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5 Ways To Evaluate Your Feedback

So last weekend I taught my “Breaking Into Script Reading Course” for LondonSWF … And what a weekend! I had a terrific time with some really switched-on delegates who brought their energy and enthusiasm to the room, two days just FLEW by and I had a blast. If you missed the class, please check out the fantastic live tweet my scripty sisters @SoFluid & @BrideofChrist provided … Their thumbs must have been ON FIRE because they did approx 70% of the nearly ONE THOUSAND #Bang2write tweets over the weekend! Amazing. View the live tweet HERE and find out about other… Read More »5 Ways To Evaluate Your Feedback

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5 Ways To Approach Your Rewrites (And How To Know When It’s Done!)

All About Rewrites Rewrites: for some, this is where the joy of creativity is set alight, the chariots of fire stampede, ablaze with inspiration! For others, rewrites are more akin to having your fingernails slowly removed in a dingy room under a dim bulb. I probably fall somewhere in the middle of these two extremes about rewrites. But wherever you fall, rewriting is the reality of writing, whether we like it or not. I thought I’d take some time out from the 15th draft of my most recent work in progress to offer some pointers on how to keep your chin… Read More »5 Ways To Approach Your Rewrites (And How To Know When It’s Done!)

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Top 7 Writing “Debates” To Avoid

I love the internet. Writers can plug in and get access to all the people, information and opportunities they could ever need. They can even create a whole career out of it via blogging and social media – that’s what I did. I didn’t even live in London. As I always say: anything is possible. But even an Internet Die Hard like me can get sick of the web, due to the SAME writing “debates” rolling around and around, two, three or even *more* times a year – and some of them NEVER seem to go away, despite the fact… Read More »Top 7 Writing “Debates” To Avoid

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Social Media, Pt 2: Where, What & How? By Samuel Caine

Following on from the previous article, which websites should you go to, what purpose do they serve and how do you best use them? Twitter – A brilliant micro-blogging site that restricts you to bursts of 140 characters. You can follow writing buddies, join in with debates and, perhaps most relevantly, track discussions using hashtags – searching for #scriptchat #amwriting #novels #agents or anything that springs to mind, really, will bring you face to face with all the hot-off-the-press discussions of the day. The best advice I can offer for Twitter is USE IT. Making yourself an active presence, who travels… Read More »Social Media, Pt 2: Where, What & How? By Samuel Caine

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Self Belief: Can Do Attitude

Once upon a time – not so long ago, actually – writers had TOO MUCH self belief. They’d send first drafts off the moment they wrote FADE OUT and were CONSUMED WITH RAGE when they go the inevitable feedback, “this needs more work”. Who the HELL were these readers anyway??? Then The Scribosphere happened and writers started grouping together: blogs came first, then Facebook, then Twitter. Writers were no longer writing in quite the isolation they were before. First they simply chatted about writing. Then they started to share experiences. Then their actual work. That’s when the script pile started… Read More »Self Belief: Can Do Attitude

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The Criticism Sandwich by Eleanor Ball

Don’t know about you, but I can be cripplingly sensitive when it comes to feedback. Actually, to hell with it, I DO know about you, dearest new bang2writer chums, because we’re all creative and therefore much of what we do comes from deep within, unless we manage to roboticise the process. A cold word about something that I’ve poured my soul into (even though my soul is currently on the market if you’re interested) can turn me from confidently chipper to wildly scribbling down plans to leave the industry and run away to raise mustangs in the Nevada mountains. Of… Read More »The Criticism Sandwich by Eleanor Ball

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Dealing With Feedback: Losses & Gains

Lots of Bang2writers say they know they should get feedback on their work – but confess that once they have, they’re not always terribly illuminated by it. In fact, sometimes they feel even more confused. It should be noted this can happen whether they have paid for a reader like me or got their feedback via peer review. Surprisingly, this can happen with GOOD notes as much as bad too, so it also doesn’t depend on the quality of the notes, either. It depends wholly on the writer themselves. Knowing how to deal with feedback is a skill in itself.… Read More »Dealing With Feedback: Losses & Gains

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Two Things: Media Parents Meets Tiger Aspect & Free Screenwriting E-Book

MEDIA PARENTS EVENT First off, top gal Amy Walker of Media Parents has been in touch to let Bang2writers know about her new event, Tiger Aspect Meets Media Parents. Media Parents took part in one of my sessions at London Screenwriters Festival, with media veterans and parents TV writer Marc Pye and director Rebecca Gatward. I think Media Parents is a brilliant initiative and Amy works tirelessly to connect people with the industry. Check it out now. Tiger Aspect is a GIANT of the industry and I for one think it’s really exciting they want to meet and become involved… Read More »Two Things: Media Parents Meets Tiger Aspect & Free Screenwriting E-Book

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The Feedback Exchange – Round 2

Back in February, I launched The Feedback Exchange – a free, no registration required, searchable list of Bang2writers willing to swap feedback on their projects. To date, a whopping twenty people have signed up, all of whom have a variety of skills and genre interests. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get EVEN MORE Bang2writers signed up and make this the biggest, best free directory for peer review on the web!!! Remember: – Anyone, at any stage of their writing career is welcome – Post your details in the comments section of this post only You’ll notice The Feedback… Read More »The Feedback Exchange – Round 2

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The Feedback Exchange

Let’s keep this simple and not get bogged down in rules.. yawn. The only 3 things I will specify: 1) Just because you contact someone asking them to read your script doesn’t mean they HAVE TO. Similarly, if you don’t want to read for someone, be polite – send them an email and tell them, don’t ignore them. 2) If they read for you, you have to be prepared to read for them. Remember to say thanks for your feedback too! 3) Never ever be vitriolic, slag someone off or take the mickey out of them, either in the feedback… Read More »The Feedback Exchange

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Get what You Give (Or Why Learning To Give Feedback Will Make You A Better Writer)

|t’s oft heard that reading scripts makes one’s own writing better. Seeing what works on the page can provide an invaluable insight no “how to write” book or course can. Most writers will agree feedback is key to improving one’s work, but like most things there’s at least two ways of looking at it. No writer worth their salt is going to disagree GETTING feedback is anything but a help to a work, but not all of them believe learning to GIVE feedback has the same value. They might argue that unlike learning how to structure a work, about character,… Read More »Get what You Give (Or Why Learning To Give Feedback Will Make You A Better Writer)

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