Danny Brocklehurst

Danny Brocklehurst was a freelance journalist before becoming a full-time scriptwriter. He won a BAFTA for his work on Shameless and was lead writer on the third series. He created Sorted for the BBC, and Talk To Me for ITV. Danny has also written for three series of Clocking Off, two series of Linda Green, and his original two-part drama The Stretford Wives was broadcast to critical acclaim on BBC1.

How did you get to where you are now?

Perseverance. It's a hard industry to break into, but once you are in, if you are any good, people will come back to you time and again. I used to be a journalist and got offered a couple of full-time jobs, but arrogantly turned them down, because a part of me knew I had to try and crack script writing. I gave myself a deadline of getting something on TV by the time I was thirty and then wrote and wrote and wrote. I was 29 when my first script got made. God, knows what I'd have done if the deadline had passed.

I write because, simply, I love it. And I feel I have things to say about the world. Not in an issue-y way, just thoughts about people and life and love. I'm fascinated by certain aspects of life - like fear and betrayal and guilt. I endlessly return to similar themes because I like exploring them from different angles. They say writers magpie from real lives, and I certainly do. The best stories come from reality, so never tell me anything you want kept secret!

What I might be doing if I weren't writing is probably journalism. I was good at it and enjoyed it. It just wasn't quite me. But as a second option, it wouldn't be bad. In an ideal world I'd be the mascot for Man United - Fred the Red. The pay is probably crap but the hours are good and what a laugh!

What do you enjoy most about writing, and what annoys you?

What I enjoy is that it's usually fun. The storylining is tough. It often makes me want to scream with frustration. Why doesn't this story work! But the actual writing is good. Ideas appear in your head from nowhere and you stick them on the page. What a great job. And ultimately, when your work gets made and shown to millions of people, the pleasure is immense.

What annoys me most about the industry is slow decision making. A quick no is better than a long, slow maybe. But obviously a yes is better than both.

Bad script editors are a waste of space. If they can't think creatively and help you solve problems, they really aren't earning their money. Which isn't acceptable. Writers never take kindly to being told something really doesn't work, but if you are bright and trust the people you are working with, it's sensible to listen to other ideas - quite often they're right. I tend to shout and scream, then an hour later realise that actually it's better the way they suggested.

How do you deal with rejection?

I deal with rejection badly. If something is good it hurts so much to have it knocked back. There is one project that the BBC didn't commission and I'd put so much work in - the rejection still smarts. But it's life - not everything can get made.

It's a collaborative business and I'm not an ivory tower writer. On Sorted, myself and producer Steve Lightfoot worked side by side, consulting each other at every step of the way. He was brilliant and I enjoyed it enormously. On Shameless John Griffin and myself would sit and talk and laugh for hours on end, slowly working out the story beats. I've never been paid to have so much fun. Paul Abbott was amazing on Clocking Off, as was Nicola Shindler. It's only a drag if you don't like the people.

Who are your greatest inspirations, and what inspires you to write?

Jimmy McGovern, Paul Abbott and Tony Marchant. McGovern is the governor of British TV drama - intelligent, assessible, engaging, and never less than excellent. Paul Abbott has taught me more than anyone else in TV and Tony Marchant's dedication to important issues is staggering. For 20 years he has been writing about public institutions and their effect on ordinary lives. Holding On is a tour de force of storytelling.

I'm inspired by ordinary people. I love stories about ordinary life - because they are central to my writing. I couldn't be less interested in the Royals and celebs, but give me a woman talking to her mate on a bus and I'll listen all day.

I'm proud of everything I've done. Sorted is a great achievement because I created it and came up with all the characters and stories. So it's very much my baby. Talk To Me was emotionally powerful. Shameless was superb fun. Clocking Off got nominated for a BAFTA every single year. And the Stretford Wives was my first outing so will always have a fond place in my heart. But I also feel that better is yet come...

Do you have a cure for writer's block?

I don't think it exists. Some times are harder than others, I'll give you that. But Jack Rosenthal used to say that writing was the application of bum to seat. I agree. Stare at the wall long enough and something will come. There's another great quote about writing, from Adventures in the Screen Trade, where William Goldman tells an anecdote about a ballet director struggling to know what to do and having his dancers standing idle. The producer advises him: "Do something, anything, then at least you've got something to change." It's good advice.