Rewriting is like taking a large, silly dog on a walk. You’ll visit the same places and have sniff because it is familiar. You’ll also sniff out new interesting spots. Visiting a script again you do become ‘nose blind’ and you tend to blank the sport / action / joke /dialogue. It’s too familiar.

So how do you take your dog for a walk and visit new spots. Well, it’s best to take another dog. When I go back over a script for the third draft I speak every word (including directions and effects) out loud. This helps as you can judge the rhythm and the unique voice of a character. What the dog walk misses is the plot.

Finding the Plot

The plot of a story or an episode is what hooks a listener, viewer or reader. If you don’t then they will be unsatisfied. Most consumers don’t want to think. My major fault is leaving the plot and story alone because “I know what’s going on!” I am a fool who learns when I sit at my keyboard.

I’ve also found that the background, the engines, the dynamics of the project have to be preloaded in your mind. Then the writing flows.

I’ve also discovered that I need to lay down all the elements one at a time. Once I have build enough layers and an episode of Jelly Trumpet has a shape I can go over it again looking at the ending, does it make sense or have I again gone for a ‘rave up’, also known as Deus ex machina (God in the machine). Too often I have found this the case.

Chasing the Plot and Planting

I describe what moves the action as an ‘engine’. That engine is usually a juxtaposition of ideas. Sometimes it is something that annoys me and instead of choosing detestation I choose ridicule.

A plant is a nod to what is to come. What I learnt, much later, can be called foreshadowing. Planting clues is also fun as now you can direct and distract. You direct the consumer to the end and then distract them. But, there is more. Once the direction is given as a clue you can lead the listener ‘up the garden path’. We’re taking this path, so this will happen. But it doesn’t. As long as this isn’t a cheat (O’, it was all a dream or you lie in a flashback) most listeners will have a thrill.

11 Episodes Including a Christmas Special

Mr b, my collaborator and all round excellent chap suggested a Christmas special for Jelly Trumpet Season 04. This has crossed my mind a few times and I’ve always dismissed it. Not sure why, I think fear. As Mr b’s suggestion came early in the writing, after the second draft, I took an episode that I thought would work as the basis. It cost me in time and much struggle about Christmas as although I enjoy the time, the magic of this time of year often passes me by.

I found that I had to ‘worry the bone’ and keep coming back to how I see Christmas. You’ll be able to judge for yourself soon!

BBC Open Call

The window for scripts is open. I choose the first episode of Season 04 to send off. I enjoyed the concept of the episode called ‘Escape from Camp Seven.’ This takes place after the invasion of the US Department of Justice & Righteous Revenge invades our islands. Anyone creative or funny is locked up.

The invasion concept weaves in and out for the season through many daft plots.

Redraft Conclusion

This is the most rewarding time. You are immersed in your words and ideas therefore odd ‘out of nowhere’ gags visit you often. It’s not easy to maintain the focus but if you are stubborn like me, you can keep the new dog on track. Because you have written do much and the world you have created is loaded in your mind, then making the story conclude in a believable (but still silly) manner.

I wish you great joy in your drafts.

Stay fruity,