I’ve not had that much time to dedicate to the monologue project (“I Still Get Excited When I See A Ladybird”) because of working or generally getting my car stuck in the snow and not feeling like it. Oh and the film I was involved with for the 48Hr Film Challenge over in Jersey won! Super mega chuffed and it was great to see familiar faces from what seems like a lifetime ago. The films are still up for people to view (I think) over here. But I’ve thrown myself back into the new project and it seems to be getting hard now…
…and I know why. So far I’ve written two male monologues, both older, and I find these relatively easy. I enjoy pretending to be someone else and really get my teeth into it. I’m now crafting a female monologue and she happens to be 26. That’s extremely close to my age and I suppose what I’m worried about is people will assume that this is my agenda, this is my message as a young female playwright of 25. It’s not at all, I’m merely exploring ideas that I’ve talked about with people but the content is very sexualised and delves into what we impart on people and what we’re frightened to admit. And it’s true, there’s a part of me in this monologue but there’s a segment of me in all of my writing and I’m trying to write and keep the flow of the narrative going without worrying too much about the repercussions. Counter-productive to be troubling myself with these sorts of things now but I can honestly say it’s making writing this monologue hard work. So when I get to the end of the first draft I’ll be leaving that in a drawer for longer than a week it has to be said.
I find it much easier to write for men.
Katie Mccullough Talks and Writes 
Fuck it Lucy, you ARE putting it all out there when you write, your own stuff AND everyone else’s. The personal stuff is courageous, everyone else’s is showing your ability to empathise. Only you will ever know the parts of your script that come from one or the other, and people will assume away. Unfortunately you can’t really educate people on this, you just have to take it on the chin, so… refer to first to words of comment and just go for it 🙂
Thanks Allen, I’ll even let you off confusing me with Lucy 😉
It’s very true what you’ve said, people will always assume their own thoughts and I just have to carry on writing. Maybe the reason I’m also struggling is because I’m writing it extremely close to my person; as in I can project elder or younger because I’m either heading or have been there. I suppose I’m writing more of myself in this than I first thought and with the constant reminders of ‘young female playwright’ being bandied around I need to refocus and strive through to the end. Well said good man. Fuck it I will!