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6 Of The Best: What The Music of Hans Zimmer Can Teach Writers

The Complete Hans Zimmer Narrative Storytelling Arc Playlist Hans Zimmer is probably the most prolific musician working in film and TV today. So many of his soundtracks are absolutely iconic. You likely have a favourite piece of his, even if you don’t actively listen to OSTs yourself. Humans love music, but what many writers don’t realise is that musicians are storytellers just like us. That is most obvious when a piece of music has lyrics, but it’s also the case for music WITHOUT words. Music and TV have music for mood, tone and genre, but it also tells a story… Read More »6 Of The Best: What The Music of Hans Zimmer Can Teach Writers

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5 Male Tropes Audiences And Readers Just Can’t Get Enough Of

Male Tropes To Watch Out For This blog may be known for critique of female characterisation, but that doesn’t mean male tropes don’t get a look in! I’ve been working on a new novel for 2026, so I’ve been researching male characterisation A LOT recently. Ready? Let’s go … 1) The Gentle Monster Example: Kofun in See (Apple TV+) Kofun is an outsider in his own world. He is physically powerful, raised in violence, but seeks connection over destruction. He is deeply sensitive and doesn’t want to harm anyone. Kofun’s refusal to lean into brutality makes him quietly radical in… Read More »5 Male Tropes Audiences And Readers Just Can’t Get Enough Of

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The Genius of THE SHINING: Foreshadowing and Dramatic Irony Done Right

Happy Halloween From B2W The Shining is one of my favourite movies of all time. You may have noticed my fab poster in the background of my Zooms, livestreams and selfies (below). One of the reasons it is one of my favourites is because it was part of my own writing journey. I first watched the movie when I was a teenager. I was a strange kid who loved to watch things over and over in a loop. In doing so, I realised there were a variety of ‘giveaways’ of what would happen in the story. I was confused at… Read More »The Genius of THE SHINING: Foreshadowing and Dramatic Irony Done Right

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Top 5 Reasons A Writing Retreat Will Help Your Writing

So, You Want To Go On A Writing Retreat? A writing retreat offers the rare chance to step away from everyday life and fully immerse yourself in your novel or screenplay. Whether it’s tucked away in a stunning countryside location or held virtually from the comfort of your own home, a retreat provides dedicated time and space to prioritise your writing. It’s a sad fact that many writers struggle to carve out time for their craft. Between demanding jobs, family responsibilities, and the mental toll of modern life, it’s easy for writing to slip to the bottom of the list.… Read More »Top 5 Reasons A Writing Retreat Will Help Your Writing

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Why Your Favourite Movie Isn’t Perfect (Or Why THE MIST Has Dated – And That’s Okay!)

I rewatched The Mist recently (Frank Darabont version) The Mist made a big splash when it came out back in 2o07. Here at B2W, Halloween is traditionally horror month, so I’ve been talking about the genre a lot with Bangers. I thought it would be fun to put an ‘old’ horror movie like it under the microscope to see how it stands up, seventeen years on. But you can also find other horror case studies and articles here, too: Candyman: A Startlingly Relevant Halloween Horror 5 Top Tips From The Black Phone (2021) Writers Can Learn 3 Awesome Tips On… Read More »Why Your Favourite Movie Isn’t Perfect (Or Why THE MIST Has Dated – And That’s Okay!)

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Barbie Doesn’t Have An Arc?? Puhlease! Stop Revealing Your Lack Of Craft

Barbie At The Oscars So Barbie got a single Oscar win in 2024. After weeks of speculation and outcry online, I think the most surprising thing – for me, anyway –  is WHICH song it got the gong for … ‘What Am I Made For?’ by Billie Eilish. (I don’t know about you, but I barely remember this song in the movie, whereas ‘I’m Just Ken’ is still a banger IMHO). Since being released in the summer of 2023, Barbie has inspired countless ‘think pieces’ online. Inevitably, there were lots of calls from right-wingers about Barbie‘s supposed treatment of male… Read More »Barbie Doesn’t Have An Arc?? Puhlease! Stop Revealing Your Lack Of Craft

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Why Your Draft Doesn’t Make Sense (Plus What To Do About It)

So, Your Draft Doesn’t Make Sense It’s the note every writer – new to professional – dreads: your draft doesn’t make sense. Eeek! When your draft doesn’t make sense, it can be very overwhelming. When we get the note our stories are hard to follow, it’s easy to sink into hopelessness and despair. Some of us may even take it as proof we’re ‘terrible writers’ too and spiral even more. Perhaps you’re confused, too? Maybe you don’t understand why your script editor, beta reader or peer reviewer finds your story so hard to follow. You may feel as if the… Read More »Why Your Draft Doesn’t Make Sense (Plus What To Do About It)

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Sweets To The Sweet: Candyman, A Startlingly Relevant Halloween Horror

Candyman: The Short Story Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman … Clive Barker’s 1985 short story The Forbidden is a haunting exploration of poverty and disenfranchisement. It was first published in 1985 as part of his ground-breaking horror anthology, Books of Blood. Set in the desperate sinkhole estate of Spector Street, Liverpool, England, the story takes place in October with several references to Bonfire Night being the following week. This means we can be fairly sure the events of the story take place around Halloween. The Forbidden follows Helen, a graduate student. Originally researching graffiti as part of her thesis, she… Read More »Sweets To The Sweet: Candyman, A Startlingly Relevant Halloween Horror

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How Does Character Motivation Work? (Your Secret To Writing Great Characters)

All About Character Motivation NEWSFLASH: great characterisation should lie at the heart of every narrative, whether that’s a novel or screenplay. These characters should drive the plot forward and engage audiences emotionally. What’s more, modern audiences and readers demand nuanced, layered characterisation as standard in the 2020s. One essential element that brings characters to life is their motivation – the driving force behind their actions and behaviours. I like to call this the ‘WHY’ of characterisation. Put simply, character motivation can be summed up as “A character wants or needs something for some reason, but will have to strive to… Read More »How Does Character Motivation Work? (Your Secret To Writing Great Characters)

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Pitching Made Easy: A Foolproof Guide to Writing a Killer Pitch Deck

What Is A Pitch Deck? If you’ve been asked for a pitch deck and thought ‘WTAF is that??’, you’re not alone. One of the biggest issues with this screenwriting malarkey is the terminology seems to change every five bloody minutes. Put simply, a pitch deck is a short document that helps sell your story ‘off the page’. The idea is an agent, producer or script reader can assess your idea BEFORE they read your script. You may have seen them described online as … Series Bibles (for spec TV pilots) Treatment The Package (for spec and movies in production) A… Read More »Pitching Made Easy: A Foolproof Guide to Writing a Killer Pitch Deck

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Top 10 Authors Who Pivoted To A Screenwriting Career

Pivoting From Novel Writing To A Screenwriting Career If you want to pivot from novel writing to a screenwriting career, you’re not alone. Of course, you may just want to be a screenwriter full stop (and that’s okay too! Or maybe you want to write a novel of your script??). LOTS of novelists have tried their hand at a screenwriting career. Some have had more success than others! Here’s just 10 of them. Let’s go … 1) Roald Dahl Frequently left off lists like these, Roald Dahl boasts an impressive screenwriting career. As well as adapting his own classic book… Read More »Top 10 Authors Who Pivoted To A Screenwriting Career

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It’s Never ONLY About The Story In Screenwriting – And That’s A GOOD Thing

‘It should ONLY be about the story!’ I often talk to writers about the commercial aspects of screenwriting. As someone who has seen lots of deals happen, I know that money talks. The industry is NOT a patron of the arts. It follows the $$$ because it’s ‘show BUSINESS’ after all. This means … Remakes and reboots are here to stay Great TV shows get cancelled if they don’t get enough views in the first few weeks (yes, really!) Why badly-written movies may still earn stacks Or why indie productions can sink without a trace if they don’t have enough… Read More »It’s Never ONLY About The Story In Screenwriting – And That’s A GOOD Thing

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