BIRMINGHAM writer Rachel Taylor has scored a huge hit with her first full-length play after it was snapped up by the BBC.
Rachel, who quit an office job to concentrate on her writing four years ago and has already seen a couple of short stories in print thanks to Tindal Street Press, has
just learned of the success of her play.
Telling the story of two teenage runaways who befriend a traveller and musician, The Ballad of Frankie Banks should be on air later in the year on Radio 4's Afternoon Play slot.
studied English at Loughborough University and although she loved writing found an office job in Hockley to pay her way.
But four years ago she took a leap of faith, left her job and enrolled in a six-year part-time BA in Creative Writing at Birmingham University.
It helped develop her
writing skills and she also picked up tips of the trade.
"I was aiming for this particular radio slot with this play," she said. "I spent a lot of time listening to the plays they have been putting on and you have to try to keep it to the kind of material they would use and the length.
"I was really pleased to have it accepted. I have some meetings now as I imagine they will want a bit of re-writing."
Support
Rachel, aged 31, has received stirling support from husband Conrad, a 34-year-old recruitment consultant, and she also works part-time for arts organisation Script in The Custard Factory, in Digbeth.
She is now hard at work on her next publishing hope - a novel.
"I am about two-thirds of the way through it and sent it to an agent who has said he would be interested in seeing the rest," said Rachel.
"I try to write every day. It does take discipline and there are always some days when you have to give up because the ideas just won't come. But generally you have to ignore anything else and sit down and write."
