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Grammar – Again

Another debate on grammar is raging on the Screenwriters’ Bulletin of Shooting People. It’s funny, but it seems nothing like the machinations of the English Language get us writers talking more: there have been so many interesting, controversial and bizarre questions regarding actual screenwriting posed on that list, yet the average poster is lucky if they get two replies… Unless they post about grammar. Then the floodgates open: insults, accusations and assertions fly with abandon. It’s extraordinary. Regular Readers know that I’m a bit of a Grammarian. I think when you send your work out it should be the best… Read More »Grammar – Again

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A Marathon, Not A Sprint

If you’re wanting a little career guidance or want to check you’re doing what you should be doing regarding this ol’ screenwriting lark, you could do a lot worse than read this article. It’s long (22 pages, and a pdf) but very engaging and worth saving on your desktop to dip into in coffee breaks. Remember, if you want your fave article or even one of your own on The Bang2write List of Wonder, then email me the link! We’re particularly low on ones about effective dialogue. Equally, if you’d like to see ones on a particular topic that you… Read More »A Marathon, Not A Sprint

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Your Voice, Re/Presentation

In response then to SK’s questions in yesterday’s post regarding one’s voice and the notion of RE-PRESENTING one’s concerns, issues, etc. A quick reminder: I would be interested to see what you have to say about really developing a ‘voice’, that is, how to re/present your concerns in a work. For just knowing your concerns and your story can’t be enough to have a voice, can it? You have to not just know what your story is about, and it be something individual to you, but also to somehow get that individuality across to the reader. So how do you… Read More »Your Voice, Re/Presentation

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Your Voice, part deux

A lot of new writers believe that having a “voice” is somehow accidental. That other writers somehow are blessed with it, as a gift from The Writing Fairies or maybe THE MUSE OF SHANE BLACK/QUENTIN TARANTINO/SYD FIELD/ROBERT MCKEE/LINDA SEGER * (*insert “cool” screenwriter or script guru here). Newsflash. If your voice is YOU, then only YOU can discover and develop your voice. No amount of reading scriptwriting books or even scripts will make you pinpoint that certain “something” that only YOU can give your scripts and absolutely no one else. Craft is craft and whilst it’s certainly advisable to be… Read More »Your Voice, part deux

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Your Voice, Part 1

As requested by the luscious Lianne, here are my thoughts about what constitutes a Writer’s “Voice”. Sometimes a writer will be praised for their craft by a Producer or Reader, yet they will assert that they wanted “more” from that script or selection of scripts; they will feel there’s that certain “something”, that je ne se quois, that vital ingredient “missing” somehow. Perhaps they will say that what’s there are the “bare bones” of a story, yet the feeling of the writer’s personality is missing. If this is the case then, there’s a good chance you need to develop your… Read More »Your Voice, Part 1

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New Additions and a Q

I’m pleased to announce there’s been several new additions to the Bang2write Household this week… No, not cats or human babies – I’ve learned my lesson on those – but a Tamagotchi called Susan. My son is the proud father and despite a bad start (poor Susan had diarrhoea – sp?? – on sunday and was ROBBED on Monday!), she has already made Alf a proud grandfather by giving birth to baby Keith yesterday. Mother and baby are doing well and Keith is already at secondary school. They grow up so quick nowadays. The lovely MA David emailed me on… Read More »New Additions and a Q

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