Who is Yvonne Grace?
I am trained in Theatre Design (got a BA Hons degree in it anyway!) and am an ex-actress, having worked for 5 years in Theatre In Education and Community Theatre Companys. I realised that it was the written word, not the spoken, that interested and excited me and so I went into script development and reading lots of scripts for lots of organisations including, Channel Four, Radio Four, The Young Vic, The Bush Theatre, and most new writing venues in London in the late 80′s early 90′s. I set up The Deptford Wives (since I was then living in Deptford – the title suggested itself!) – a script development company and ran successful script in hand performances out of the Birds Nest Theatre Pub in Deptford. I went into television via a script editing job on Eastenders and worked my way along the script editing route and into drama producing. I have produced children’s drama for CITV and Holby City for the BBC and also executive produced Crossroads for ITV as well as developing lots of long running series ideas for both markets with a wide variety of writers. I set up Script Advice in 2007 to help writers write better scripts, primarily for the tv market. I also design and run short courses for organisations such as C4, The National Film and TV school, and The Script Factory and am speaking at the London Screenwriters Festival in October and at their Breakfast Club in September. In 2006 I left the city, moved to the country, got married and had a little boy in space of a year. His name is Michael, he is 4 and a half and starts school in September. I plan then to re-start my own writing career!
Had you always been interested in scriptwriting?
I have always been interested in how writers write and why they do. I have always been fascinated by the written word and by stories. I believe storytelling is in my blood and the need to express stories to as many people as possible is a very real thing in me. I love to read and to immerse myself in a book or a film or a radio play. I enjoy all genres of storytelling and found shaping a writer’s ideas for a large audience (which is ultimately the work I have done on television) a very exciting and rewarding job to do.
What were the most difficult challenges you've had to overcome?
I believe the most difficult challenge for me when I was starting out was the fact that I did not know anyone in the television world or anyone who had even done the job or heard of the job that I had managed to land for myself on Eastenders. I wasn’t educated at Oxford or Cambridge and at the time I was trying to get into telly, most drama jobs seemed to have an Oxbridge graduate in them. So I had to be tenacious, confident, polite, thick-skinned and also really really know my stuff. I thankfully managed to achieve some, if not all, of the requirements necessary and after 2 years of knocking on doors I got the intro I needed by the insightful invitation to join Eastenders from Helen Greaves.
What has been your major highlight to date and tell us more about some of the projects you've been involved with?
A major highlight for me was winning the LWT Comedy Award for Best Children’s Comedy for the Children’s pilot I produced ‘My Dad’s A Boring Nerd’ written by Joe Turner. I also have huge affection for Crossroads, and particularly the last metamorphosis of the show, as I Executive Produced the show, changed it’s image and cast Jane Asher as the Uber Bitch Angel Sampson. I am very proud of the ratings we achieved (1.5 million a day across the week) and enjoyed working with such a talented team of creatives both in front and behind the camera. I am also very proud of the success I made of Holby City series 2. I turned the show around from being a critical, but not ratings success, to being both popular with the critics and popular with audiences. My series gained a top viewing figure of 9.6 million and I believe these figures ensured Holby’s continued success. Again, the success of this show is a team effort and it is working with writers and actors and production crews that both know their stuff and enjoy doing their stuff that really makes working in television enjoyable and rewarding.
What advice would you give to new unpublished scriptwriters?
Write yourself a very very good calling card script first and foremost. Then target the people you want to read your work. Be selective and be respectful at all times. Be tenacious and try at all times to show confidence in your work and in yourself (even if you dont always feel like that!) When someone gives you a chance, no matter how small it may seem at the time, or that it might not be just exactly what you want – take it and do your best always with the opportunities you are given and those you create for yourself.
Tell us more about ‘Script Advice’?
Script Advice is a website that I run that offers script reading, script editing, script development and treatment reading services for any writer interested in developing their skill base and writing craft. I know about television, so that is my main area of expertise that I like to pass on to my clients, but I also read plays, novels and radio plays. I know what it is like to write in a vacuum and feel isolated from other writers – so I also, via Script Advice, offer writers a place to go to ask questions, to find support and advice. I write 2 blogs and distribute a newsletter 4 times a year via my Facebook group Script Advice Writers Room and by my mail list. If writers contact me on my email address from my website I also try and help and will get back to you as soon as I can. I also run workshops and short courses on storylining, script editing and treatment writing. I basically love working with people and although I see myself as a leader, not a team player, I thrive on the buzz we all get from sharing our experiences and learning from each other – my workshops celebrate the difference in all our writer voices and I try and pass on my experience in writing and shaping drama for the small screen to as many people as I can.
Brit Writers is a great organisation. I love the support that you offer both young people and fully grown ups! Your work in schools regarding literacy and encouraging joy in reading and writing is very important work and I commend you for this.
What would you like to say to anyone reading this right now?
I would like to say to anyone reading this; have faith in your own ability and stretch yourself and your writing, if possible, on a daily basis. Self belief and looking challenge in the face is something all writers need to be able to master and do. Writing is like psychotherapy in some ways, know yourself and you will make a better writer – so always look to yourself to find the truth in what you write. Listen to those that have experience in the craft and the industry, take all advice with grace and as much as possible, be realistic about what you can achieve and about your own skill. Do not worry about your failings, try and improve and go forward each day.
Thank you Yvonne.
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