Friday, April 20, 2007

Writing Torchwood

INT. THE TORCHWOOD HUB
The place is deserted, but - thanks to IANTO - it's also immaculately clean. The camera pans across the empty Hub set, and after a beat there's movement again. It's the main doors opening, as TOSHIKO enters - carrying her ever trusty laptop, inside a brown cover case. Surprised to see nobody else around, she moves over to her desk and sits down. After a few seconds holding it in, she breaks down into a flood of tears.

Nobody's saying Torchwood is a perfect series. Like "Doctor Who" and "Star Trek" and so many other shows out there, it's got it flaws. There's moments in "Torchwood" that just don't work, for whatever reason. It's as though the writing team didn't quite know what direction to take the show in next. As a writer myself, I can understand then why these flaws exist - and I'd do anything to have the chance to iron them out.

You heard me right, I'd love to write for Torchwood (but so would thousands of other fans). However, I don't just want to write it because I'm a fan. Because I've been so actively following its development, I feel can recognise its flaws, and given half a chance I could probably write a script with these in mind - and work deathly hard to avoid making the same mistakes myself.

Of course, I'd never get asked to write "Torchwood" because the only script writing I've done in the past is for unimportant short films, that hardly anybody's ever going to see. I've never written for television before (much to my regret) and don't stand a chance in hell of being invited to write for a high profile show like Torchwood unless I get a little more industry experience.

It's a shame, because there's thousands of wannabe script writers out there, plotting the perfect Torchwood episodes in their heads - but they'll never get the chance to write for the show either. Instead, they'll type out neat little Torchwood fan fics stories, and are content with letting a thousand or so people read their work - which is absolutely fantastic; because each and every one of those writers is expressing his or her love for the series, and writing for that particular universe.

So, what's the message I'd send out to potential writers? Don't give up, ever. Even if your stories are only read and enjoyed by a thousand people, you've still done your job properly. I might never get to write Torchwood itself, but keeping this blog every day is just as forfilling, because just under 1000 people are reading my work, and that's amazing. I might not be a part of BBC Wales, but I'm still influencing the world of Torchwood.

If you've got an imagination, why not invest it in writing for Torchwood?
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Because storytelling is the best gift you can ever offer anybody.
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As the tears roll down TOSHIKO's cheek, the woman attempts to wipe them away. It's silly really because TOSHIKO doesn't even know what she's crying about. She's not sad; not at all. Infact, in all her life she's never been happier than she is right now. Because inside this silly little Torchwood base, she feels something she's never felt before; at long, long last she feels at home.

16 comments:

Lioness said...

Thanks for the encouragement. I find writing Torchfics helps me polish my fiction skills, but I must confess I mostly do it because I love the show. If anyone is interested in sampling my Torchwood fanfic, it's here:

Lioness said...

Sorry, here: http://crabby-lioness.livejournal.com/

Anthony Garnon said...

Great work! I look forward to reading more in the future :)

Anonymous said...

Don't give up writing for this site. Its the only one worth reading now Torchwood has ended. Why you even get a mention in 'Inside the Hub', and how many Torchwood fans will read that!!

I feel like you just described sometimes. I write poetry and have been published lots of times in anthologies, newsletters, even got a piece on the BBC Wales internet site after a trip to Cardiff. I've no books coming out or fame of any sort, never even been paid unless you count the £10.00 I won as 4th prize in a competition once. Then last year a charity who published my work on the Internet asked me to London to meet Jerry Hall at their relaunch. They wanted to frame one of my poems and put it on the wall in their London office. Well my flight was delayed and I missed Jerry and the press, but my poem is on their wall still. I know its there. My family know its there. What I'm saying is don't ever give up. Don't ever stop doing what you love doing because you are not famous or you do not get the book/film deals etc. I do not need my ego massaged by 10,000 people at once. If I make one person smile in this mad mad world then I am happy. You are making 1,000 people happy every day x 7 x 52, be happy friend.

Lady Eleanor

Anonymous said...

Lady Eleanor, I couldn't have said it better myself!

Paul: Earth Defence said...

Wow, this post rocks! It's so supportive! OK, jackharkness, if you stop posting on this site, I will be upset. No offence to Kirby, it's just it's jack's post :-)! I lovd the little snippet of a script. Try sending it to BBC writersroom? It's gets you some notice. I've not read Lioness' stuff yet. And Lady Eleanor, good for you! OK, I'm finished.

S.J.Elliot said...

Aww that's so nice.
I hope one day you could write for Torchwood, you deserve it so much.
jackharkness - you rock! Keep up the writing.

Bad Wolf said...

WOO GO JACK PLEASED 4 U KEEP ITUPAND PLZ KEEP VISITING MY BADWOLF AND TWPR IM THINKIN OF MERGIN THE 2 PLUS IVE MADED A LIFEONMARS SITE IF U LIKE IT

Anonymous said...

Hehe, yey for fanfiction! I've got one up too, if anyone's insterested...http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3388759/1/...are we allowed self-advertisment on here? Ah well...I'm either deleted or not! It's Tosh's thoughts after Greeks Baring Gifts...are we all writting Tosh-related fics, or is it just me?!!!

Thanks for the ecouragement Jack, and keep it up yourself!

Anthony Garnon said...

Just for clarity's sake, I'm having a whale of a time writing Torchwood.tv and have no plans on leaving any time soon!

It's great that this post seems to have touched a good few of you guys and gals. Fanfic is a great thing, and should be celebrated all the time. Power of the fans and all that!

The reason why Tosh fanfic is so popular (in my opinion) is because she was so underused on the show. Us fans recognise Naoko's talent, and want to give her character a chance she never had on screen.

I've visited all of the above links you guys have posted, and I'm so in awe of the lot of you. You've done amazing things on all those sites, and the real Captain Jack would be proud indeedy.

Lady Eleanor congrats on the poem btw! You'll have to send me an email copy of it at the usual address.

Keep writing folks, and we'll all keep reading.

Till next time,
jackharkness

Anonymous said...

This is such a good summary of why we write fanfiction. I know it's severely looked down on in one writing group I belong to, but the fun of giving these characters the lives we feel they should have more than makes up for it.

I've written more than 70,000 Torchwood words now (*shameless plug*), and am still enjoying it as much as I did at the beginning. It's taught me so much about writing, structuring a plot, creating characters and working with editors, that it's bound to feed back into my original writing. No experience is wasted!

Besides, what are the tie-in novels except paid fanfiction? Someone gets to do it and they must have started somewhere.

Great encouragement, thanks.
~jadesfire

Anonymous said...

To jackharkness

Email copy of my poem as requested. I am assuming this is the usual address. Just google my name Eleanor Broaders and you can read my Captain Jack fanfic, piece on Cardiff on bbc site and other poems on the NAPAC charity website.

Lady Eleanor

Keeper of Lost Souls

I am the Earth Mother
I am the keeper of lost souls.
I keep them safe and protect them
Till they recover from their pain.
I teach them how to keep themselves safe
And live in the world again.

I wove the spaces between the shadows into stars
So they would not be afraid of the night.
I wove the rainbow from the rain that fell
So they would know I was near when the storms came.
In the daytime while they rested I set the sun on high
To give light and warmth while they played.

And my soft voice would sooth their worried minds
And the wind and the streams were the music
That I chose to accompany my singing.
Deep inside they still remember the music.
For on this mortal plain they try to recreate it
From the trees and the reeds and the sounds of their voices.

I am the Earth Mother
The keeper of lost souls.
And I hear the voice of the Universe
Rise above the din of the world,
Reminding me that I too am protected
Till I return to my home again.

Lioness said...

When people look down on fanfic I always wonder how much World Literature they've actually read? The Classics are full of Ancient Greek and Roman fanfic! Not to mention Medieval fanfic, Oriental fanfic, Fairytale fanfic, Folktale fanfic.... Almost every other story in one of the big anthologies is some form of fanfic.

Peter Pan said...

Know how you feel..... but I get easily excited .... nearly wet myself hearing the ad I wrote for the Western Mails Who posters on air ..I mean, its not a story or anything but its actually something Doctor Who, that I wrote and is being broadcast across Wales! As i said... easily exctied, me.

Anonymous said...

It's good to see a reasoned opinion from an obviously ardent fan of the show. It's got room for improvement.
Speaking of which, I understand the very nature of blogs is in-the-moment, but if you could just take a moment to proofread or spell and grammar check each post, that would really improve the site.
We can glean what you are going for in each sentence, but if you're writing about writing for Torchwood, it might be a good idea to check your work :)
Just a suggestion. Keep up the great site!

Anthony Garnon said...

Thanks for the honest opinion ern. It's actually one of the things I personally worry about most when putting together these little blog posts; because lets face it, they're far from perfect.

Normally when I write, I take days to carefully construct my words and put the message across perfectly, but on a news blog like Torchwood.tv the one thing you don't have is time!

Don't forget that I write this in my spare time, and at the mo time is something I really don't have a lot of! Literally, I have to scrabble together a post in like 15 minutes sometimes!

I have to say that you must be the most honest person to ever have commented on my work for this site - and I'd like to hear a little more of your suggestions, because my writing isn't perfect and can always be improved. Ern, please contact me on captainjackharkness@hotmail.com and we'll discuss it further.

If anybody else ever has some constructive (keyword there!) feedback to make about Torchwood.tv it'd be much appreciated, so get it touch!