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Want Better Story Feedback? 7 Ways to Improve Your Screenplay Or Novel – Fast

Stop Wasting Money on Coverage! My job is quite literally giving story feedback. I spend a lot of time working with writers. This means giving my thoughts on how their concepts, characters and plotting work in their novel or screenplay. That’s why it often surprises writers when I say, ‘Don’t waste money on coverage’. Some may believe – not unreasonably – I want writers to come to me to tell them *if* their story works. Obviously, giving writers story feedback means I can pay my bills. However, B2W has always (and will always) say that it’s much more productive to… Read More »Want Better Story Feedback? 7 Ways to Improve Your Screenplay Or Novel – Fast

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Overwhelmed With Writing? Stop Screwing Around and Do These 3 Things

Feeling Overwhelmed With Writing? If you’re feeling overwhelmed with writing right now, you’re not alone. But let’s cut the crap. If you’re a writer saying things like: “I have so many ideas, but I can’t commit to just one.”  “I just don’t know which idea will help my career the most.”  “I start writing, then realise I hate my story.” Then you do NOT have a special, rare creative problem. All of the above is NORMAL. So here’s a response that might make you mad AF at me, but here goes … … You have AVOIDANCE Avoidance is probably the… Read More »Overwhelmed With Writing? Stop Screwing Around and Do These 3 Things

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How 600 Seconds Can Kill Your Script DEAD

600 Seconds To Victory? NEWSFLASH: 600 seconds can mean the difference between a full read of your spec screenplay … or not. Why 600 seconds? Well, the received wisdom is that a page of script is equal to one minute of screen time*. If a minute is 60 seconds, then your first ten pages = 600 seconds. It really is simple as that. (*Of course, this measurement is not an exact science. Pages with lots of dialogue may be faster, whereas those with more visuals may be longer. But that’s a conversation for another time!). But First, The Elephant In… Read More »How 600 Seconds Can Kill Your Script DEAD

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10 Quick Tips To Writing Romance In The 2020s

All About Writing Romance So, you want to write romance in 2026, huh? Good. But before you roll your eyes at another “boy meets girl” idea, let me stop you. Romance isn’t dead, it’s thriving … and if you want to write it without looking like a clueless dinosaur, here’s what you need to know. Ready? Let’s go … 1) Romance goes with EVERYTHING! Yep … Everything. Thrillers? Romance. Dark fantasy? Romance. Even your grim post-apocalyptic world needs a smidge of “OMG, they might die but also maybe get together?” Humans crave relationships, so don’t ignore them. 2) Diversity isn’t… Read More »10 Quick Tips To Writing Romance In The 2020s

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Inside The Spec Pile: Novel No-Nos To Avoid In Your First 3 Chapters

Novel No-Nos To Avoid The first three chapters are the main event when it comes to your novel submissions. (Want to know what else you should submit with your first three chapters? CLICK HERE). Yet as any script reader, sifter, intern or agent’s assistant can tell you, the average first three chapters simply don’t hit the mark. These ‘novel no-nos’ can be varied, so I’m going to list the most common here with links to help. Ready? Then let’s go … 1) Starting with the weather Uh oh! This is one of classic author Elmore Leonard’s Top 10 Writing Rules. Remember:… Read More »Inside The Spec Pile: Novel No-Nos To Avoid In Your First 3 Chapters

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Into The Spec Pile: 12 Quick Tips On Making Your Submission Stand Out

Into The Spec Pile I’ve been diving into the spec pile of screenplays and novels for 20+ years now. ‘Spec’ is short for ‘speculative’, meaning no one in the industry has asked the writer to create that story. Instead, the writers have done it themselves ‘on spec’. I always call it the SPEC pile rather than the more common ‘slush pile’. To me, ‘spec pile’ is much more neutral, whereas ‘slush pile’ seems very derogatory. It is essential to remember that ANY story – script or novel – is someone’s hopes and dreams. However, I also like to shine a… Read More »Into The Spec Pile: 12 Quick Tips On Making Your Submission Stand Out

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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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5 Pitch Deck FAILS That Make Industry Pros Say, ‘I’m Out’

Pitch Deck FAILS I’ve seen a LOT of pitch deck fails in my time as a script editor here at B2W. And whether it’s film funds, script labs or co-production markets, the same problems show up again and again. Here are 5 red flags that make professionals quietly close your deck before you’ve even got to the good bits. Ready? Let’s go! 1) Opening with a bloody quote Look, I get it: you love storytelling. You’re deep, poetic, meaningful. Maybe even a bit mystical. But that’s not what your pitch deck is for!! Agents, investors, broadcasters, producers want clarity and… Read More »5 Pitch Deck FAILS That Make Industry Pros Say, ‘I’m Out’

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3 Ways Anti-Wokists Are Right About Storytelling In The 2020s

Let’s Talk about So-Called ‘Anti-Wokists’ ‘Anti-wokists’ are those voices in the culture wars claiming stories have become “too political.” They complain that writers are prioritising agendas over quality. They may say that entertainment has lost its way altogether. Let’s get one thing clear first: no, I have not lost or changed my mind. I believe in inclusion, authentic representation, and thoughtful storytelling. (It would be bonkers if I didn’t, I literally wrote an entire book on this!). But I also believe in looking critically at all perspectives … Yes, even the ones we fundamentally disagree with. (Because, obviously – on… Read More »3 Ways Anti-Wokists Are Right About Storytelling In The 2020s

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How Great Visual Writing Works In Your Screenplay Or Novel

You’ve Heard It All Before: ‘Show, Don’t Tell’ Whether you’re writing a screenplay or a novel, visual storytelling is your secret weapon. Why? Because readers and viewers don’t connect with lists of facts. They connect with images, action and emotion. But how do we write these three things? Well, I’m putting them under the microscope in this blog post with 5 top tips to concentrate on. Ready? Let’s go! Let’s explore how to write visually and bring your scenes – and your characters – to life. 1) Think: Scene Description = Scene Action In screenplays, scene description *is* what we… Read More »How Great Visual Writing Works In Your Screenplay Or Novel

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Next Level Dialogue: How to Make Your Characters Speak With Power & Purpose

NEWSFLASH: Dialogue Needs Power & Purpose! The purpose of dialogue is consistently underestimated by writers. This in turn saps its power in many spec screenplays and unpublished novels. Yet dialogue is one of the most powerful tools in a writer’s arsenal when done right. But too often it’s done wrong … This means dialogue may end up feeling cheesy, expositional or even downright cringey. So, how to avoid this on our novels and screenplays? I’ve dug deep to put dialogue under the microscope … ready? Let’s go! 1)  Understand The Purpose Of Dialogue Many authors and screenwriters misunderstand the purpose… Read More »Next Level Dialogue: How to Make Your Characters Speak With Power & Purpose

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How To Write A Synopsis For Your Screenplay Or Novel

Why Writers Still Need The Traditional Synopsis (Yes, Really!) Let’s get one thing straight upfront, Bang2writers … When it comes to submissions, the traditional synopsis is still very much a thing. It’s true, I’ve advocated for one page pitches A LOT on this site (you can grab a free reference guide, HERE) … But  sometimes you just can’t beat a good old-fashioned traditional synopsis. I know, I know. You’d rather chew glass than try and summarise your 90,000-word novel or your 120-page screenplay in just one or two pages. But here’s the kicker: agents, publishers, and producers EXPECT it. Like… Read More »How To Write A Synopsis For Your Screenplay Or Novel

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