Introduce Yourself : Feeling a bit lost by Terry Geo

Hi everyone!

I wrote and directed my first play when I was 11 years old. I wrote a new play and once again directed it two years later. Throughout school, I won many awards for my writing and I always knew this was my main skill in life.

My first job was in television as a runner, then researcher, producer and finally director. I was only 17 yet I wrote and directed over 100 shows.

I moved on to journalism as the editor of two national magazines and later in life, became a freelance writer. That's where I still am now. I wrote and directed a musical for the London stage in 2017 and in 2019 released my first novel, Refraction, which has only ever received praise from readers and critics alike.

I'm 41 years old now. I know I can write in several mediums and I know what I write is well-received by others. My problem is, I don't how to progress from here. Anyone who writes a few paragraphs on Facebook believes themselves to be a writer and gaining paid work is much more difficult as there are so many people willing to work for free. Even I spent a year working for free in the hopes it would lead to paid work, but it never did.

I would love to be a screenwriter with the possibility of directing or co-directing the film/show I create - but the one thing standing in my way is not having an agent. The PR agent I worked with for the launch of my book told me it's rare to find someone who works in more than one field as a writer. I don't know if this is true or not, but could that be the stumbling block? Do I get a literary agent or a screenwriting agent? Are there agent who look after both? 

I joined Stage 32 last month, but haven't opened up until now as I feel lost and don't know where I should focus my efforts. My mind is constantly churning out new, original ideas for TV and film, but without an agent, I know no one will even entertain me or my writing, regardless of the quality or theme. Are there agents who look after writers like me? I've already got the writing part down, I just need someone to recognise me and my work and give me a chance to shine - but I guess that's why we're all here :)

Please feel free to add me, ask questions, chat etc. I'm British, so we're not used to standing on a podium and declaring how good we are at things, but I know that if I don't champion myself, no one else will do it for me.