SCREEN WRITER

CASH CARRAWAY PENS BOOKS, PLAYS AND tv DRAMAS - YEt CAN ONLY WORK WHEN SHE KNOWS EvERYONE IS ASLEEP...

AFTER studying English at the University of London, Cash Carraway started her working life in the strip joints of Soho, including the legendary Windmill

Theatre. The Lambeth-born 39-yearold has gone on to become an awardwinning playwright, screenwriter and author. Last year, she published her debut book, Skint Estate, a series of notes from her ‘life in the gutter of austerity’, and she is currently working on the TV adaption of it with Killing Eve creators Sid Gentle Films and the BBC. Caroline’s second book, Fleshpot, is scheduled for publication by Penguin Random House in 2022.

A national treasure is sitting in my kitchen drinking a cuppa. My writing life is one of frustration, pontification and long-term isolation but, when I do let people into my world, extraordinary and absurd things often happen. Some have said that I exaggerate or outright lie in my work, so I’m glad the conversation with the national treasure has been captured by the film crew who are also in my kitchen. I’m not allowed to go into detail but one of my idols is interviewing me for their new TV series, and we talk about my debut book, Skint Estate, which was written during a period of desperation and poverty from The Cockpit estate in Marden, Kent.

Yesterday’s excitement remains but clashes today with the fear I may have said something ridiculous on camera, and that my shame will be there for all to witness forever. I most definitely did; I always say such silly things. I get up at 3am to write and don’t stop until 7am, I can only work when everyone I know is asleep. I’m currently ploughing my despair for two projects – a TV series called S*** Show which is being made by the BAFTA and Emmy award-winning producers of Killing Eve, and I’m making a start on my second book. After I’ve dropped my daughter off at school I edit, consult with my producers, editor and agent, then take a long nap.

My editor, Emma, from Penguin Random House calls to discuss the new book I’m writing. It’s called Fleshpot and is about my teenage years working in Soho’s clipjoints, peepshows and porn cinemas. Making a start on a new project often requires a literary bulimia; you need to force it out until the page is covered with your bitter bile and other assortments, then you spend a long time thoroughly cleaning it up.

WED

I’m not much of a networker but I play in a ladies’ cricket team with a bunch of other screenwriters and playwrights. We’re supposed to train today but it’s p****** down, so we fob off the nets and go for a pie and mash instead. Later, I have a meeting with my TV series producers to discuss the new episode we’re working on. Creating a television drama is a very different process to penning a book or a play, it’s collaborative, so when you’re mining your soul for material it’s very important to work with people you trust.

THU

Late last night I received notes from the BBC about S*** Show. I can’t just read the notes and sleep, so I put on Dog Man Star by Suede and get on with it. I pulled an all-nighter so I could deliver the script by 3pm, pick up my daughter from school and then have the weekend free. Friday nights are such beastly times in our house – bra off by 4pm, baggy T-shirt on, contact lenses out, digging into a share bag of mini

Double Deckers as we catch up on the week’s episodes of EastEnders. My daughter, Bridie, ten, turns to me and says, ‘I think Danny Dyer is probably the best man that ever lived.’ Who is the second? ‘David Bowie.’

We do a 5km run in Richmond Park. Tickle Mark Ravenhill – our very gauche cat. Read by the fire; I’m re-reading Jean Genet’s The Thief’s Journal and my daughter is engrossed in Harold Pinter.

SAT

When my daughter goes to bed, I try and get down 1,000 words of Fleshpot, but it’s slaughter, the fearful block has hit. The author Chuck Palahniuk has a good tip which is to set your clock for 30 minutes and just write anything that comes to mind as it’ll clear you out. Like a brain laxative, I suppose. I think about last week – an actual National Treasure lounged on my old sofa. I set my timer for half-anhour and I write down the very sweet Morrissey anecdote they shared with me over a garden ciggy.

SUN

Cash flow crisis: Cash sometimes hits a ‘fearful block’ when writing.