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Why Female Characters Should Kill More People In Your Story

The REAL Battle of the Sexes Male characters kill all the time in stories, for a myriad of motivations. While Thriller and Horror are obviously the top genres for body count in TV, movies or novels, we may see killings happen in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Drama and Literary Fiction too. Look, not everyone likes killing in stories and that’s fine. If that’s you, then you may want to skip this article. But in many genres, life or death stakes mean our characters’ lives are on the line … which means characters may be forced to kill. Male killer characters may be… Read More »Why Female Characters Should Kill More People In Your Story

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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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Happy Valentine’s! 14 Iconic Movie Kisses That Defined Romance

14 Iconic Movie Kisses  There’s something undeniably magical about well-executed cinematic movie kisses. They can encapsulate longing, passion, heartbreak, or even triumph in a single moment. Few movies capture the power of the silver-screen kiss as poetically as Cinema Paradiso (1988). In the film’s unforgettable ending, we see a montage of classic kisses from Hollywood’s Golden Age. These moments were once deemed too risqué for audiences … But they’re now recognised as cinematic treasures. This tribute article to romance in film reminds us of a great kiss’s impact … On a story, an audience, and even pop culture itself! And… Read More »Happy Valentine’s! 14 Iconic Movie Kisses That Defined Romance

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Top 15 Lies Slam Reviewers Share Online: Writers, Have You Had Any Of These?

All About Slam Reviewers Slam Reviewers are different to actual reviewers. Here’s why: my objection is not that slam reviewers didn’t enjoy a book, TV show or movie … that’s absolutely fine. Hell, giving a one star review is fine! I’ve said it multiple times on this blog and I’ll say it again …  our writing is not ‘for everyone’ and that’s part of life’s rich tapestry. We have to accept this as writers. We do this by letting go and moving on. But slam reviewers are those who take it one step further They will give a bad review… Read More »Top 15 Lies Slam Reviewers Share Online: Writers, Have You Had Any Of These?

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Goodbye Boring Bios! How To Write An Online Bio That Gets Results

Goodbye to Boring Bios! A good online bio is a MUST for every author or screenwriter. Whether it’s for your website, your socials, the back of your novel, schemes or contests, or other sites like IMDB, you will need one. In fact, B2W always recommends having a bio ready to go! That way you can cut back on the time it takes to pull submissions together. To save time, I always have the following: A ‘long’ version of approximately 150-200 words Another of 50-75 words AND an uber-short one for sites where you only have a few characters That way,… Read More »Goodbye Boring Bios! How To Write An Online Bio That Gets Results

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5 Reasons Writers Should Be Entrepreneurs

Writers As Entrepreneurs Entrepeneurs are people who set up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit. Whilst many writers are also producers, publishers or business owners as well, I am not necessarily talking about financial risks in this post. Instead, I believe ALL writers should be entrepreneurs in terms of their investment in their writing. This may be financial but is more likely to be an investment of time and learning.  So if you’re ready to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit as a writer, read on … Let’s go! 1) Entrepreneurs Know Their Market No… Read More »5 Reasons Writers Should Be Entrepreneurs

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Is Your Writing Falling Foul of ‘Moral Perfectionism’? Find Out Here

‘I Don’t Want To Get It Wrong’ Is your writing suffering from ‘moral perfectionism’? The reason I ask is that I’ve noticed a huge uptick in the writers I work with worried about ‘getting it wrong’. What ‘wrong’ means can depend, but usually relates to the depiction of marginalised characters and communities. A writer will feel stressed and even frozen by fear at seeming like an ‘over-privileged asshole’. This may relate to … Male writers writing female leads White people writing BIPOC characters Straight writers writing LGBTQ characters Able-bodied writers writing disabled characters More affluent writers writing about poverty and/or… Read More »Is Your Writing Falling Foul of ‘Moral Perfectionism’? Find Out Here

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Actors Are Not Meat Puppets: 5 Versatile Roles Played by Ryan Gosling

All Hail The Goz Ryan Gosling is a name that needs no introduction. He’s become an icon of versatility and talent in the world of Hollywood. From his heart-melting performances in romantic dramas to his intense portrayals of complex and even violent characters, Gosling has proved time and again that he can effortlessly slip into any role with ease. When I’m working with screenwriters – and sometimes authors who want to adapt their books – it frequently becomes clear they think actors are meat puppets. But this is not even close: actors bring our words to life and have interpretations… Read More »Actors Are Not Meat Puppets: 5 Versatile Roles Played by Ryan Gosling

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Writing Characters UNlike Ourselves: 1 Simple Tip That Makes All The Difference

Should writers write characters UNlike themselves? In the 2020s, writers frequently want to write characters UNlike themselves. I do, too! Looking at my books, I have written characters who are not like me. My characters may be (in no particular order): male; older or younger than me; gay; American; black; Romany; British Chinese; transgender; Australian; upper class; homeless and many more besides. The debate on social media often focuses on the notion certain writers are being told NOT to write characters UNlike themselves. It’s no accident the average writer lamenting this ‘fact’ is usually part of a dominant group, either.… Read More »Writing Characters UNlike Ourselves: 1 Simple Tip That Makes All The Difference

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A Feminist Ranking of 10 Moms from Movies, TV, and Literature

Top 10 Moms Often in the media, as in real life, moms are sidelined as supporting characters. But with such a diversity of different types of motherhood to learn from, these long-neglected characters deserve a little more attention. So let’s give moms some of that leading character spotlight. In this post, I’ll be bringing you the latest in Bang2Write’s feminist ranking series. I’ll run you through 10 iconic moms from movies, TV, and literature, and pointing out how their easily taken-for-granted acts of nurturing, leadership, and support are in fact hugely significant. 10) June George, Mean Girls Never have so… Read More »A Feminist Ranking of 10 Moms from Movies, TV, and Literature

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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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