Another busy week ahead

As another Monday morning dawns, I'm pleased to note that my New Year enthusiasm shows no signs of fading. I have a head full of ideas for stories and projects. However, I'm also extremely busy with proper, paying work, so for now I'm having to content myself with jotting down some notes 'for later'. I've heard that I'm on another competition short list, which is exciting, so perhaps that's adding to the creative flow.

One opportunity that has caught my eye, courtesy of Writers Online, is a competition to write a 40-minute dramatic monologue. The winning entry will be performed at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton, with a professional cast (though a chunk of money would be nice, too!). I do love a monologue, so I might have a go at this: but how many words is 40 minutes' worth? I've just read out a 1200-word story in seven minutes, but this doesn't allow for dramatic pauses - and I do have a tendency to gabble. What do you reckon: about 6,000 words?

If you fancy having a go, details are here: