Unpopular Opinions About Writing
Bang2write was built on ‘smack talk’, which means I’m known for my outspoken opinions. That said, I never *just* give opinions! I’ve always backed them up and based them on experience, with examples.
So, looking for unpopular opinions about writing? You’ve come to the right place. Bring it … Ready? Let’s go!
The Craft Of Writing
1) Many first drafts are literally unfixable
Hemingway got it right … Most first drafts are shit. Sad but true! Hell, even the ‘good’ ones will be full of missed opportunities and obvious issues.
Also, don’t be afraid of going back to page 1. Sometimes, it’s easier to rewrite from scratch than to try and polish something fundamentally flawed.
2) Outlines will help you write LEANER, BETTER, FASTER
Most projects – even novels – benefit from outlining. That’s one of my most unpopular opinions because authors frequently say they’re ‘pantsers’ (writing by the ‘seat of their pants). Some will even claim that outlines KILL creativity!
Yet that’s never been my experience. Outlining can be a kind of first draft, working out kinks and avoiding cheesy tropes or inconsistencies. That can only be a GOOD thing and add to your creativity, not detract from it. In screenwriting, you’re not even allowed to go to draft before working out the concept, characters and plot.
Look, some writers are fantastic at plotting off the bat. Good for them. But guess what? An outlined story is nearly always obvious in comparison to non-outlined.
If nothing else, outlines enable you to write FASTER. Since so many writers worry about ‘wasting time’, why wouldn’t you outline??? Especially when the outlining process does not have to be boring. It can be the fun part! FIND OUT HOW, HERE.
3) Plot holes don’t matter as much as you think
Yeah, I said it. If the story is emotionally engaging and well-paced, readers and audiences WILL overlook inconsistencies. Many beloved classics have plot holes.
You may have noticed some yourself … or not even noticed until someone else points them out. No one cares! MORE: 3 Things You Need To Know About Plot Holes
4) Genre is NOT a retrospective sorting hat
Lots of writers realise genre means there are things the story ‘has’ to do. Comedies must be funny; thrillers= exciting; horrors = scary; dramas = emotional; and so on. That’s obvious and not incorrect.
However, too many writers believe they can write particular genres through the power of intuition alone. They believe if they write the story well enough, it will automatically become funny, thrilling, scary, emotional etc.
This is not how genre works!! Every story – novel or screenplay – is the sum of all its parts. A hefty part IS genre. This is because genre influences what the characters do, how they do it and why. This happens via genre conventions, ie. certain components the story MUST do to qualify as said genre.
As an example, I wrote the book Writing Thriller Screenplays: From TV Pilot To Feature Film. In the thriller genre, genre conventions (sometimes called tropes) are frequently unwritten or missing altogether.
Unlike most other genres, the antagonist kicks off the action, whereas the protagonist is typically in the ‘wrong place at the wrong time’. The ticking clock, the deadline and ‘fight against flight’ are also very key elements. A thriller literally can’t be thrilling without them!
Yet very often writers will believe they’ve written a thriller, because they *feel* it’s exciting. NOPE! If we want to write a particular genre, we need to do a deep dive into that genre first. Without learning about it, we are writing in the dark. That might seem obvious, because it absolutely IS. Still can’t skip it though!
5) Stop whining endlessly online, you sound like an idiot
You think XYZ on Netflix, AppleTV, the cinema etc is godawful? Or maybe every single book you’ve read lately is apparently one star? WHO CARES. Those stories are sold and done. You can’t change that.
Stop whining on social media about how everything is terrible. No one is paying attention to your opinions. It’s all just background noise at this point.
Plenty of ‘bad’ writers get produced or published because they do what they’re supposed to. They hone their craft, learn about the industry, and keep submitting.
Even if you’re the most talented writer in the world, you won’t succeed if you let yourself get distracted. Stop raging online and finish your project.
On Publishing & Self-Publishing
6) Most authors are NOT raking it in
Publishing is a long game, not a get-rich-quick scheme. This is one of my unpopular opinions because many writers dream of hitting it big with a big bestseller, or getting it adapted into a hit movie or TV show.
It’s not hard to see why. The stereotype of the full-time author tells us they go on book tours, get taken to lavish dinners and jet set off on research trips. All. The. Time.
Whether traditionally published or self-published, the average author only earns about £7K a year from their books. For many, it’s far less.
7) Readers don’t care how your book was published
Most readers have no clue (or interest in) whether a book is self-published or trad-published. They just want a good story.
So stop worrying about it. Do what’s right for you and your book. But don’t rely on gut feelings, FIND OUT!
8) Self-publishing isn’t a shortcut – it’s HARDER!
You’re not just the writer … You’re the editor, marketer, publisher, you name it. If you don’t treat it like a business, your book will sink. The days of ‘whacking it up on the Kindle’ are long gone.
9) Marketing matters more than the book itself
A mediocre book with great marketing will outsell a masterpiece no one knows exists. Sad, but true.
Look, lots of traditionally published authors have done have everything right, but get let down on marketing. Some publishers promise all sorts of PR behind the scenes, then mothball the book.
10) Books are NOT automatically ‘better’ than TV or movies
It winds me up when people say novels adapted for movies or TV are automatically ‘better’ than their source material. Plenty of books are riddled with clichés, bad writing, and weak plots.
Plus there’s been lots of fantastic TV and movie adaptations that have used the book as a ‘jumping off’ point. So shush!
All About Filmmaking
11) Many indie films fail because they try too hard to be “art”
Story and emotional engagement matter more than aesthetic shots or abstract metaphors. And if I have to sit in any more script edit meetings with filmmakers obsessing on theme 24/7, I’m gonna go postal!
Repeat after me: theme is the meaning the BEHIND the story. You need to come up with a great concept with a killer hook; nuanced and layered characters; lean and solid plotting. Otherwise the theme will. not. work. D’OH!
12) A great script won’t save bad direction, but a great director CAN make a passable or even enjoyable film with a shit script
It’s true that weak structure, unrealistic dialogue, or dull characters will ruin a film faster than anything else.
Yet there ARE terribly made films or TV shows out there that not only attract viewers, they LOVE them. Now what?
13) So Hollywood is ‘risk averse’ – so what?
The clue is in the name: show BUSINESS. Studios make sequels and reboots because they sell. Le duh!
If you want fresh content, support indie creatives instead of complaining. Gawd knows indies need it right now. And YES, there’s plenty of stuff out there to enjoy. You just haven’t found them yet.
14) Actors are not meat puppets
Too many screenwriters think they pour their good writing into actors. NOPE AGAIN!
Actors bring their own experiences and interpretations to the role. Forget this at your peril. They are so much more than meat puppets.
15) Improvising is NOT ‘cheating’ (FFS)!
When Anora won Best Screenplay at the Oscars this year, I saw some chatter online that accused the Academy of ‘cheating’ screenwriters. The reasoning appeared to be that much of the film was improvised.
Gawd where to start … First off, the idea that a director simply says ‘Action, go for it!’ and has only ‘sketched out’ the story is wrong. That’s not how directing, writing OR improvisation works.
Look, hate Anora or think the Academy got it wrong all you want. But assuming improvisation is a ‘cheat’ or an ‘insult to screenwriters’ is a fundamental misunderstanding of what writing is.
It also fails to recognise financiers and studios will NOT simply say ‘oh yeah, just do whatever you want.’ I wish!
Improvisation is the beating heart of creation, which in turn fuels writing and filmmaking. If you don’t get all that, go write a novel instead. Seriously.
Last Points
Look, I get it. You see projects you don’t like or hear about bad stuff happening in the industry and think you can fix it. But assumptions don’t count … the creative industries are waaaaaaaay more screwed up than you think.
So get real and fight the battles that count. Save your energy – and your opinions! – on the stuff that doesn’t.
Want to GET REAL?
Then work with B2W! Whether you’re an author or a screenwriter, I can help. If you’re struggling with your manuscript or screenplay, I provide no-nonsense script editing, feedback, mentoring and industry insights to help you craft compelling, market-ready stories. Click below for more information, email me, or click here to PM me, HERE.
