My short film won a big award.

I'm writing from my room above the Star Inn in Beeston. I'm looking out towards the Arc Cinema where the film I wrote is about to be awarded 'Best of the Fest.'

It’s been a long time since I won an award.

I got very used to it for a while. Off the top of my head…

• Best Adaptation at United Solo New York for Dark Stars (2013)

• The Bruce Mason Award for Playwrighting (2011)

• Best Script at the Swanz Writers Guild awards for On the Upside Down of the World (2011)

• Best Script, Best New Playwright for Charles Darwin Collapsing Creation (2010)

• Best Comedy for The Lonesome Buckwhips (2007)

• Best Comedy for The Cottage (2006)

See a pattern right? It’s been 10 years.

But I haven’t been on the winner’s podium for a long time.

That all changes in a few hours. I’ve never been to Beeston. It’s near Nottingham. I’d never heard of the festival before we got accepted. But this is a massive validation of some big changes I’ve been making in how and why I write. The great golfer Nick Faldo was good. He’d won a British Open, but he knew he couldn’t win at the level he wante…