I Just Can’t Wait to Get Started
I was late for the first gathering. GREAT! Trust me to make that as my first impression. I very rarely get embarrassed because I am always making a fool of myself whether on purpose or by accident but, I was actually quite embarrassed that this happened. First impressions are important, and it really annoyed me that I made being late mine. After the gathering, I remembered what I said at the beginning, “there was an emergency at our family shop and I had to man the till”, despite this being true, I kind of wish I hadn’t said it because it doesn’t matter why I was late, I just was, and it was my fault. I suppose this has given me the kick on the bum which a probably needed. In future, if I am late again, I am going to make a point of letting someone know in advance and basically, just try to be more organised.
However, we shall not dwell, moving onto the matter at hand.
You know when you meet someone or a group of people for the first time, and you automatically know that you will click? This is how I felt after the gathering. I am so excited to watch and learn how other people’s minds work when it comes to writing and I love that we will all be on this journey together and share the same experiences, but each of us will get something completely different and personal out of it at the end.
This is one of my favourite photos from my childhood.
So, who am I? Well, my name is Naomi Watson, and I am a seventeen-year-old girl from a tiny village in southwest Scotland. My upbringing was humble, full of long family walks, baking, stories, music, all of the usual warm and fluffy things. I am the kind of person who loves to share what I am passionate about, whether it be supporting trans rights or how I make my top-notch lemon meringue pie.I have always loved writing because it allows me to voice my thoughts and opinions in a beautiful way. I usually write about either, what I know or what is going on in my life. I believe being part of this programme will help me to step outside of my comfort zone when it comes to writing.
This is Diezel eyeing up my lemon meringue pie.
Another reason for my great interest in the Young Playwrights Programme is that I have just finished co-writing a play, about my experience as a teen key worker and everything that came with it, which was an amazing experience and I am completely and utterly in love with it but, to be honest, neither of us had any idea what we were doing. Obviously, we have knowledge from watching and reading other plays, but I would like to refine my skills in this area and hopefully, this will allow me to create something that I am proud of and that I know will be enjoyed by many.
It may sound selfish but, for the past year, I feel as though I have been doing anything and everything for everyone else, this is why I am so looking forward to this year and this programme in particular because it will be something for me. Writing is my escape because I can go, do and be whatever I want, which has really helped me through this difficult period. I could forget what was happening around me, this past year has really taught me to appreciate writing on a whole new level, whether it be playwrighting, poetry or even writing in my journal. It is not only something I love doing but it is a form of self-care, away of letting go and letting all my worries and problems fall on the page, to clear my mind and allow me to keep going.
My current journal.
After I was accepted into the university of my choice, I lost pretty much all motivation for school, “why am I doing this?” and “what is the point?” went through my head on the daily, I felt as though I didn’t need to be doing the work because it wasn’t something that I loved, and I didn’t need the grades. I can already feel that being part of this programme is helping my motivation and I have that urge to get going again. It has given me a burst of enthusiasm because it is something that I really want to do.
My personal aim for this year as part of the Young Playwrights Programme is to make a personal connection through my work with everyone it touches or engages with it. Some other aims that I have been thinking about are:
-I want to understand what makes a play successful
-I hope to learn to be less critical of my work and myself-To learn to love something I have created
-To make bonds with people that share my passion and enthusiasm to learn and explore the different aspects of playwrighting
-I would like to inspire others with my thoughts and work, and I would like to learn from theirs.
I just can’t wait to get started!
Naomi Watson
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