A Master Class from Twenty Twelve

For a consummate example of how to hit a number of creative writing buttons all in a one-er, I suggest you - read Dorothea Brand's excellent book Becoming a Writer?  No, (but you should). Join an evening class? No, (but it may not be a bad idea). Work your way through all the great writers from Austen to Zola to try and fathom their literary mysteries? No, (although it's a great plan for the summer).

I recommend that you sit down and watch an episode of Twenty Twelve,  BBC2's pitch perfect comedy drama about the coming Olympics. Setting aside bravura performances from Hugh Bonneville and Olivia Colman, there is much you can learn from the flawless writing:

• It is understated.
• It is deftly, panifully observed.
• The characterisation is extraordinarily subtle - each person is recognisable, empathetic, irritating, amusing -- in other words, utterly human.
• The relationships it explores are fractious, misconstrued, unrequited and irresistibly fascinating.
• It deals with a familiar subject, something we all think we know a little bit about, so we are able to bring our own impressions to bear upon it, we can make a connection easily and that way half the author's work is done.
• Although it is written to be funny, the pathos and poignancy of every situation and in every personality is fully explored, giving each episode depth as well as humour.
• It has a David and Goliath feel to it -- the flawed, ordinary guy taking on big issues and overcoming them.

 So curl up on the sofa next Friday at 10 p.m. and turn on, tune in, and see what there is to learn...