Skip to content

grammar

Top 10 Words That Will Kill Your Writing DEAD

So I read screenplays for a living, plus I spend a huuuuuuge part of my life reading FOR FUN (wtaf!), so I’ve discovered there are certain words that crop up again and again and again which threaten to TORPEDO writers’ narrative efforts. I call these ‘crutch words’ (quiet at the back). Crutch words are those we may rely on in EARLY DRAFTS, which we need to seek out with a torpedo of our own and DESTROY in the edit process. Whether you’re a screenwriter or novelist (trad or self published), look out for these suckers … 1) ‘Suddenly’ The actual… Read More »Top 10 Words That Will Kill Your Writing DEAD

Share this:

20 Things That Will Make You A Better Writer

So, it’s a new year … and no doubt you’re limbering up for some serious writing and smashing of your goals. Why not chew on some of these for size? HAPPY NEW YEAR! 1) Read Screenplays I’ve been working with screenwriters fifteen years now, yet STILL there are wannabes out there who’ve never read a script in their lives! WTAF. Put yourselves on the naughty step AT ONCE. Also, 5-10 in your entire writing lifetime won’t cut it. Commit to reading a script a week. That’s right – 52 in a year! A great script only takes 1-2 hours to… Read More »20 Things That Will Make You A Better Writer

Share this:

How To Improve Your Grammar (Writers’ Cheat Sheet)

Some languages run on a series of relatively simple, consistent rules. English is NOT one of them! Because of this, pretty much all of us find English grammar tricky at times, dithering over tenses and puzzling over punctuation. However, it’s worth facing down your grammar fear. In an internet-connected world, we all need to know how to write well. And you never know, you might just find that writing better is the key to that promotion or new job you’ve been after. These tips will get you started: 1) Spend some time learning rules by heart The oddities of the English… Read More »How To Improve Your Grammar (Writers’ Cheat Sheet)

Share this:

10 Useful Infographics To Help You Pick The Right Words

1) TIP: Never Use Boring Words! First up, the obvious … And one that some say is the ONLY rule every writer should follow – ‘Don’t be boring!’ Novelist Bang2writers obviously have the strongest burden in NOT being boring. In comparison to screenplays, every single word of a novel is accessible to a reader. That said, script readers have to read a screenplay first, so it’s still not wise to be repetitive and write ‘flat’ and flabby prose. This infographic from Custom Writing breaks down some common and frankly DULL words, plus what ALL writers can use instead. Remember, just because… Read More »10 Useful Infographics To Help You Pick The Right Words

Share this:

The Art Of The Unspoken: Give Your Reader A Chance To Fill In The Rest

If you want your readers to NOT get bored with a stereotypical ending and/or to keep them hooked, then it is high time for you to learn about The Art of the Unspoken! This technique can be hard to grasp and utilise effectively at first, but it means you will give your readers chance to fill in the rest WITHOUT you needing to be ‘on the nose’ with it. These 7 tips will make your journey to creating the breathtaking mysterious atmosphere easier. Chew on these for size: 1) Pacing With a purpose to create a mystery you need to control… Read More »The Art Of The Unspoken: Give Your Reader A Chance To Fill In The Rest

Share this:

8 Infographics That Will Help You Improve Your Writing

1) 10 Tips To Improve Your Grammar I always find it interesting when writers will pledge a commitment to their craft, but shrug their shoulders when I say they need to work on their grammar. Some will also cite a poor education or a special learning need like Dyslexia. Whilst both these things will make improving grammar more challenging, it’s not impossible to improve. This cheat sheet I found online from Grammar.net is a GREAT start – it outlines all the essential and most common grammar mistakes I see on a daily basis in Bang2writers’ spec scripts and unpublished novels.… Read More »8 Infographics That Will Help You Improve Your Writing

Share this:

7 Simple Things ALL Writers Should Know

Thanks to the internet and the plethora of advice around (like on this blog!), anyone can become a writer. But this doesn’t mean writers’ lives have become easy. Writing still requires dedication, persistence, and hard work! So, whether you’ve just decided to become a writer, or are a seasoned veteran – or somewhere in-between! – then remember these 7 crucial things: 1) The Basics ALWAYS Matter It might be tempting to simply start writing. However, this could be a mistake in the long run. While some writers think typos and grammatical errors are insignificant, readers actually pay attention to these… Read More »7 Simple Things ALL Writers Should Know

Share this:

10 (More) Commandments For Successful Writers

Following the previous post in this vein, 10 Commandments For Successful Writers by the lovely Emma Pullar, Derin Attwood decided to throw her hat in the ring and lay down the law for Write Club, too! I totally agree with numbers 2, 7 and the last one … Well, all of them to be honest. Over to you, Derin — And enjoy, everyone! 1) Write! Otherwise you are not part of the Write Club. You can join the thinkers’, or dreamers’ or wannabes’ clubs, but the writers’ club is exclusive. 2) Set goals Write regularly and set goals. Keep to… Read More »10 (More) Commandments For Successful Writers

Share this:

12 Quick Tips To Improve Your Writing Right Now

As a writer, you are often judged solely by what is on the page or the screen. This means you need to ensure you know exactly what you are doing! Here’s 12 quick tricks to take your writing to the next level and increase your confidence: 1)    Brush up on the basics The least you can do before you submit or publish is check for basic errors in spelling and grammar. Before you even begin an important writing task, read up on basic grammar rules and sentence structure, and never submit anything without running it through a spell-checker first. 2)   … Read More »12 Quick Tips To Improve Your Writing Right Now

Share this:

10 Writing Fillers To Cut Right Now

Whether we’re writing screenplays or novels, there are multiple filler words that take up unnecessary space. Chew on these little blighters that creep into our scene descriptions and novel sentences and make sure you CHOP THEM OUT today! 1) Just ‘Just’ is actually a good word and has several functions, including time (as in ‘recently’) or to make sentences stronger (‘Just STOP!’). Unfortunately, writers let it creep in so often it becomes a beat in the sentence and adds to flabby prose. 2) Really This is a word that relates to certainty, but yet again, writers just use it randomly… Read More »10 Writing Fillers To Cut Right Now

Share this:

How To Build Your Writing Career From Zero

Starting At Zero So you’ve decided to become a writer, but it feels like you’re at zero … You have no idea where to start! It might seem like a difficult to journey to pursue but don’t let the fear of the future scare you out of doing it. Sometimes you just have to cast your net and take a chance! Here are some of the tips I used to build my own writing career from zero … 1) Build your social skills It is known that many writers are introverts and love working by themselves. There is a whole world… Read More »How To Build Your Writing Career From Zero

Share this:

10 Quick Tips To Get You Inspired

When writing is your passion but you just don’t have that inspiration coming through, it’s time to look around. There are many things surrounding us every day that could inspire and motivate us. If you are stressed out, it may be difficult to see. Even the best writers sometimes find themselves without an idea to write about. But we live in a world full of information and inspiration. Let’s look at some tips for finding it and getting you inspired!  1) Look at blogs I love blogs because they are personal and intimate. You are able to get into the… Read More »10 Quick Tips To Get You Inspired

Share this: