Yes, this E-zine is early. No, it probably wont happen ever again. For those of you suddenly panicking that today is November 1st, rest assured that you still have a couple of days before the month ends.

This is out early because I happen to be away on Friday. Rather a busy 1st of this particular month... I'll be busy in Birmingham, networking with various guests, catching up with many of you, hopefully meeting some more members and subscribers, and generally having a good time. If you're there too, do come and introduce yourself to me (and I promise not to nag you too much for an article!) See you on Friday!

"I've got to write a sketch tonight. I think I'll just pop over to the idea store for some fresh concepts."

"I'll do some work on the novel, then. Could you get me a bag of inspiration while you're over there? Oh, on second thoughts, why not stop by Sheila's first? She might have some spare."

What a pity it doesn't work that way. There's no one ready-made source of great ideas. They don't just arrive to order, oven-fresh and neatly packaged, from Ideas-to-go. Yet, at some point, each of us will need to summon up ideas for a sketch, article or gag, perhaps under pressure of a deadline.

So what can we do to help the process along?

* Know how you work best.

For some people, ideas bubble up while they're taking a shower or washing the dishes, for others they shape up best on a jog or on the daily drive to work. Some people like to kick ideas around with a few like-minded friends, while others can only work in deathly silence. Some find that the pressure of a deadline results in their best ideas, while for others it induces panic and blankness. Keep track of what gets your creative juices flowing and take advantage of it.

* Relax.

Creativity guru Jurgen Wolff (whose site www.brainstormnet.com is a treasure trove of ideas) suggests sleeping on the problem whenever possible. Just before going to sleep, and just after waking, are among the most fertile periods for developing new ideas, so take advantage of this by keeping a pen and pad on the bedside table. (A torch might also be a good idea, unless your partner is a particularly heavy sleeper or unusually tolerant).

If you don't have time to sleep on it, put your feet up and a favourite CD on. Some tests have shown that classical music, especially Bach and Mozart, stimulate the brain the most, but don't let that deter you from tuning in to Radio 1 if that's what you prefer. After all, it's hard to be funny unless you're having fun.

* Start from your own experience.

Look at your education, your career (or, if you're anything like most writers, your miscellaneous selection of odd jobs) and your hobbies and interests. Nobody else has had quite the same experiences as you, and even activities which many people share, such as parenting, or working life, can still provide interesting material when looked at from your own unique perspective. All the better if your experiences have actually been amusing - and they usually have, particularly if you're prepared to laugh at yourself.

Being the butt of your own jokes isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's one of the easiest ways of making sure that you and your audience are on the same side.

* Look out for issues you feel strongly about.

Most people have a few topics that act like a red rag to a bull - if you don't know what yours are, just ask your friends! Or flick through a paper and watch out for news that makes you want to grab your pen and dash off a letter to the editor. Any topic you feel strongly about will get your emotions engaged, which always helps the flow of creative juices, and even if you only know a little about the subject, you can always do some research to fill in the gaps.

* Stimulate your imagination with something different.

I first encountered this technique in a book by Edward de Bono, and it's surprisingly effective for something so simple. When you're short on inspiration, just add a word, picture or object at random - from a dictionary, newspaper, or magazine, or even just the first thing that catches your eye when you look up from the page. Many comedy classics probably had their origins in this technique. Think spaceships and towels, or knights and shrubberies.

* Brainstorm ideas related to your topic.

There are few things more demoralising than carefully crafting a piece of writing only to discover that it's half the length it should have been and you've run out of material. Start by jotting down any ideas, facts and anecdotes related to the topic, then roughly plan the structure of your piece. Spider diagrams are good for helping organise ideas, but if you can't think of eight 'legs' to your topic you might prefer to make a mind map instead. If you haven't used them before, or you want to know more about them, Tony Buzan's The Mind Map Book has some useful information and lots of pretty pictures.

* Fill the gaps.

If you're writing about a subject close to home, you will probably have most of the information you need, although you might still want to check the odd detail in a reference book or with someone else who knows the subject. (Unless of course you want to leave the errors in for humorous effect - but even then it helps if you know what they are).

If you're writing on a subject that's newer to you, you may need to search a library or the internet for more information. You may also need to seek out humorous anecdotes or quotations to illustrate some of the points you are making, and there are a number of books and web sites which can help you do this. Obvious choices include dictionaries of quotations, and the many email 'funnies' without which no inbox is complete. Other handy sites include www.imdb.com (The Internet Movie Database) for film trivia and quotes, and www.lyricserver.com for song lyrics.

* Get a head start.

Now you know you can come up with great ideas at short notice, but why not make life a little easier by getting a head start for next time? Emulate great scribblers from Coleridge to Mae West's character in 'Every Day is a Holiday'. Keeping a note of everything that happens may not feel like the best holiday activity, but when you're next stuck for an unusual character or intriguing turn of phrase, you'll appreciate a record of all the out-of-the-ordinary things you encountered on your travels. As Coleridge might have said and Mae West almost did, 'Keep a notebook and some day it will keep you.'

Two new comedy magazines recently came to the BSCW's attention, and in this issue, I'm delighted to be able to review both. The first to send me an issue was The Poke, which was being sent out free to interested parties. The second, launched a little earlier, is Crackin', who immediately lost brownie points by putting insufficient postage on the parcel - a trip to the post office is never the best of first impressions.

After this, however, initial perceptions were a little better. Crackin' is a standard sized magazine of 48 normal pages, with a 16 page Edinburgh supplement in the middle ofAugust's edition. It's glossy, full colour, and covers the comedy industry, as well as offering humorous articles. The Poke, meanwhile, is essentially a tabloid sized full colour humorous newspaper. It doesn't cover the comedy industry, but describes its target market in the cover letter "The Poke… plan to satisfy the appetite for modern, topical humour and fill the gap in the market that currently exists between boardroom (Private Eye) and bedsit (Viz)."

The Poke also claims to be "Britain's best selling orange top" with their special preview edition, offering the opportunity for a free night in the woods for every reader. Take the rest of the paper with you on yours; it'll make the night pass more merrily.

The Poke's covering letter tells of the impressive range of credits to their writers - who remain anonymous - such as HIGNFY, Spitting Image and Dead Ringers. You could join the team, as their editor claims "We intend to nurture and support our talent pool, constantly recruiting promising newcomers as well as signing up established names." The company behind it is apparently already in talks with "several major TV and film companies" in their mission to resurrect Britain's comedy reputation.

In the August edition, articles include a spoof about the Queen suing her dentist (complete with hideous picture), Judi Dench on 'Hustler' magazine (ditto), a round up of the soaps as you've never thought of them before, music news of the 'So Tudor Crew', various cartoons, and a 'Madgick' section, providing 'ten ways to sacrifice a virgin' and 'animal entrail reading at a glance.' In the 'Business' section, I suspect the FTSE Comedy Index hides some of those anonymous writers names.

If you'd like yours to be among them in future, first go and have a look at the highlights of the paper edition at www.thepoke.co.uk. The site isn't being updated to often though - the main stories from August's edition are still all on the site as I write (early October.) However, I phoned the editor who explains that the first edition's popularity has led to all sorts of possibilities - for content to go out as a supplement in newspapers, for radio, for TV… Sadly this means not sending in your brilliant comedy just yet. It does, however, mean that the editor, Jasper Gibson, is planning to e-mail me when he knows more. So when I know more, I will make sure you do too.

Meanwhile Crackin' mixes articles on the comedy industry with humorous pieces. Issue 1 covered some weighty topics, such as Politics - the New Comedy? It also has interviews including Alan Davies, Denis Leary and Virgin Radio's 'Pete and Geoff.' There are reviews of films, of the BBC New Comedy Awards, London based Open mike spots, and various comedy gigs. There's a section of national gig and play listings, and a quick competition. There's a joke page, forgotten men of history, and reports back from heaven, hell and purgatory from your favourite late comedians. With Crackin', your stars even include your lucky fish, so if anyone knows any good recipes for pike… no?

The cover price is £2.50, which seems a little steep for it's size, even as a glossy. However, this could become a staple for the comedy industry, so may be worth considering. The other problem I feel is that there is too much of a good thing… I loved the Songs from the Choir Invisible's reports back from the after life, but would rather have seen another set next month, than two this. Another great idea was 'Hiya, ya alright?' - spoof photos in the style of 'Hello' mag. To me, one page may be deemed comedy, two could be considered a bit much.

The website - www.crackin.net - doesn't really have much to say for itself. It does hope to offer recruitment pages in the future, and has a small set of links, but I wouldn't hold your breath for content there. The publication's content is very stand-up oriented. This may very well be a result of it being an August issue, when a sizeable festival related to comedy tends to go on. However, between those as the main source of adverts, and the articles, it could get a bit much. It will be interesting to see further issues, to see how standard this is. The Poke, which is also an August issue, does include advertising, and for Edinburgh shows, but to a far lesser extent than Crackin'. With The Poke, not all the adverts are real anyway - probably meaning you accidentally read the ones that are!

Crackin' aren't making the effort to attract writers that The Poke are. However, this doesn't mean there aren't opportunities. I suspect if you're good mates with a big name, then that interview will happily be accepted. Get a copy, and give it a try is the best advice I can offer… except that the only phone number I could find in the publication was a sales number.

So in summary, these are very different magazines - one aimed at the general public, the other at comedy (mainly stand-up) insiders. There's a chance of writing opportunities with both - at least both seem more open that the notoriously closed house of Private Eye. As ever with article writing, get a copy or two - try their websites - then have a read and work out where your piece would best fit in. Query editor Jasper Gibson of The Poke, or Jonathan Marshall at Crackin' and if they like it, I look forward to giggling over your articles.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Since writing this article, it has come to light on the forum that some members are having problems with Crackin'. Lack of payment, and the seeming total disappearance of anyone with anything to do with the magazine does not bode well. Whether the magazine has gone under, or simply suffering operational problems, it seems to be difficult to produce a comedy magazine. Is there really no room for something managing to both be funny, and cover the world of comedy? Do share your thoughts on this matter in the general forum, and any news you've had of Crackin' (or of The Poke.)

Ronald Wolfe's straightforwardly titled "Writing Comedy" is both an easy and an informative read. Sprinkled with examples, his guidance is clear and even entertaining - I'm always surprised by how many books on writing comedy fail to even make me smile. Helped by the regular examples from scripts that have been made, this book is subtitled "A Guide to Scriptwriting for TV, Radio, Film and Stage." It covers all that, and more, with a sense of authority and understanding.

Ronnie is a writer who has been there - at the successes, and at the battles to get your work even seen. He's been an ignored writer, and - just occasionally - actually listened to. There are plenty of examples of everything he suggests, as both anecdotes and script samples, many from his own work, but he is happy to use other people's thoughts where necessary. For example Ronnie is not entirely qualified to tell us what it's like being a woman in the TV industry - so he quotes, among others, Carla Lane on the subject.

Those of you who have been writing comedy for some time will feel you know some of what the book tells you. The basics are important, however, and include chapters on Getting started, (the recommendation being to start with sketches) whether there are formulas, how do you start writing a sketch, and the half-hour sitcom.

Once these are established, the book deepens into asking what can go wrong (no, not in the sense of you failing to write with the brilliance of which we know you're capable, but as the basic question to ask yourselves about your characters.) Ronnie takes on answering the usual questions, and hammering out the story line. He explains visual comedy, characterisation, and format.

There are certain sections that seem a long way away. 'Casting is crucial' claims chapter twelve, and although this clearly does make a huge difference, I'll return to that chapter after I've written my brilliant pilot episode. There is also advice on getting on with your director, actors, and the rest of the crew. Suddenly, the selling the sitcom doesn't sound half as much of a challenge as not offending any one of the potential prima donnas of the thespian world.

However much the sitcom filming seems a long way off to many of us, yet to get a contract's dotted line signed, with the cheques showing no signs of arriving, the outline of how this would (let's be positive - one day will) actually work is enlightening.

A writer with a day job will need to have a lot of episodes written, or at least plotted out, before a sale, as the process does involve regularly churning out episodes, ready to be filmed or recorded for radio, as soon as the printer ink has dried. There is a necessary and helpful chapter, covering the daily routine of a writer. This is needed, as by then, you'll be terrified at the prospect of the time, effort and rewriting likely to be involved. And after all that's done, it may be necessary to be at rehearsal, to desperately try to persuade actors that since you're the writer, acting the lines is their job, the script is up to you.

This book covers a huge breadth of comedy - almost anything that can need writing. A chapter looks at writing for stand-up comics, another at writing for corporate videos. There is also a section on selling work abroad. Unlike sketch shows, this isn't a matter of sending your brilliant sitcom off to another country, and waiting for the cheques to arrive. If you do sell it to the US or Europe, chances are that's because they saw it on British TV first. So get selling your script here, and just hope for the later worldwide sales.

The same goes for film - "if you can't make it in your home town, then I would say it is almost impossible for a Brit, unknown and with no track record, to make it over there." (Hollywood.) And while I'm offering Ronnie's advice, just one other tip that struck me as invaluable, "People in the business are always impressed if you have a play running almost anywhere. It is unlikely to be in the West End, but it is sometimes possible to get a comedy put on at one of the smaller theatres, or maybe the Fringe."

And after that, I'll stop giving other people's pearls of wisdom away free, and suggest that if you want to know more, you bring your £9.99 to conference, and if you ask Ronnie very nicely, he might even sign your copy.

Alan Stafford reports "As regards Parsons & Naylor, it's been fun. I've had gags in the shows most weeks (3 in one show). I'm desperately trying to get a longer bit in before the series finishes, but it's not easy. For a start, Parsons & Naylor write a lot of the stuff themselves - and, not surprisingly, their stuff takes precedence."

He continues "Did I mention that Radio 4 are considering an afternoon play of mine? It's been submitted by the same independent producer and production company that submitted one last year (which Radio 4 turned down!). This one's certainly better - but no guarantees, competition for the afternoon play slot is fierce. The play's called "All Finger and Thumbs", and I'll find out if it's been commissioned early next year."

Darren Everitt reports "I thought I'd give a BBC competition called 2K2 a try, the brief was for a 25 min drama script, for 8 to 12 year olds, about something absolutely current.

"I have just received a letter informing me that they were innundated with entries however my entry was highly recommended! And easily made the last twenty! Thats as far as it goes mind, but I can contact them after the 16 Oct for the readers comments on the story which in my case was called 'To be the Best'"

Darren plans to "...hawk this one around, who knows. Incidentally this was the first ever drama piece I've written, which either means my drama is good, or my comedy is crap." Let's hope it's the former! Best of luck hawking the piece.

Gill Smith got through the heat, and participated in the UK All Comers Annual Poetry Slam in Cheltenham. Less than a week later, she made it into the semi-final of the Guildford Slam. Gill was also interviewed by Talk Radio for a show that ran from midnight to around 4 am in the early hours of 24th October... "I had too much to do the following day to stay up and listen, so if anyone heard the show, I'd love to know how I sounded!"

There aren't many places left for conference, but at last check one or two were available. If you're free this weekend, and haven't yet got your place booked, do contact Ken Rock (ken@bscw.co.uk). To find out what you'd be missing out on if you didn't come, have a look at the web page: http://www.bscw.co.uk/conference_info.htm

Those of you who are going, latest news is the theme of this year's BSCW Sitcom "I'm a Scriptwriter... Get Me Out Of Here!" You'll find out more on Friday!

Of course, there are a few of you who still haven't paid the full balance of the conference fee. It's too late to post a cheque, so please bring your cheque book on Friday, and see Ken.

NEXT MONTH: Conference Review

LATEST NEWS: At conference, we will be unveiling some new and very exciting changes to the website. Full details will follow soon after in an e-bulletin.

AS USUAL, I'd really love to see all your articles, review, news and successes for the next E-zine. You know I'll be nagging you at conference, so why not make my day and simply offer an article? And for those of you who aren't there, that should give you some free time to write articles! You must know where to send them by now - gill@bscw.co.uk. In case some of you, like me, work better to a deadline, then I'd like everything in by 25th November, please, for the December issue.