Tom Derrington’s latest diary on what a writer does besides writing
Ernest Hemmingway’s quote – “The only kind of writing is rewriting” – makes me not want to do any more writing, ever.
Annoyingly though, it does seem to be true.
It’s one thing, happily tapping on a laptop, chuckling away to myself, for fun, when the kids are fast asleep. But the prospect of knowing that actual actors will soon be inhabiting this created world, dedicating their valuable time to rehearsing and performing exactly what the characters will say and do, in front of a live, paying audience who are there to be entertained. It suddenly makes me realise that actually… Hemmingway was bang on. The whole fucking thing needs to be rewritten!
1 March
After our initial table read last month, I asked the cast and director to send me over any notes on things they thought could be changed, removed, strengthened. I really want this project to be as collaborative as possible.
8 March
Three emails, several zoom calls and a bit of an argument with my mum, later – I now have a pile of lengthy, detailed notes to start working through. Rehearsals begin in April and I’ve promised to deliver a final draft before they get underway.
13 March
I don’t know how other writers approach it, but I seem to be spending a lot of time on the old ‘trimming the fat’ type of rewriting. Forever tweaking bits of dialogue and getting rid of wasted words or unnecessary exposition. And actually – I find it quite fun. I wonder how much can be deleted before the script no longer makes any sense to anyone?
16 March
…so the answer is about three days of relentless ‘fat trimming’. Got too excited, cut waaaayy too much – accidently saved over the earlier versions and so now I’m having to go back and add words and lines (and probably loads of unnecessary exposition along with it), just to try and make it make any kind of sense again. Annoying and not as much fun.
18 March
The argument with my mum (who I’ve roped in to play the lead character in this play) stems from her opening few scenes. She doesn’t really like the structure. And I do. She’s not sure it works. I think it does. A tricky one!
This is the kind of rewriting that I find most difficult – trying to reshape something entirely, despite already being pretty happy with it. I guess this is a skill that the best writers have all managed to master and I still need to learn. Somehow, being able to improve a draft by finding a balance between acting on useful structural notes – whilst at the same time, not losing ownership of the story I’m trying to tell. Definitely something I need to work on.
25 March
After a lot of stressing, redrafting and almost giving up on the whole thing – I think I’ve finally found a new opening that could actually work better. Everyone seems happy. But that was a horrible process.
27 March
Finished up, as best I could, working on the other notes – and that’s that. Boom! The final, completed rehearsal draft has just been sent over to the cast and director, on time! – Sent with the email subject: “Most of this might very well change a lot when you guys actually start rehearsing it.” – Probably not very helpful.
28 March
Poster designed. First social media posts are out. It’s official, my very first play in London is going on and to be honest, I’m completely shit-scared about it. But anyway, please excuse the shameless plug:
BOUNCE by Tom Derrington will be performed at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre.
6-10 June.
Tickets now available here
Please come watch. I’ll be in the bar before and likely afterwards. Perhaps even during – depending on how it all goes.
As always, our thanks to Tom for finding the time in his busy schedule to keep this diary. We’ll certainly be going to support the play in June, so do join us there.
