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How Does Character Motivation Work? (Your Secret To Writing Great Characters)

All About Character Motivation NEWSFLASH: great characterisation should lie at the heart of every narrative, whether that’s a novel or screenplay. These characters should drive the plot forward and engage audiences emotionally. What’s more, modern audiences and readers demand nuanced, layered characterisation as standard in the 2020s. One essential element that brings characters to life is their motivation – the driving force behind their actions and behaviours. I like to call this the ‘WHY’ of characterisation. Put simply, character motivation can be summed up as “A character wants or needs something for some reason, but will have to strive to… Read More »How Does Character Motivation Work? (Your Secret To Writing Great Characters)

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No, Your Spec Screenplay Is NOT A ‘Drama/Thriller’. Here’s Why

NEWSFLASH: Drama/Thriller Is NOT A Thing! So, I keep seeing screenwriters on social media saying they’re writing a drama/thriller. OI WRITERS NO … YOU ARE NOT!! Dramas and thrillers are VERY different beasts. It’s why I wrote a whole-ass book on each of them!!! Before I start this epic rant, a reminder: B2W stands with the WGA and the current US writers’ strike. This post is NOT designed to encourage anyone to break the picket line and scab. It’s an article primarily designed to help you with your writing CRAFT. Secondly, it’s to help you realise how the industry works.… Read More »No, Your Spec Screenplay Is NOT A ‘Drama/Thriller’. Here’s Why

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How To Write A Fantastic Opening Sentence In Your Novel

Your Novel’s Opening Sentence Is SO Important The opening sentence in your novel has to do some heavy-lifting, so HOW you write yours is very important. Readers frequently read the first sentence to decide whether they will buy the book. They may do this in real life by literally picking it up from a shelf and going to page 1. Alternatively, they may utilise the ‘Look Inside’ feature on Amazon, or download the sample to their Kindles. WHY A Great Opening Sentence is Important A great opening sentence in a novel is important for several reasons … i) It sets… Read More »How To Write A Fantastic Opening Sentence In Your Novel

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How To Write A Great Cover Letter That Gets Results

Why do writers need to write cover letters? It’s the 2020s and the digital era, so why do writers need to worry about cover letters? Well, these days cover letters are most likely cover EMAILS … but you’ll still need the basics of how to write them. The only thing that’s changed is the delivery, basically. This means you’ll usually write cover letters as part of your submission process. This will frequently be a requirement, even if you’re using an online submissions portal such as CoverFly, Submittable or QueryTracker. Other times you may be expected to use cover letters is… Read More »How To Write A Great Cover Letter That Gets Results

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3 Quick Tips On Effective Character Development (Plus 4 Key Questions)

Effective Character Development Effective characterisation starts with good character development. Some writers insist that characters come to them ‘fully formed’ but I call BS. Good character development is not dictation. We are CREATING characters and honing our craft! There are a few key things to keep in mind when developing your characters: 1) Make them relatable Your audience needs to be able to connect with your characters on some level. If they can’t relate to them, they won’t be invested in their story. By the way: note how the above DOESN’T say make your characters ‘likeable’. This is a red herring.… Read More »3 Quick Tips On Effective Character Development (Plus 4 Key Questions)

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Pitching Made Easy: A Foolproof Guide to Writing a Killer Pitch Deck

What Is A Pitch Deck? If you’ve been asked for a pitch deck and thought ‘WTAF is that??’, you’re not alone. One of the biggest issues with this screenwriting malarkey is the terminology seems to change every five bloody minutes. Put simply, a pitch deck is a short document that helps sell your story ‘off the page’. The idea is an agent, producer or script reader can assess your idea BEFORE they read your script. You may have seen them described online as … Series Bibles (for spec TV pilots) Treatment The Package (for spec and movies in production) A… Read More »Pitching Made Easy: A Foolproof Guide to Writing a Killer Pitch Deck

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5 Ways You Can Help An Author … Without Even Buying Their Book!

In the interests of transparency, I’ve got a book out! It’s my debut novel at the age of 59 – which should give hope to all those ‘Am I too old?’ Bangers – and I’d love you to buy it. No, seriously: there is no substitute for getting readers to actually hand over their hard-earned cash for the thing you’ve slaved over. But that’s also the point. In these increasingly tough times, getting anyone to part with £16.99 for a hardback (other formats are available) is a big ask. I get it. So would it interest you to know that… Read More »5 Ways You Can Help An Author … Without Even Buying Their Book!

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Go Woke, Go Broke? Yeah, Go Fuck Yourself (And More Adventures In Diverse Storytelling)

A Little Reminder You can say you ‘support diverse storytelling’ all you want, but if you ALSO say it’s ‘not bigotry’ to actively prefer white actors to BIPOC or LGBTQ ones?? Guess what: you DON’T support diverse storytelling!   C’mon, this is basic. Sigh.  Another week, yet another casting controversy … This time, it’s about Cleopatra being cast as a black actor in the upcoming Netflix drama in May. If you’re yet to catch up, here are just some of the various takes: VARIETY: ‘Queen Cleopatra Director Slams Criticism of Casting Black Cleopatra THE SPECTATOR: Why is Netflix Pretending That Cleopatra… Read More »Go Woke, Go Broke? Yeah, Go Fuck Yourself (And More Adventures In Diverse Storytelling)

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How To Write A Great Story Arc For Your Character (With Examples)

A Great Story Arc Needs Conflict Every great story has a beginning, middle, and end, also known as a story arc. In order to keep your audience engaged, your story should have a clear story arc with a conflict that is resolved by the end. Le duh! But what is a story arc? As you may guess, it’s the narrative structure of a story. How that story arc works will depend on the story being told. Characters may deal with problems – aka conflict – in order to make changes in their lives or important realisations. The most common of these… Read More »How To Write A Great Story Arc For Your Character (With Examples)

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Want to Be An Unstoppable Writer? Check Out My 2 Productivity Secrets

Be Unstoppable I am an unstoppable writer. People ask me all the time if I can bend time, or have some kind of special secret. As I always write on this blog, the answer is NO. Not on your nelly. Unstoppable writers are not some kind of higher beings. Here is how I get stuff done: I decide to do something. I will stop at nothing until I get it done. But okay, you want more details. Fine. Here’s two things that really help you become unstoppable, too … Ready? Let’s go! 1) Laser Focus I’ve written before about the… Read More »Want to Be An Unstoppable Writer? Check Out My 2 Productivity Secrets

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Top 5 Ways To Build Your Writer Platform In 2023

How To Build Your Writer Platform Chances are you have been told you need a writer platform. It’s seen as common sense: in the online age, writers are expected to do at least SOME marketing themselves. Having a writer platform of your own then is an obvious advantage. But I’m seeing discussion online about social media and how ONLY ‘privileged’ writers – such as those who were TV celebs first – can build a large and engaged online platform. Hell to the no! You CAN build a platform for your writing. Here’s how … Ready? Then let’s go! 1) Be authentic… Read More »Top 5 Ways To Build Your Writer Platform In 2023

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7 Ways To Beat Procrastination & Increase Your Productivity As A Writer

How To Beat Procrastination & Increase Productivity Procrastination is a constant struggle for writers. It’s hard to get started and even harder to keep going. But don’t you wish there was an easy way to beat procrastination? Well, there is. Here are the seven habits that will boost your productivity and help you beat those pesky writer’s block blues. Ready? Let’s go … 1) Set deadlines The first step in beating procrastination is to define what you need to do and set a deadline for when you will complete it. It can be daily, weekly, or monthly depending on your… Read More »7 Ways To Beat Procrastination & Increase Your Productivity As A Writer

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