The new year has started with few resolutions and a lot of ideas. I’m still finishing off the trilobite documentary and I think the end is finally in sight on that project.

The client wants it cut down to 40 minutes – I’m not sure what slot he’s got in mind – but anyway, I think I’m getting there, and the edit does improve the flow of the thing. I’ve also managed to tidy up a few bits of editing that look messy.

Music is a bit of a battle – for some reason, it always feels right to put more music in while I’m editing, then when I come to review the work, I end up taking it all out again. Not sure why that is, but it’s also a bit true of narration – I’ve cut out a lot of my voiceover and it doesn’t seem to have made the story less clear, so obviously I’ve been rattling on for no good reason….

I’m also painfully aware that my tax recipts need adding up and presenting by the end of the month.

It’s not a fun job and every time I do it, I wish I could be organised enough to do it every month instead of every year. Calculating tax is one of those things you always feel bad about – even if you’re finally doing it, there’s always a dark suspicion in your mind that you’re doing something wrong and that someday someone’s going to turn up and have you arrested.

I’ve been doing the work in dribs and drabs this week as the new baby has meant I haven’t had enough sleep to be confident in my adding up….


Aside from this, I’ve dug up an old project – a children’s picture book on evolution I created about 5 years ago with the intention of submitting it to publishers.

For some reason (I think it was as trivial as my printer not working properly) I shelved the project and never sent it to anyone…. But now, I’ve dusted it off and I’m getting it out there.

I think this is partially because I’ve got another kids book idea (as well as a couple of grown up ones) and I want to see what happens when you submit stuff to publishers…

Well, I guess I’ll find out.

Looking through the websites of publishers, they vary hugely – some give clear guidelines for prospective authors – others (even big ones) make it very difficult to find out even basic information (like the fact that they don’t want writers sending manuscripts).

For that reason, a lot of the biggest publishers simply aren’t going to get a look at my book – I’m a professional, and I expect my publishers to be professional too – I’m not going to waste my time trawling through badly organised websites trying to find information (particularly when providing that information would save the publishers from receiving submissions they don’t want).