I got an email last week from the Dirty Protest gang asking me if I'd like to write a short play for their Dirty, Gifted and Welsh event this year. And this is how I felt-

"Yes!"

"I remember going last year and really enjoyed it. There were loads of people I knew there".

"Oh god, there were load of people I knew there".

"Shit, there were loads of writers, good writers, that I knew there".

"What if my play's crap?"

"Am I political enough? What does that even mean? Isn't everyone political? But some people are really clever and write really clever stuff"

"Do I want to do this?"

"Dirty Protest plays are always funny. Does mine have to be funny?"

"It probably doesn't have to be funny but the ones that people like are the funny ones."

"What if there's a weird awkward disgusting silence throughout mine?"

"I wonder who else is writing a response play?"

"Do I know how to write?"

"Seriously, do I know how to write a play?"

-

"Fuck it, have a go. No-one's gonna die".

And so I wrote it. I've got a first draft and I'm gonna play with it a bit this week and then I'll send it their way. 

I wanted to share all that with you because I think that all too often all of us writers forget that there are lots and lots of other writers all over Wales sitting in front of their laptops worrying, dreading and questioning their gift. Every day. 

So lets all get together on October 12th to discuss, share and really celebrate the work we make. Lets go there with an open mind (and heart!) to enjoy ourselves and fall in love again with the buzz of writing new plays for the theatre. 

See you there (although I'll probably be hiding behind a baby when my play's on!)

Beth.x

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Comment by Katherine Chandler on September 30, 2014 at 20:10

I can't get there until the evening so I'm hoping the baby will still be there! Looking forward to it x

Comment by Catrin Fflur Huws on September 30, 2014 at 6:09

Cool - look forward to meeting you on the 12th. I've got the situation where what I wrote about as fiction, unlikely etc. has actually returned to our television screens. Damn. In future I shall write things where only good things happen to nice people.

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