First blog ever: all about me

Having threatened to set up a blog for so long, now I'm really not sure where to start. I want to put up advice on writing - hell, I've been writing all my life and in most mediums - but also just to talk about what it's like to live as a writer .

Before I became a full time screenwriter, I was a freelance journalsit for ten years. I've had nine stage plays produced, garnering four (and a half!) awards. I've had a radio play on BBC4, after developing a score that never got that far. I've written ten features, most of which have been optioned or been in development at some stage. (Yes, it's a heartbreaking business - you need a big and confident heart, capable of putting the disappointments aside and fighting on! But Jameson helps too.)

I've written TV series that were cossetted for different periods of time by C4, 5 and ITV.

Currently I have two animation series in development, the first of which should go into production in the next few months. Thrillers, family films, animation, sci-fi rom com, comedy drama, rom com; I have written in every genre, much to the concern of my agent who doesn't always know how to market me. I've written high concept and low budget and written for hire (storylines, scripts and series development and bibles). I've had two short films made and another two are due to be produced before Summer with some really interesting people attached.

I've also written two books of fiction, one of which is still out and about hunting for a happy home, while a new ones is at first draft stage. One book of non fiction was commissioned about the history of the Olympia Theatre but the publishers went bankrupt the day after delivered it!

As a script editor I've worked on some great projects for various companies around Ireland north and south. One interesting project is due to go into production the tail end of this Summer but, since my work hasn't really begun on it yet, I won't name it yet!

I also teach one day seminars, two day sessions and evening courses on the craft of screenwriting. Over the years I've taught in South Africa, at arts festivals around Ireland and
in UCD, People's College, FilmBase and Liberties College in Dublin.

Okay, that's probably enough for the first one!