Thank you for this. I replied a little while ago but it seems to have been absorbed into the Substack ether. Or maybe I didn’t press ‘post’
Anyway. In short, yes, all the characters on EE (& other continuing dramas) have lengthy biogs, usually created by one of the core writers on the show.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my Substack episodes. We’re in sight of the end now, but I hope to be back later in the year with some stories about my experiences writing for EastEnders and other shows.
Yes, it’s true, every character on every show I’ve written on has had a detailed character bio - I’ve written several of them myself. The actors then make the characters their own, and things develop and change, but it all starts with the bio.
"At every stage of the editing and development process I’m asking myself - is the story the best I can make it for my characters? I very rarely think of an audience." This is such a great lesson. It also chimes with something I read years ago about the creation of EastEnders in that each character had an intricate and detailed backstory - most of which you would probably never see on screen, but that you could feel as an audience. I'm thinking of when Pat Butcher met Roy and there was a hint he wasn't fully aware of her 'background'. I always think about this. But not as much when I'm writing, which I will now.
Hearing how you started out is fascinating and the idea of letting go of your characters must feel weird. It must feel like a form of betrayal - I can't think of another way of putting it!
Thank you so much for this (I’ve only just seen it)
When an actor is good they can mine stuff out of a character that I hardly knew I’d put in there, and that’s exciting. But it is very very weird when you first hand characters over. They were mine and now they’re not.
The total walk out, literally without going back inside, because of asbestos is really extraordinary. How did they find somewhere else for you all to go so quickly? You create the scene and establish so many conflicts and characters so economically. A really good read. looking forward to the next instalment
Yes it was extreme, but I guess the education authority didn’t want to take any chances. No idea how they found us a spare school - but it wasn’t uncommon at the time for asbestos to be found in the Victorian/Edwardian schools in East London, so maybe we took it in turns to be decanted? I was just a class teacher. The decision making was way,way above my pay grade.
Thank you for your kind comments Jennifer. I’m so pleased you’re enjoying my dip into the past.
This is the first of these pieces I've read so I'm going to have to go back and look at the other episodes. It's a perspective I've never really seen, thank you for sharing!
As you know I’m very much enjoying your storytelling about your writing life which is a brilliant lesson and example in its own right. It must have been tough to have all that bussing away from the school environment where the children felt at home. I spent the last two years of my university career at Lancaster working as a part time child care assistant at a special school for boys from Liverpool aged from 4-16. I loved it, but found the staff room politics very difficult to deal with, so decided not to go into teaching. In later life I’ve run loads of poetry and creative writing workshops in schools and love the buzz of both the challenges and gifts of working with young minds. But I’m not sure I could ever have worked as a teacher full time. Honour and praise to those who do. 😊
Thank you John, I really appreciate your kind comments.
Best not to get me started on staffroom politics though. At least the kids had their tantrums out in the open. I'm not sure I ever quite got to grips with the angry subtexts that whirled around the teachers' kettle.
I only taught full time for a very short time (sorry if that's a spoiler) but I missed the kids a lot when I left.
'Honour and praise' to teachers. Could not agree more.
Hi Faith
Thank you for this. I replied a little while ago but it seems to have been absorbed into the Substack ether. Or maybe I didn’t press ‘post’
Anyway. In short, yes, all the characters on EE (& other continuing dramas) have lengthy biogs, usually created by one of the core writers on the show.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my Substack episodes. We’re in sight of the end now, but I hope to be back later in the year with some stories about my experiences writing for EastEnders and other shows.
Thank you again Faith.
Yes, it’s true, every character on every show I’ve written on has had a detailed character bio - I’ve written several of them myself. The actors then make the characters their own, and things develop and change, but it all starts with the bio.
"At every stage of the editing and development process I’m asking myself - is the story the best I can make it for my characters? I very rarely think of an audience." This is such a great lesson. It also chimes with something I read years ago about the creation of EastEnders in that each character had an intricate and detailed backstory - most of which you would probably never see on screen, but that you could feel as an audience. I'm thinking of when Pat Butcher met Roy and there was a hint he wasn't fully aware of her 'background'. I always think about this. But not as much when I'm writing, which I will now.
Thank you!
Hearing how you started out is fascinating and the idea of letting go of your characters must feel weird. It must feel like a form of betrayal - I can't think of another way of putting it!
Thank you so much for this (I’ve only just seen it)
When an actor is good they can mine stuff out of a character that I hardly knew I’d put in there, and that’s exciting. But it is very very weird when you first hand characters over. They were mine and now they’re not.
The total walk out, literally without going back inside, because of asbestos is really extraordinary. How did they find somewhere else for you all to go so quickly? You create the scene and establish so many conflicts and characters so economically. A really good read. looking forward to the next instalment
Yes it was extreme, but I guess the education authority didn’t want to take any chances. No idea how they found us a spare school - but it wasn’t uncommon at the time for asbestos to be found in the Victorian/Edwardian schools in East London, so maybe we took it in turns to be decanted? I was just a class teacher. The decision making was way,way above my pay grade.
Thank you for your kind comments Jennifer. I’m so pleased you’re enjoying my dip into the past.
Now I want to know more about those kids especially the angry Caroline- a spin off, a new play , a tv series or a novel-I'd read it.
Thank you Sue. I’ll think on.
This is the first of these pieces I've read so I'm going to have to go back and look at the other episodes. It's a perspective I've never really seen, thank you for sharing!
As you know I’m very much enjoying your storytelling about your writing life which is a brilliant lesson and example in its own right. It must have been tough to have all that bussing away from the school environment where the children felt at home. I spent the last two years of my university career at Lancaster working as a part time child care assistant at a special school for boys from Liverpool aged from 4-16. I loved it, but found the staff room politics very difficult to deal with, so decided not to go into teaching. In later life I’ve run loads of poetry and creative writing workshops in schools and love the buzz of both the challenges and gifts of working with young minds. But I’m not sure I could ever have worked as a teacher full time. Honour and praise to those who do. 😊
Thank you John, I really appreciate your kind comments.
Best not to get me started on staffroom politics though. At least the kids had their tantrums out in the open. I'm not sure I ever quite got to grips with the angry subtexts that whirled around the teachers' kettle.
I only taught full time for a very short time (sorry if that's a spoiler) but I missed the kids a lot when I left.
'Honour and praise' to teachers. Could not agree more.
Writing alongside full-time teaching can't have been easy, Gillian. Really enjoying seeing how your career unfolded.
I love how schools are so full of life and energy. Never a dull moment.
It’s true Wendy, I didn’t get a lot of sleep. But I was young(ish) and didn’t yet have children of my own.
I loved teaching. Only did it full time for a relatively short time (sorry- is that a spoiler?), but when I stopped I really really missed the kids.