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Wednesday 31 December 2008

My Year

Well, every other blogger seems to be doing it... but I'll keep mine short because, frankly, it's been one of those years where you can't run through the best of it without the risk of sounding like a total arse. Let's just say I've had a lot to be grateful for.

But to put that into perspective, here's how I started the year. I was working quietly on a book and my last half dozen screen jobs had included:
Sales to two successful shows created by other people and cancelled by channel controllers for reasons only an insider can know

A BBC commission torpedoed by a rival producer and followed by an ugly battle with Business Affairs over payment due

A project that I’d walked off two weeks before it went to shoot

And then, almost the last straw, an expensive two-parter that I was particularly proud of, hastily rescheduled to run against one of the biggest live football matches of the season. They didn't even waste money on a trailer. Don't ask me what I think of the £45,000 launch party for Merlin unless you've got an hour to spare.
(For the actual last straw, you'll have to look at a piece I wrote at the request of BFS chair Guy Adams for the next issue of Prism, the newsletter of the British Fantasy Society. A barefaced plug for the BFS? Whatever next?)

I think I learned two things this year.

1. Nothing ever turns out as you planned. But if you don't make plans, nothing happens at all.

2. The secret of happiness, in work and in all of life, is to go where you're wanted.

Happy New Year!

9 comments:

Gail Renard said...

3. Persevere.
4. Know the difference between shite and shinola even when sometimes others don't.
5. Persevere.

Have a great 2009!

Stephen Gallagher said...

Damn. So that's why my shoes won't buff up.

wcdixon said...

I'm in the middle of a 'what I'm presently doing vs. what I thought I'd be doing' post --- it's making my brain hurt.

Thanks for some wonderful posts...all the best for 2009!

Good Dog said...

Stephen, Happy New Year. Best wishes for 2009.

Stephen Gallagher said...

Thanks all, and the same back at ya... and anyone else out there who's dipped into the blog and felt curious enough to return every now and again. I don't look at the stats, so I've no idea of the numbers. Whether it's a select few or a silent horde, I'd rather not know! Because then it would all get far too serious...

James Moran said...

Glad it's been a good year for you, guv, and here's to 2009. Happy New Year!

jula meadows said...

Success means only having to mention the failures in your end of year review ;-)

Happy New Year!

Near by said...

Happy New Year

sound advice!

Daveon said...

Happy New Year Steve - let me know when you're next on this side of the pond.