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Task 3 audioscript

Today we have two writers in the studio. Welcome Tanya Tallis and Sam Waitley.
Hello.
Sam, it's sometimes said that writers as a group have more in common than they diverge.
What's your opinion on this?

One of the things I think you can safely say about writers is that our driving force is the itch
for fame and recognition.

I think if anything we're a neurotic lot driven by our internal demons. I mean, every writer I
know seems to be this lethal combination of sometimes coming on far too strong and others
acting like a frightened rabbit. Though I wouldn't be surprised if both stem from the same
demon of insecurity.

That's rather a generalisation, isn't it? I know what you mean about coming on too strong
and it is often to compensate for something. Though don't you need to be pretty sure of
yourself to assert yourself on paper? After all, why should people want to read my thoughts
on whatever?

I'd call it a need to write rather than a need to be read and that hardly comes from being sure
of yourself.

Well, another thing we have in common is our uncertainty about the business side of things.
That's all we talk about when we get together.

It's all grumbles about publishers, editors and so on. In fact, I tend to avoid congregations of
writers purely because you get so much whinging and often it just gets you more steamed
up.

You do get plenty of that. I try to sift through it to find out which editors are supportive and
which ones to avoid. And anyway, often it's very difficult for a writer to know how much to
charge for a particular piece of work. And unless you talk to other writers, you can't find out
the going rate.

But don't you think what's maddening about the term writer is that anyone can be one. You
know, it's not like hairdressing. I mean, I don't think if I'm short of a few quid, oh, I'll go and
cut a few people's hair. I'm sure I'll make a reasonable fist of it. But any old superannuated
celebrity or politician can pick up a pen and get away with it.

Don't you think, though, that people realise that, let's call it real literature, is in a different
league from a celeb's ghosted tripe? They know there's an awful lot of craft involved in
writing and it takes years to learn it.

But do we want literature to be, if you like, all craft and no inspiration? Surely inspiration is
paramount.
Of course, you need the germ of the idea that you want to develop in the first place. But I
wouldn't underestimate the technique side of things. I can think of two or three novels based
on very banal concepts that have been turned into something quite stunning.

So have you got anything up your sleeve to stun us with?

Um…

Oh, come on. We all know we should keep our cards close to our chests. But being writers,
we need to bounce our ideas off someone.

Well, I've known so many people who've had their ideas ripped off. You know, they bob up in
other people's work if you share them. And most of us have learned from that now.

There, I'm afraid we must stop because it's time for the news. Thank you both very much
indeed.

Thank you.