Reflect and regroup

Just before I begin my next module, I want to take a while to reflect on what I learned during the last one: Collaborative Script Development.

I struggled with this module for several reasons. Firstly, I found working with a team who I wasn’t in the same room as really challenging. Secondly I felt my voice was largely ignored within the team as we discussed how to approach the project. And thirdly I was not convinced my ideas were going to be funny in the same vein as the show I was writing for.

At one point I felt so far behind on my work that I thought I should ask for an extension. I didn’t. I took two days off work and got caught up. See, whilst I hadn’t spent as much time sitting at my desk and writing as I felt I should have, I had thought about my ideas constantly: ironed out niggles, developed my characters, ensured my subplot wove neatly in with the major comic beats of the show. And I ended up handing my work in well before the deadline. But at that point I still felt like it was just a case of handing it in on time so I didn’t forfeit any more grade points, and just accepting that this was not going to be my best work ever.

And it turns out it was my best work so far. I got a similar grade to my last project – just a touch higher – and I got some great feedback. I fully accept my shortcomings on this project – I knew there was more work to do and I didn’t leave myself the time to do it. But I got a great mark considering a lot of it was so rushed and I do really take heart from that.

What I will be taking from this experience is as follows:

  1. Setting a work schedule that I can stick to (I need days off!)
  2. Remembering that I do a lot of work away from my desk
  3. Not abandoning the work, or avoiding tutorials, just because I feel like I am behind
  4. Write this blog – ending each week looking at what I’ve done and what I need to do next was helpful in the first module, and not something I maintained over this past one. I need to do that.