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3 Top Tips On Querying Via Email (Plus 3 Cringey Things to Avoid)

Query Via Email Email is a much abused and misunderstood tool when it comes to querying. Yet sending query emails is your first line of attack and is a great way of getting your writing solicited. Sadly, most query emails however are badly worded, weird and/or generally needy. This makes it very easy for agents, producers and their assistants to delete or send that “no unsolicited material” link back to writers. Supersadface. But as we know, it’s perfectly possible to get your screenplay solicited, EVEN IF that company’s official line is “no unsolicited material”! So how do we do that?? Model… Read More »3 Top Tips On Querying Via Email (Plus 3 Cringey Things to Avoid)

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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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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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Are you ALL IN? How To Know You’re A Professional Writer At Last

Are You A Professional Writer Yet? One question I get all the time is ‘How do I know if I am a professional writer?’ The writers asking will usually tell me that though they may have had books published or screenplays produced, they just don’t feel ‘there’ yet. Alternatively, writers may tell me they haven’t earned any $$$£££ yet, so ‘can’t’ be professionals yet. So, how DO you know if you’re a professional writer? Well check out these tips … let’s go. 1) You know it’s NOT About the money Look up the word ‘professional’ in the dictionary and you… Read More »Are you ALL IN? How To Know You’re A Professional Writer At Last

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It’s My Publication Day, So Here’s A Free Gift For You

Happy Publication Day To … Me! (Again) So it’s publication day and my second book launch in a month … Yup, this is a first, even for me!!! I wrote so much in lockdown that I created a bit of a bottleneck of projects going all the way to January 2024! Oops (sorrynotsorry). Anyway, this time around it’s publication day for B2W’s non-fiction book, WRITING & SELLING THRILLER SCREENPLAYS: FROM TV PILOT TO FEATURE FILM. That’s right, the book includes TV this time around! The first edition came out in 2013 and it’s fair to say a HELLUVA lot has… Read More »It’s My Publication Day, So Here’s A Free Gift For You

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Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Working With A Producer

You Need A Producer Put simply, a good producer will be the backbone of your project. Now, I may be a little biased saying that, as I am a producer. But this key role is the person who will spend months – even years – overseeing every aspect of the project to make sure it becomes as successful as possible. How to Screw Up Working With A Producer Producers, like all filmmakers, are busy people. Because of this, they can be stingy with their time. Meaning if you start off on the wrong foot, they’re unlikely to give you a… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Working With A Producer

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Hey Writers: Stop Being Your Own Worst Enemy. Here’s How

Are you your own worst enemy? If you suspect you might be your own worst enemy as a writer, this one is for you. There’s so much self-sabotaging behaviour out there (especially online, but also IRL – in real life – too). I thought I would pull together some DOs/DONT’s on how to avoid being your own worst enemy. Do you spot any you are doing right now, or perhaps in the past? Let’s go … 1) Set concrete goals … I saw a mug once that read, ‘A goal without a plan is just a wish’. Whilst cheesy, it’s true. If… Read More »Hey Writers: Stop Being Your Own Worst Enemy. Here’s How

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VENOM and SAVING MR BANK’s Kelly Marcel: ‘So much of writing is luck’

All About Kelly Marcel Kelly Marcel is a British screenwriter and producer. She co-wrote one of my favourite dramas Saving Mr Banks (eagle-eyed Bangers will remember it is a case study in my Writing & Selling Drama Screenplays book!). She also received a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for it. In addition, Kelly is the screenwriter of Fifty Shades of Grey, Venom, Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage, plus she created and was exec producer on TV series Terra Nova. A fabulously eclectic mix there! But how does a writer who started her working life in a video… Read More »VENOM and SAVING MR BANK’s Kelly Marcel: ‘So much of writing is luck’

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Top 10 Tips For Dealing With Writing Burnout

How To Deal With Writing Burnout It was another tough year, so chances are you may be dealing with writing burnout. I burned out HARD in both 2020 and 2021, perhaps you did too? You may be suffering from writing burnout if you … feel like you no longer care about your screenplay, novel or writing in general are increasingly forgetful, or have trouble concentrating feel like you’ve lost sight of yourself and your goals have difficulty maintaining relationships / being present with loved ones express frustration and irritability more than normal experience somatic pain, muscle tension, headaches or nausea Writing… Read More »Top 10 Tips For Dealing With Writing Burnout

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5 Ways for Writers to Find Their Ideal Audience

All About Audience You’re a writer who needs an audience. You’ve conquered the dreaded writer’s block. You have content that you believe in. You want to share it with the world. So, what’s next? Well, it’s not just as simple as pressing PUBLISH or SEND and hoping for the best I’m afraid! Check out our compiled list of ways you can use to gain an audience for your writing. Ready? Here we go, friends! 1) Identify your ideal audience Spend some time considering popular culture, current events, genre-specific trends, and where your story lands within various demographics. Try out various… Read More »5 Ways for Writers to Find Their Ideal Audience

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9 Massive Career Mistakes to Avoid Making as a Writer

How To Avoid Career Mistakes Afraid of career mistakes? You are not alone … Being a writer is not the easiest of career path choices. You can be the most talented and hardworking writer out there, but if you make any of these ten career mistakes your career will hardly get off the ground. Here is our best advice for writers attempting to get off the ground. Ready? Let’s go … Mistake #1: Forgetting to Forge Connections One of the biggest mistakes that writers can make is to isolate themselves. Even though the job can be done in isolation, it… Read More »9 Massive Career Mistakes to Avoid Making as a Writer

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5 Lies Writers Torture Themselves With About Their Careers

Lies, Lies, Lies Following my previous post about the lies writers tell themselves, I thought it would be good to do a follow up. This time I’m concentrating on the lies writers tell themselves about their CAREERS. Ready? Then let’s go … 1) ‘I’m running out of time’ Lots of Bang2writers fret about this very obvious lie. Now, if you’re on a deadline, that’s obviously different … But if you’re writing a spec screenplay or uncontracted novel? You have all the time in the world. Seriously! Don’t worry about what other writers are doing or how many birthdays you’ve had. Just… Read More »5 Lies Writers Torture Themselves With About Their Careers

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