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No, Bechdel Is NOT A ‘Low Bar’ For Female Characters. Here’s Why

The Bechdel Test The Bechdel Test (sometimes referred to as the Bechdel-Wallace Test) is frequently held up as a standard for female characterisation. You may have seen it doing the rounds, especially if you’ve read B2W’s free eBook, How Not to Write Female Characters. The Bechdel Test is based on the 1985 comic strip, Dykes To Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel. It’s frequently used to measure effective female characterisation in film and other fiction.  The test asks whether a work …  features at least two female characters who have a conversation about anything other than a man Here’s the… Read More »No, Bechdel Is NOT A ‘Low Bar’ For Female Characters. Here’s Why

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Happy Valentine’s! 14 Iconic Movie Kisses That Defined Romance

14 Iconic Movie Kisses  There’s something undeniably magical about well-executed cinematic movie kisses. They can encapsulate longing, passion, heartbreak, or even triumph in a single moment. Few movies capture the power of the silver-screen kiss as poetically as Cinema Paradiso (1988). In the film’s unforgettable ending, we see a montage of classic kisses from Hollywood’s Golden Age. These moments were once deemed too risqué for audiences … But they’re now recognised as cinematic treasures. This tribute article to romance in film reminds us of a great kiss’s impact … On a story, an audience, and even pop culture itself! And… Read More »Happy Valentine’s! 14 Iconic Movie Kisses That Defined Romance

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5 Big Truths In The A.I Debate Nobody Seems To Be Talking About

  The Big A.I Debate A.I has been a very hot topic for writers in the last few years. It’s not difficult to see why … Since ChatGPT et al dropped in late 2022, what the technology means for creatives has been a focal point. Screenwriters and authors have been concerned with everything from getting ‘replaced’ through to ethical use, plagiarism, copyright and much more besides (because: duh! We need to protect our interests). Now, it seems those concerns and talking points have finally begun to filter down to non-creatives. In recent months, I have been in several reader and… Read More »5 Big Truths In The A.I Debate Nobody Seems To Be Talking About

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5 Unusual Things I Did To Create My Dream Writing Career

On ‘Breaking In’ To The Industry I don’t like the term ‘breaking in’, which is why I always tell Bang2writers to CREATE their dream writing career. I think it’s a much more useful term. It reminds us that we have the tools to do whatever we want! There is indeed no clear-cut path and every creative will have a different one. That said, I was a rank outsider in the industry, starting from a position that was both complex and challenging. By sharing my story, I hope I can inspire you as you create YOUR dream writing career. Ready? Let’s… Read More »5 Unusual Things I Did To Create My Dream Writing Career

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10 Quick Submissions Tips To Kick Off Your Strategy

B2W’s Top 10 Submissions Tips B2W’s got you covered with my Top 10 submissions tips! So start off right and ensure you don’t fall into any submissions pitfalls. Ready? Let’s go … 1) Read the Submissions Guidelines Yes, this is an obvious submission tip. So why do SO FEW writers ignore them?? Always, always check them out – most schemes, agents, publishers or production companies will list them on their website. Come on! MORE: How To Get Past ‘No Unsolicited Material’  2) Personalise Your Submission Don’t ‘BCC’ your submission to a multitude of recipients – this is a one way… Read More »10 Quick Submissions Tips To Kick Off Your Strategy

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Tropes Vs. Stereotypes Vs. Clichés: Why Knowing The Difference Is Important

Tropes Vs. Stereotypes Vs. Clichés If you are confused about the differences between tropes, stereotypes and clichés, you are NOT alone. So few people get it right online – including actual writers and critics! – that it’s no wonder everybody’s brains are melted. Without further ado then, I am going to break it all down here. Ready? Let’s go … What Is A Trope? A trope is simply a recurrent idea we see a lot in stories. Nothing more, nothing less. A trope may be positive, negative or neutral. A lot of tropes in storytelling start first in society before… Read More »Tropes Vs. Stereotypes Vs. Clichés: Why Knowing The Difference Is Important

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25 Sweary Pieces of Writing Advice To Embrace In 2025

Sweary Writing Advice B2W was built on sweary writing advice. Everyone knows this. Yet reviewing the blog’s content recently, I realised I hadn’t been sweary on here in quite a while!! How effing remiss of me (arf). With a new year approaching, I thought doing a round-up of sweary writing advice would be fun. So, for my less profane Bang2writers, you may want to sit this one out. For those of you who DO like sweary writing advice, let’s fucking go! 1) Write the damn thing Throw those words down on the page like the trash birds they are. Don’t… Read More »25 Sweary Pieces of Writing Advice To Embrace In 2025

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5 Weird Tricks To Help You With Your Grammar & Punctuation

Weird Tricks For The Win Grammar and punctuation can be dry AF, which is why I always tell my ‘Bang2writers’ to use these weird tricks. They are memorable and fun, plus they’re quick to do. So, without further ado, here’s a list of 5 wonderfully weird tricks writers can use to fix their grammar and punctuation in their screenplays and novels. Ready? Let’s go … 1) The Vampire Comma Test Good for: Novels, Short Stories and Screenplays (dialogue & scene description) Remember The Count in Sesame Street? ‘One … ah, ah, ah … two … ah, ah, ah’ AND SO… Read More »5 Weird Tricks To Help You With Your Grammar & Punctuation

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Top 15 Unwritten Rules Of Writing: How Many Do You Know?

Rules, Schmules B2W always says there’s no rules to break, just risks to take in writing. However, there are numerous things we can do when learning and honing our craft … ‘best practices’ if you will. These best practices can be thought of as ‘unwritten rules’ if you’re so inclined. I rounded up 15 of these so-called rules for us all. If you think you have missed any, feel free to add to the comments. Ready? Let’s go! 1) Know Who You’re Writing FOR! Whenever I say to a writer they need to know their target reader or viewer, this… Read More »Top 15 Unwritten Rules Of Writing: How Many Do You Know?

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#1 Error That Kills Interest In Your Pitch 100% Of The Time

#1 Error That Kills Your Pitch Obviously there are lots of ways to kill your pitch, but there’s a #1 error I see most often. This error is so widespread and so simple, you’ll kick yourself once you see it … … HIDING your story behind intangible, thematic stuff. In other words, writers go for VIBES over the actual events of the story. Instead of being overt about what literally happens, the writer will fall back on that #1 pitching error like this … A retired bodyguard faces his demons from his traumatic past as he guides a kidnapped girl… Read More »#1 Error That Kills Interest In Your Pitch 100% Of The Time

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An Introduction To Kishōtenketsu, The Art of Plot Contrast Over Conflict

All About Kishōtenketsu If you learned storytelling in the West, you may not have heard of kishōtenketsu. Whilst some literature and screenwriting degrees may include it, most prioritise what I call ‘the transformative arc’.  The most obvious transformative arc is, of course, The Hero’s Journey. A protagonist must go from ‘zero to hero’ while challenging a ‘Big Bad’ of some kind. Most often that protagonist will undergo fundamental changes in dealing with a villain. This villain may or may not be emblematic of ‘The System’. Good examples of villains that are part of ‘The System’ include Darth Vader (The Evil… Read More »An Introduction To Kishōtenketsu, The Art of Plot Contrast Over Conflict

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Top 15 Lies Slam Reviewers Share Online: Writers, Have You Had Any Of These?

All About Slam Reviewers Slam Reviewers are different to actual reviewers. Here’s why: my objection is not that slam reviewers didn’t enjoy a book, TV show or movie … that’s absolutely fine. Hell, giving a one star review is fine! I’ve said it multiple times on this blog and I’ll say it again …  our writing is not ‘for everyone’ and that’s part of life’s rich tapestry. We have to accept this as writers. We do this by letting go and moving on. But slam reviewers are those who take it one step further They will give a bad review… Read More »Top 15 Lies Slam Reviewers Share Online: Writers, Have You Had Any Of These?

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