Sunday 21 October 2007

Sunday Miscellany



I have never had a piece accepted for Sunday Miscellany. I don't seem to have the knack of writing the type of script that appeals to the show. The mixture is eclectic but non-threatening, often traditional, rarely challenging and usually Irish related. They like history pieces, about places or people related to Ireland. They also take some poetry but poetry that works well on the radio is hard to write. They have an audio history of pieces, so if you are writing to fit, listen to a load first to see what works. There is also a book of pieces and poems you can buy.

Download their guidelines here. They do have open submissions and are said to be looking for new voices but they also have regular writers commissioned who appear again and again (with varying quality and interest in my opinion)

It runs evey Sunday on RTE radio 1 at 09:10, sometimes repeated. Each piece is approximately 700 words long. All scripts submitted are acknowledged, but if you haven't heard within 6 months, it's a no. If they do accept you, you have to go into an RTE studio to record. And they pay.

I thought I would post some scripts I sent that were not accepted. I don't know what else to do with them.

Croquet and Cribbage
Moving in Irish Circles
Checkpoint CharlieBetty Likes Ham
Sleeping with Seamus

4 comments:

Padhraig Nolan said...

sorry to hear the hit (miss?) rate . Have you posted those scripts somewhere?

I've been thinking about sending them something for a while now - must get going.

BTW - you might be interested to know there's a new story by Anne Enright on the guardian site from saturday's paper:
http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2194992,00.html

cheers, PJ

Ken Armstrong said...

Post them (you probably have already) would love to see them, point me at 'em eh? :)

ken

Emerging Writer said...

Thanks Ken. I updated the post with links to the pieces I posted on the blog. Happy reading. Do you have pieces on Sunday Misc?

Ken Armstrong said...

Thanks I've been reading, they're very good.

Some of the bits I've posted on my site were used on Miscellany - my second-to-last post 'digging a hole' was the first I got through. In the sidebar titled 'actual writing stuff' there are three others, 'Bad With Names', 'Elite among Altar Boys' and, emmm, 'Blessed Martin and the Fridge'. I think there's been seven in all but they were all in Martha McCarron's time as producer and we seemed to build up a good working relationship on them.

I've had no joy at all since and have given up submitting now. 'The accordion teacher' again from the sidebar, was ignored as was 'first night of alien'. It's tougher, now, to get on - the preferred writing seems to have changed a little, maybe it's just me (bitter and twisted.. not!) :)