I’m an A+E Doctor… and a comedy writer
by Jon Baker (@thecomicaldoc)
I’ve not made it yet by a long shot but I have now made something! It feels good. I’ve learned an incredible amount doing it…and the thing is …one thing leads to another in this writing business. It’s like a long chain of events!
I’ll come back to what I made in a minute. (Okay if you can’t wait, it’s an audio sitcom pilot, a podcast, it’s called Finchley Fitness, it’s set in a gym. The Office meets The Brittas Empire. You can find it here at www.finchleyfitness.com and it stars some really cool young comedians, it’s not perfect by a long shot, could do with another edit, but I’m very proud of it. As I write it’s had some lovely feedback on social media and more listens than I could have imagined. I’ve had messages from as far as Australia from listeners wanting to tell me they really enjoyed it. Sorry, networking, promoting, sneaked that in, lesson one don’t be afraid to talk about yourself, talk yourself up!
Where was I. Yes back a few years. I actually do have a day job. I’m an A&E Doctor. I’ve always wanted to write but if I’m honest wasn’t brave enough to follow that career to start with. I’ve been working as a doctor for some time, it’s fairly full on and I’m pretty busy with it. The beauty of writing though is you can squeeze it in. I write little but often. I used to lug a laptop around, now I write everything on my iPad on final draft. Means I can grab lots of moments, lots of writing, any time, anywhere. I’ve got five radio sitcoms in the drawer. A few afternoon dramas. And numerous other bits and pieces at ideas stage. I write fast. And I wrote a lot. It feels like an addiction. And crucially I’ve now made a fair few contacts.
I’ve focussed on Radio as that seemed a good learning ground and a good way in. And of course hugely important and successful in its own right, with way more listeners than many TV shows. My break in terms of making contacts came when a guy offering script advice read my work. I ran a few scripts through him, paid work. He was a commissioned writer and he liked what I’d written. He put me in touch with a script editor in BBC radio. I worked on a few ideas with him. He moved on and left me with a producer his then boss, who made Claire in the Community at the time. We offered a script to what’s called the PDG at the BBC. It was a hospital based sitcom. It didn’t get through, but of the group of producers who read it, half were really positive, and half hated it. Lesson two- comedy is subjective. I’ve sent scripts to one producer in Radio who’s said ‘no way, don’t get it’. Another one, same script, loved it and offered it to Radio Four for me. Don’t get easily put off, have faith in your work!
I should explain more about the BBC process. The PDG audition scripts each month to choose what then gets offered annually to Radio Four. So step one find a producer, step two they need to like your script, step two the PDG need to like your script. And then step three the commissioner needs to like it. I’ve been stuck at all levels over the years. It’s a bit like snakes and ladders. And I think that leads me to lesson three, resilience. I’ve heard that offered as advice a few times. I think it’s so true, you have to be resilient and stick with it.. Sometimes my day job seems like a god damn pain. All I want to be doing is writing! But honestly the other stuff you do, what ever it is, it feeds your writing. You need something to write about. I confess I use being a doctor to open doors if I can. I think you have to use everything in your tool box. What am I doing currently? Well I’ve got ideas with a several different producers, in Radio and TV. Some on spec, some contacts I’ve made all from that one original contact. I now spend maybe ten percent of my time making contacts, researching contacts, emailing contacts and ninety percent writing. You do need to do both. And lastly I decided whilst I’m waiting for that first commission that I’d make my own comedy pilot. Hard work, but very rewarding and very insightful.
Ha, I’ve run out of words, I feel blog post part two coming, in which I can give you the low down of how I made this. Maybe have a listen and then we can talk again. Lesson four. Always leave them wanting more!
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