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Top 10 ‘Unlikeable’ Female Characters In Movies & TV

All About ‘Unlikeable’ Female Characters ‘Why are so many female characters unlikeable these days?’ That was a thread I had the misfortune to read recently, but it’s not the only one. Commentary on supposedly ‘unlikeable’ female characters never goes away, it seems. Men – and sadly, some women too – all chime in regularly about this topic online, saying shit like … … It’s ‘misogyny’ to write female characters with bad motivations or other bad behaviour (sigh) … Female characters have a RESPONSIBILITY to be role models to young girls (erm no, ENTERTAINMENT first!)  … Writers are showing their inexperience… Read More »Top 10 ‘Unlikeable’ Female Characters In Movies & TV

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5 Things to Consider If You’re Writing a Horror Novel For The First Time

Want to Write A Horror Novel? Whether you’re a seasoned author or a novice writer just starting, a horror novel can be a thrilling, engaging, and imaginative project. In this blog post, we will discuss the things to consider if you are writing a horror novel for the first time. From character development, setting, and plot to the use of suspense, horror tropes, and imagery, we will go through the elements that can help you create a compelling and engaging horror novel. So, let’s dive in and explore the different things you’ll need to consider as you embark on your… Read More »5 Things to Consider If You’re Writing a Horror Novel For The First Time

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10 Superb Writing Reminders From Sally Wainwright

About Sally Wainwright So, the long-awaited third series of Happy Valley by Sally Wainwright on BBC1/iPlayer concluded last night. Wow! I thought it would be a great idea to check out what Sally has to say about writing … and I found some GOLD for you Bangers! But first up, all about Sally Wainwright! She is an English television writer, producer, and director from Yorkshire. Starting out first as a playwright, she also worked on the classic serial radio drama The Archers. She created her first original drama series At Home With The Braithwaites, which ran 2000-2003. Other TV series Sally… Read More »10 Superb Writing Reminders From Sally Wainwright

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No, There Are NOT ‘Loads’ Of Great Screenplays Waiting to Be Made. Here’s Why

Wanted: Great Screenplays ‘There must be LOADS of great screenplays in the pile just waiting to be made!!!’ I hear this, constantly. It’s a lament from wannabe screenwriters that NEVER goes away, it seems. But I can tell you, as a script reader & editor, IT’S NOT TRUE. Here’s why … First off, define ‘great screenplay’ Do you mean WRITTEN WELL? Hah, good luck. Finding well-written screenplays in the pile is harder than you think, especially when what constitutes ‘good writing’ means different things to different people. ‘Great screenplays’ #2 Do you mean a KILLER CONCEPT? Yeah, this shit is… Read More »No, There Are NOT ‘Loads’ Of Great Screenplays Waiting to Be Made. Here’s Why

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Top 10 Fearless Female Archers In Movies And TV

Female Archers in Fiction You don’t have to look far to find female archers in fiction. Though male archers obviously do exist too, this is often part of their specific characterisation (Arrow and Hawkeye are the most obvious here). In contrast, female archers in fiction frequently use the bow and arrow as their weapon of choice as a warrior: nothing more, nothing less. In fact, female archer warriors use the bow and arrow so often, it’s become a trope of its own. Tropes are those recurrent ideas or motifs we see in novels, movies or TV. Whilst many internet commentators believe… Read More »Top 10 Fearless Female Archers In Movies And TV

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Top 10 Tips From Neil Gaiman On Being A Writer

About Neil Gaiman Neil Gaiman is a British author, screenwriter and producer. A prolific writer, he started his career as a journalist, then writing biographies and comics. His acclaimed and groundbreaking series, The Sandman (1991) was the first ever comic to receive a literary award – 1991 World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story. The series has been adapted for TV and is currently on Netflix. Gaiman’s work crosses genres and reaches audiences of all ages. His books for younger readers include M is for Magic (2007); The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish (1997); The Wolves in the… Read More »Top 10 Tips From Neil Gaiman On Being A Writer

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6 Things I Learned Writing A Fantasy Novel

Writing Your Own Fantasy Novel The rules of good writing apply to every fictional genre and a fantasy novel is no different … You need to: Put your protagonist through the wringer, facing ever greater dangers and tougher dilemmas Build the story, tie in the subplots, and construct a satisfying resolution Do all this in clear and comprehensible prose! I’m Glyn Carter. When I was writing my own fantasy novel Gog-Magog, I realised the fantasy genre offers writers specific opportunities and challenges. Here are six ways in which fantasy has its own demands. 1) Characters need a ‘reason to live’… Read More »6 Things I Learned Writing A Fantasy Novel

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Why Remakes And Reboots Are Here To Stay (And No, It’s Not A Bad Thing)

The Pain of Remakes And Reboots Whenever I teach a screenwriting class, it won’t be long before someone brings up remakes and reboots. This person will most often* be a middle-aged white man at the beginning of his screenwriting journey. (*But obviously doesn’t have to be). Anyway, he will confess that remakes and reboots make him very angry … Hell, he may even GET angry just talking about them. Then he will insist that remakes and reboots are enemies of creativity and that Hollywood shouldn”t be so ‘risk averse’. When I ask him how many movies he’s watched this year… Read More »Why Remakes And Reboots Are Here To Stay (And No, It’s Not A Bad Thing)

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The 10 Most Iconic Teachers in Movies, TV and Literature

Iconic Teachers In media, teachers are often relegated to secondary character status. They may appear onstage to inspire their students, drop a pearl of wisdom, and disappear from whence they came. And while this can be an accurate of the fleeting presence of teachers in our own lives, it doesn’t do justice to the impact a good (or bad!) teacher can have on us. With that in mind, I wanted to pay homage to the most iconic teachers from movies, TV, and literature in true Bang2Write fashion. Consider this a star-studded teacher’s lounge, featuring some of the most memorable mentor… Read More »The 10 Most Iconic Teachers in Movies, TV and Literature

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Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Adapting Their Books For The Screen

All About Adapting Your Book Why not make a movie out of your book … You wrote a great book, so surely it will make a great movie — right? Not so fast! Adapting a book is not as easy as it looks. A movie or TV series needs to pack in a LOT of action. A slow-paced, emotional tale might not adapt to film so easily. Even if you wrote a fast-paced action-adventure, you will have to adapt your thinking as much as adapting your manuscript. Newbie screenwriters can make many mistakes. This list will help you avoid those specific to… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Adapting Their Books For The Screen

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5 Reasons You Should Write Short Film Scripts

Why We Write Scripts Everyone who has written a script has dreamt of seeing their story on the big screen, having the accolades and the kudos of being a produced screenwriter … It’s why we write scripts. But how many screenplays actually get read by people who want to make films, let alone turned into produced films? It is a very small percentage. What can you do about it? Here are 5 ways to not only get your scripts read, but produced too. Ready? Let’s go … 1) Keep it short – REALLY short Try writing a two-page script. I… Read More »5 Reasons You Should Write Short Film Scripts

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5 Top Tips From The Black Phone Writers Can Learn

Watch & Read The Black Phone Now The Black Phone is a movie adaptation of the 2004 short story of the same title by Joe Hill. Directed by Scott Derrickson, the screenplay is written by Derrickson and his long-time collaborator C. Robert Cargill. I’m a HUGE fan of both Hill and this duo’s previous output including Sinister and The Exorcism of Emily Rose, so I was keen to watch the movie regardless. The logline for The Black Phone on imdb reads, “After being abducted by a child killer and locked in a soundproof basement, a 13-year-old boy starts receiving calls… Read More »5 Top Tips From The Black Phone Writers Can Learn

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