The Three Leaches has turned me down.

The Three Leaches has turned me down. 

Yes, that’s the correct grammar because the Three Leaches is a theatre company based in Denver, Colorado; and they run an annual ten minute play competition; and this year they didn't chose my play. That’s the play that was included in a recent festival of ten minute plays in Illinois.(see previous blogs) So what’s their problem?

But that’s it, isn't it? What’s sauce for the goose isn't necessary sauce for the gander (I think I've got my simile wrong but it’s about right).

Indeed the play that I am talking about – one that I've mentioned before (The one that I had to edit down from eleven pages to nine) also was rejected in the long list, didn't even get into the short list, for another competition which is not so far from here (that is it’s based in Britain rather than America) and one where I've been quite successful in the past.

It makes you begin to think as a playwright – what do these people want? If it’s good enough for A theatre company, why doesn't B company want to do it? It’s tried. It’s tested in front of an audience. The play I’m talking about went down very well indeed. Therefore it works – so why does no one else want it?

Well, that’s not true – I don’t know that no one else wants it, but two companies have turned it down.

In a bitter and twisted way I could start to think that these companies – the rejectors – Who are up their own competitions and have an agenda when it comes to choosing plays – and the successful quality of my play didn't even come into it, when they all met in their grubby little room to discuss the entrants.

So what do you do? No, what do I do? Play them at their own game? Try and find out what kind of plays are successful and try to ape that style – that content – that goodness knows what – or just keep on with my own style, my own content, my own goodness knows what.

The problem is that if you try to chase their tails, you are not being true to yourself; and of course it may all come out as a nasty uncreative mess.

The bigger problem is when they set a theme and you have to write something to fit that theme. Or do you? Or rather do you let that theme rollover you, and if it takes hold then go with it? But if it doesn't – then let it go.

You cannot be dictated to in the creative process. It’s just not a good idea – or rather that’s my opinion. Otherwise you start writing in a mechanical way and nothing will be accepted at all, because you haven’t put your heart and soul into it.

So you don’t take rejection personally.  They have been reading a lot of plays in these competitions – it’s now well into the hundreds for many of them – and who knows what clicks with the readers and what doesn't. 

So don’t try to second guess them. The only point in researching what has been successful in the past is to decide whether they may want to look at your work and give it serious consideration or not. No good sending off a light fluffy piece about martial tiffs, if the plays they are seeking are to do with the environment or Native American concerns in the modern day. You are wasting their time and your own by sending it in.

So write what you want to write and you will find a place that will receive you with open arms and put on your play and it will fit (if it’s a ten minute play) in with the others to make a nice neat programme.

Be true to your own self and not let others dictate to you.

The competition’s too fierce out there and the world, now with the web, far too big for you to find a place every time.

I get plays produced a few times a year – more would be nice – to be paid for them even nicer – but I don’t let the Leaches of this world discourage me. Good luck to them in Denver, Colorado – and good luck to all of you writers out there.

P.S  I've just found a competition in northern Alaska – now I wonder what they would like me to send?