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Getting Nowhere? 3 Top Tips To Help You In Your Writing Career

Getting Nowhere? Read On … I hear from writers all the time who feel frustrated, despondent and like they are getting nowhere. They may tell me they feel ‘locked out’, or perhaps they are getting ghosted by industry pros. Let me offer the view from the other side. Hardly a month goes by without me having to block a writer. Sometimes it’s multiple writers. Supersadface. I don’t want to. I want to help.  Whilst I have to make a living, I give oodles of my time and expertise away for NOTHING on the B2W platform. That’s why there’s so much… Read More »Getting Nowhere? 3 Top Tips To Help You In Your Writing Career

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Why Characters’ Skills Are SO Important To Your Story

All About Skillsets Memorable characters often stand out because of their unique skills or talents … but these abilities must serve a purpose in the story. So, how can we tell if we’re crafting a character with a meaningful skill or just adding a random trait for the hell of it? It was International Women’s Day at the weekend. So, I thought I’d answer the question of skill and how it plays out with reference to female characters. You know the drill, Bangers: ready … let’s go! Why Skills Are Essential to Characterisation In the 2020s, nuanced and layered characterisation… Read More »Why Characters’ Skills Are SO Important To Your Story

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10 Quick Tips To Self-Edit Your Screenplay Or Novel

How To Self-Edit Your Screenplay Or Novel I’m a big believer in the self-edit for my drafts. I don’t see the point in sending my novels or screenplays out – even just to peer reviewers – without giving my writing a good polish first. I also recommend Bang2writers self-edit before paying for feedback, too! However, I’ve worked with writers now for over twenty years. I’ve noticed that many writers don’t know what an effective self-edit entails. They’ll tend to hyper-focus on itty-bitty things that don’t matter. Then they’ll move words around the page randomly. Waaaah. So, if you’re keen to… Read More »10 Quick Tips To Self-Edit Your Screenplay Or Novel

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No, Bechdel Is NOT A ‘Low Bar’ For Female Characters. Here’s Why

The Bechdel Test The Bechdel Test (sometimes referred to as the Bechdel-Wallace Test) is frequently held up as a standard for female characterisation. You may have seen it doing the rounds, especially if you’ve read B2W’s free eBook, How Not to Write Female Characters. The Bechdel Test is based on the 1985 comic strip, Dykes To Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel. It’s frequently used to measure effective female characterisation in film and other fiction.  The test asks whether a work …  features at least two female characters who have a conversation about anything other than a man Here’s the… Read More »No, Bechdel Is NOT A ‘Low Bar’ For Female Characters. Here’s Why

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5 Big Truths In The A.I Debate Nobody Seems To Be Talking About

  The Big A.I Debate A.I has been a very hot topic for writers in the last few years. It’s not difficult to see why … Since ChatGPT et al dropped in late 2022, what the technology means for creatives has been a focal point. Screenwriters and authors have been concerned with everything from getting ‘replaced’ through to ethical use, plagiarism, copyright and much more besides (because: duh! We need to protect our interests). Now, it seems those concerns and talking points have finally begun to filter down to non-creatives. In recent months, I have been in several reader and… Read More »5 Big Truths In The A.I Debate Nobody Seems To Be Talking About

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5 Unusual Things I Did To Create My Dream Writing Career

On ‘Breaking In’ To The Industry I don’t like the term ‘breaking in’, which is why I always tell Bang2writers to CREATE their dream writing career. I think it’s a much more useful term. It reminds us that we have the tools to do whatever we want! There is indeed no clear-cut path and every creative will have a different one. That said, I was a rank outsider in the industry, starting from a position that was both complex and challenging. By sharing my story, I hope I can inspire you as you create YOUR dream writing career. Ready? Let’s… Read More »5 Unusual Things I Did To Create My Dream Writing Career

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10 Quick Submissions Tips To Kick Off Your Strategy

B2W’s Top 10 Submissions Tips B2W’s got you covered with my Top 10 submissions tips! So start off right and ensure you don’t fall into any submissions pitfalls. Ready? Let’s go … 1) Read the Submissions Guidelines Yes, this is an obvious submission tip. So why do SO FEW writers ignore them?? Always, always check them out – most schemes, agents, publishers or production companies will list them on their website. Come on! MORE: How To Get Past ‘No Unsolicited Material’  2) Personalise Your Submission Don’t ‘BCC’ your submission to a multitude of recipients – this is a one way… Read More »10 Quick Submissions Tips To Kick Off Your Strategy

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Tropes Vs. Stereotypes Vs. Clichés: Why Knowing The Difference Is Important

Tropes Vs. Stereotypes Vs. Clichés If you are confused about the differences between tropes, stereotypes and clichés, you are NOT alone. So few people get it right online – including actual writers and critics! – that it’s no wonder everybody’s brains are melted. Without further ado then, I am going to break it all down here. Ready? Let’s go … What Is A Trope? A trope is simply a recurrent idea we see a lot in stories. Nothing more, nothing less. A trope may be positive, negative or neutral. A lot of tropes in storytelling start first in society before… Read More »Tropes Vs. Stereotypes Vs. Clichés: Why Knowing The Difference Is Important

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25 Sweary Pieces of Writing Advice To Embrace In 2025

Sweary Writing Advice B2W was built on sweary writing advice. Everyone knows this. Yet reviewing the blog’s content recently, I realised I hadn’t been sweary on here in quite a while!! How effing remiss of me (arf). With a new year approaching, I thought doing a round-up of sweary writing advice would be fun. So, for my less profane Bang2writers, you may want to sit this one out. For those of you who DO like sweary writing advice, let’s fucking go! 1) Write the damn thing Throw those words down on the page like the trash birds they are. Don’t… Read More »25 Sweary Pieces of Writing Advice To Embrace In 2025

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Top 15 Unwritten Rules Of Writing: How Many Do You Know?

Rules, Schmules B2W always says there’s no rules to break, just risks to take in writing. However, there are numerous things we can do when learning and honing our craft … ‘best practices’ if you will. These best practices can be thought of as ‘unwritten rules’ if you’re so inclined. I rounded up 15 of these so-called rules for us all. If you think you have missed any, feel free to add to the comments. Ready? Let’s go! 1) Know Who You’re Writing FOR! Whenever I say to a writer they need to know their target reader or viewer, this… Read More »Top 15 Unwritten Rules Of Writing: How Many Do You Know?

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#1 Error That Kills Interest In Your Pitch 100% Of The Time

#1 Error That Kills Your Pitch Obviously there are lots of ways to kill your pitch, but there’s a #1 error I see most often. This error is so widespread and so simple, you’ll kick yourself once you see it … … HIDING your story behind intangible, thematic stuff. In other words, writers go for VIBES over the actual events of the story. Instead of being overt about what literally happens, the writer will fall back on that #1 pitching error like this … A retired bodyguard faces his demons from his traumatic past as he guides a kidnapped girl… Read More »#1 Error That Kills Interest In Your Pitch 100% Of The Time

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Pros & Cons Of Writing A Prologue: 6 Key Things To Consider

All About Prologues Every word counts in a story and first impressions matter. Traditionally, a prologue is an introductory chapter that sets the scene, tone and genre of your novel. But should you write one? The million-dollar question! Believe it or not, using a prologue can be quite controversial in the social media age. So, let’s put prologues under the microscope, so you can make an informed choice on whether YOU should use one … let’s go! What Is A Prologue? Put simply, a prologue is an introductory chapter that lays the groundwork of what’s to come. Their purpose is… Read More »Pros & Cons Of Writing A Prologue: 6 Key Things To Consider

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