Big Finish New Writer Oppotunity

[SiHart]

News from BF:

For a very limited period, Big Finish is pleased to invite prospective writers to pitch ideas for a one-off, 25-minute Fifth Doctor and Nyssa audio adventure, which we hope will make up one of four single-episode stories comprising a future Doctor Who release.

Full details are contained in the briefing document, which you can download in pdf format by clicking here.

But hurry – this window of opportunity closes on Monday 1 February!

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

Dodo’s half‐Terileptil son became the Black Guardian, eh.... Sounds interesting!

[Paul Monk]

Thats not much time is it? You'd have to have something up and ready to go straight away really.

[Andrew Curnow]

I've had a couple of ideas, but in one nothing happens, and the other I can't come up with an ending! But I suppose it is only Monday!

[Si Hunt]

I might submit my Fourth Doctor/Liz/Androgums story I wrote when I was 11, just in case they decide to make it.

Well they're doing "Doctor Who and the Macros".

Si.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

I don't know whether this is a wonderful opportunity or smacks of desperation on Big Finishes part.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

... however just in case, I have something on my machine which can be made usable within 45 minutes ...

[brandynigma]

Well, I've submitted mine. It's about biology, cricket and religion. The challenge was NOT rewriting Doctor Who and the Krittitmen.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Yeah I'm afraid to say I couldn't resist throwing something together myself to submit.

[Andrew Curnow]

Me too, although I have to say I was heartily sick of it by the time I sent it. To the extent that my Outline was nearer 600 than 500 words, and the two pages of script was on two pages, but only by virtue of my shrinking the margins down as far as humanly possible. I didn't like my title either. Grumble mumble blah blah.

[Rob McCow]

Good luck everyone... deadline closes NOW.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Me too, although I have to say I was heartily sick of it by the time I sent it.

Yeah I kept going through my treatment until it was down to 499 words. It was an interesting exercise that cos you were going "well what's important and what can be removed". I even found the odd bit where really I was saying the same thing twice.

I got into loads of trouble from my wife though who thought I should be doing other things, and just didn't really understand.

I think they'll be pretty whimsical about what they pick, not necessarily the best written, but an idea that strikes them. I don't envy their job - mainly as I can see a lot of strange things landing in their inbox, and probably the odd bit of slash too.

[Rob McCow]

As with all these things, the most important tip is to read and follow the instructions! The way they make their job easier is to quickly weed out ones that are in the wrong font, have too many words or the ones that are about the Daleks.

If I was doing it, I'd do a scan first for words like 'Tereleptil', 'Cybermen' and 'Mara'. Anything to cut down the size of the pile.

[Lissa]

Having such a narrow brief was an interesting exercise in scaling the story down. I may have scaled it down too far and made it slight and dull. I'm not sure the whole "opportunity" will lead to much as BF produced 28 volumes of Short Trips and gave chances to hundreds of writers and I can't think of anyone who was "discovered" that way and went on to be one of the main series writers.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Yeah well personally it's not so much about thinking of becoming a writer cos my muse is way too infrequent for me to make a career. But there is something nice about the hope of seeing (or hearing) something you've written become a kind of reality, and hearing someone else speak words you've written.

[Jon Masters]

I was tempted but all the ideas I came up with needed more than 1 episode or just seemed very dull. Too much other stuff to do unfortunately.

Good luck to everyone who got something in

[WhiteCrowNZ]

I think some of it is quite deliberate. The brief was about keeping it down in scope.

I bet if they'd not there would be a hell of a lot of "I have a great idea for a story, about a war between the Daleks/Cybermen/Sontarans/etc". It's almost like a kind of D&D "make your own script pitch" ...

Anyway I'm guessing they're after doing another Circular Time format of multiple stories. Problem is with those kinds of things you can end up with a mixed bag, the first story of the avians was very good, the Isaac Newton one spectacular, but the other two I've only listened to once.

[Lissa]

Phase II

The Return of Short Trips

... on audio!

Big Finish are proud to announce a new series of short-story collections starring the Doctor and his companions. Each CD will feature eight brand-new adventures, read by well-known actors and written by...

... you?

Submissions please!

It doesn't matter whether or not you've been published before, but submissions will only be accepted from people who have never written anything for Big Finish. If your story is chosen, you will work with an editor to get the story ready for publication. You will receive the standard author’s contract and rates of pay. Remember, this is a short story, not a play. It should be no more than 2,500 words in length.

Classic Doctors... brand new adventures

You can make use of any of the first eight Doctors. You can also use any of the classic television companions (up to and including Ace) and any of the Big Finish companions. You cannot use either the Ninth, Tenth or Eleventh Doctors, nor their companions, nor any other of the Doctor’s past friends and enemies. No Daleks, no Cybermen, no Time Lords, no Drashigs or Slitheen etc. Your story should be wholly original.

Send your story in the body of an email (no attachments please), with the title in the subject line, to shorttrips@bigfinish.com by 29th March 2010. Entries must be by email only. If you do not have internet access at home (how are you reading this anyway?), you will have to use a friend's access or visit an internet cafe. Please include a short paragraph telling us a little bit about yourself and your writing history.

The first CD is scheduled for release in late 2010.

[Andrew Curnow]

If you do not have internet access at home (how are you reading this anyway?), you will have to use a friend's access or visit an internet cafe.

What an odd thing to put! Bit like saying, "If you don't have a computer then you'll need to borrow one to type up your story" or "If you don't speak English you'll have to get a friend or a professional translator to translate it for you".

[WhiteCrowNZ]

I think the comment is just a bit of fun. Although I bet knowing some of the special fans there are for Doctor Who, there will be people emailing them saying "I don't have a computer ... what do I do".

[Jon Masters]

Hmm - I fancy a go at this. Will be interesting - a story doesn't always work when it's read to you as opposed to seeing it on the page. A bit of research listening to lots of radio 4 and 7 methinks.

[Rob McCow]

The ever wonderful Simon Guerrier has some extra advice on his weblog:

http://0tralala.blogspot.com/2010/02/short-tips.html

[Jon Masters]

Thanks for that, Steve. I think I read them last time when the results were announced.

Obviously I need to avoid the 'depressed ex-soldier considering suicide' motiff this time

[Paul Monk]

This could finally be an outlet for my Joe Meek / Black Hit of Space story! Although the film Telstar has kind of ruined that.

[Si Hunt]

I don't have a computer, and everything I post on PS is actually typed in by a slave in India, to whom I phone and dictate to everytime I have something to say. So I'm distraught Big Finish are DESCRIMINATING against me on the grounds that I don't own a computer and am not connected to the Information Super Net. I demand I be allowed to fax in my outline for my historical adventure "Doctor Who and the Menace of the Catholics" in which the TARDIS lands in 10th Century Saffron Waldon and the Doctor becomes entangled in the attempts of the Bishop of Salsbury to seize religious power in his local province, while his parissioners are killed off one by one by a lone Zarbi Scout Warrior.

Si.