASS is right up your alley.  Oldham Council are once again supporting us by letting us use another empty building in the town.   GRASS is based on the true story of what happened to me when I was witness to a fight in a pub.  It's funny, moving and was nominated for MEN Award when it was first performed in 2008. Along with GRASS I am working on bringing you all something very special later in the year, I'm not going to say it out loud yet as I don't want to tempt fate, but it should be amazing. And finally, we are now taking group bookings for our excellent Christmas show RED RIDING HOOD.  Getting bigger and better every year a must for the under 9's and their family and friends.  To book a group booking call me on - 0161 764 4972 or Mobile 07956913 666 And finally, thanks to your ongoing support we have been nominated for aManchester Theatre Award this week.  Fingers crossed. See you soon Best wishes Mark Whiteley Hard Graft Theatre Co. Ltd.

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DO NOT PRESS

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Who’s Harry Styles?

If you can't  read the story below, I have written it out underneath the photo.

Oldham’s celebrity Elves have been offered the chance to switch on this year’s Christmas lights, in a house, in Springhead Oldham.

The pair, who swept to fame when they were discovered in Oldham library basement, have been offered numerous ‘high profile’ events in the town.  “We originally booked One Direction” a Council spokeswoman told us, “But after a mass public protest we have booked the Elves instead.”  Crowds of Oldhamers were out in force earlier this week, brandishing placards and chanting anti One Direction songs.  

Harry Styles, a ‘singer’ with the popular band, tweeted, “They might be able to turn lights on, make shoes, but they can’t sing”.  The Elves said “Who’s Harry Styles?”

The Elves can be seen in Oldham and Saddleworth this Christmas in a special tribute show written by local theatre company Hard Graft.  

"We are are currently trying to come up with an idea how to best use these two talented Elves" Johnny Theatre from Hard Graft has said, " I wanted to do Jack and the Beanstalk, but neither are tall enough." 

Ghost Stories from Oldham & Uppermill

Ghost stories from Oldham to Uppermill

On my last ghost walk in Uppermill a member of the audience came up to me and asked if I was going to tell the story of the drowned woman.  We were on the top of a footbridge crossing the Huddersfield Canal so I didn’t think it a strange request, but this lady looked me in the eyes and said “I have just seen the spirit of woman dressed in black and she looked like they had just dragged her out of the canal”.  I was indeed about to tell that same story and I can tell you that when I did it had an even more chilling feel to it.

You meet all sorts when you are ghost walking, believers, sceptics, spiritualists and the ones who have no idea, but love a good story.  I tell 90 minutes of local ghost stories, whether in Oldham or Uppermill but my favourite time is the interval.  We always have a fifteen-minute break in a Cafe or pub and that’s when the magic happens.  These people, this audience, having listened to me then start to open up.  They have told me amazing stories of ghosts, or strange happenings in their lives.  From the dog spirit that lived (or possessed) a wardrobe for thirty years to the spirit who didn’t like Bruce Forsythe and threw things across the room when he was on telly.

When I started telling ghost stories I sat firmly on the fence, now after 4 years I think I’ve seen and heard enough to change my mind.

Oldham and Uppermill Ghost walks are for kids and grown ups next week 29^th, 30th, 31st October 2014

Oldham Kids walk start at 5pm – 6.30pm from outside the haunted Oldham Coliseum

Oldham Ghost walk for the brave 8pm – 9.30pm

Uppermill Kids walk start at 5pm – 6.30pm from outside the spooky Civic Hall

Uppermill Ghost walk for the brave 8pm-9.30pm

www.hardgraft.co.uk

 0161 652 602

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Actor is slammed for burglar story

If you read yesterday's post this is what the Nottingham Evening Post thought about my stories.

THEATRE groups in Notts have criticised an actor from Carlton for making up a life story to gain publicity for one of his plays.

Mark Whiteley told media across the UK, including former BBC Radio Four programme Home Truths, that he was a reformed burglar.

Now, Mr Whiteley, 44, says he made it up so he could promote his play called Thick as Thieves which tells the story of two Nottingham burglars.

Howard Whitehurst, one of the directors of the Bonington Players in Arnold, said Mr Whiteley's actions reflected badly on the acting profession.

"I have no problem supporting people who are using their life experience. but if the whole thing is based on a lie, that's just deceitful and dishonest."

David Goatham, member of the Bonington Players, described Mr Whiteley's lies as "unethical" and "shocking".

A spokeswoman for the All Hallows Dramatic Society in Lady Bay said: "It's unfair to all the honest authors and playwrights out there.

But Mr Whiteley said: "I'm a story teller. That's what I do for a living. I'm not a liar."

A BBC spokesman said stories on Home Truths were checked much as possible.

Read more: http://archive.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Actor-slammed-burglar-story/story-12221195-detail/story.html#ixzz2vCoOPYuO

The truth isn’t out there.

Have you ever told a lie and regretted it?

Mark Whiteley as Burglar in Thick As Thieves

About 10 years ago I wrote a comedy show about 2 burglars that I was going to take to the Edinburgh fringe festival, if you've never visited Edinburgh festival you'll be amazed to know that there about 2,500 different shows performing in one city over three weeks.  As you can imagine getting noticed at such a monster event is very difficult, especially if its your first festival, your first play and you have no notable celebrities in it.

I thought long and hard about making a splash, to come up with a media coup that would ignite ticket sales, in the past you might remember Aaron Barchak a comedian who got through tight security at Windsor Castle to gate-crash Prince Williams 21st birthday dressed as Osama bin Laden.  His stunt thrust him onto the front pages of the British press and sold him many tickets.

My idea wasn't as daring, my idea was quite conventional, my idea was to tell the world that I was an ex burglar.  The headline for my press release was “Ex Burglar steals the show” - not brilliant, but interesting.  I sent off the emails to all the national and local press and waited.  And waited. And waited.  Nothing, not a jot, not even my local newspaper thought it was news worthy.  I was about to give up when I remembered Home Truths a BBC radio show that took stories from the public and told them, so I mailed Home Truths and within 2 hours they had rung me and booked me to talk to their legendary host John Peel.  Now, I must tell you that John Peel is no longer with us; he was and still is a national treasure, I myself was a massive fan and ideally, I wouldn’t want to lie to him, but we needed publicity.

Here’s a good game.  Write the words REFORMED BURGLAR in your internet search engine I know that if you live in the UK you’ll come up with my story at the top of your search, indeed you can still click and hear me telling my story.  And yes ladies and gentlemen it is just a story, just a made up story about a young kid dealing with low-level crime and coming through it with the love of a good woman.  I left the BBC studio pleased that this might be heard and we may create a bit of interest in our Edinburgh show. 

What came to pass was nothing more than astounding.  I got no newspaper interest, but I did get a call from a marketing executive for an insurance company who had heard my story and wanted to pay me to go on a publicity drive to help keep homes safe over the summer holidays.  He wanted me to go on the radio and give the burglars “inside’ story about keeping your home safe.  Now, I was and am a low paid actor, my life is feast or famine, so if a wealthy company comes along and asks me to play a part for them I have to say yes.

I studied home security advice from the police and put my own spin on it and turned up to do the first of 48 radio interviews over two days.  After the first day I was heard by T.V. producers who wanted me to go on their shows and demonstrate to their viewers how to not leave ladders against the bathroom window to keep safe.  By the end of day two I was a Burgling Celebrity in magazines, newspapers and web sites.

The aftermath was a little strange; I found that when there was anything about theft or burglary in the news, lazy journalists would search the internet for Reformed Burglars to get an opinion and my name would be top, over the last 10 years I have graced many TV and Radio shows with my ex burglar act and I’ll probably be doing it for years to come.  So, if you asked me if I’d ever lied and regretted I’d have to say, no, I’ve enjoyed almost every minute.

Working for free.

What do you do if you're working in the arts as a performer and you have no work?  I have worked many times for no money, in fact one of the best periods in my career started with a job for no money.

I was asked to do a rehearsed reading for the Nottingham Playhouse I wanted to meet the writer so I said yes and gave away 2 days for nothing.  From that reading I was offered the lead part (my first lead role in my home town), from that part I was offered a new bigger agent, who worked really hard for me and helped me land many big TV and film roles.  From this free play reading came a feature film, adverts and other lucrative work so for me working for free played off.

I have an idea, but I have no funding.

Do I invite young actors and offer them no money?  Or do I not do the work till I have money to pay, which could be months away?

I want to pay everyone, but sometimes the pot is empty.