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How ‘The One with The Embryos’ Nails Stakes, Tension & Pay Off

The One With The Embryos (s4, ep12) The One With The Embryos (aka ‘the quiz episode’) is one of my favourite Friends episodes of all time. In fact, I just lovelovelove s4 of the show; it’s probably my favourite season. The trivia contest is hilarious, but other iconic s4 moments include: Ross saying ‘Rachel’ at the altar Monica getting stung by a jellyfish Chandler and Rachel’s fight over the handcuffs in Joanna’s office Phoebe’s pregnancy with triplets Joey saying ‘How you doin’?’ for the first time and of course ‘The Friendly Finger’ (Ross’ way of giving The Finger with two… Read More »How ‘The One with The Embryos’ Nails Stakes, Tension & Pay Off

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Inside The Spec Pile: Novel No-Nos To Avoid In Your First 3 Chapters

Novel No-Nos To Avoid The first three chapters are the main event when it comes to your novel submissions. (Want to know what else you should submit with your first three chapters? CLICK HERE). Yet as any script reader, sifter, intern or agent’s assistant can tell you, the average first three chapters simply don’t hit the mark. These ‘novel no-nos’ can be varied, so I’m going to list the most common here with links to help. Ready? Then let’s go … 1) Starting with the weather Uh oh! This is one of classic author Elmore Leonard’s Top 10 Writing Rules. Remember:… Read More »Inside The Spec Pile: Novel No-Nos To Avoid In Your First 3 Chapters

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The Genius of THE SHINING: Foreshadowing and Dramatic Irony Done Right

Happy Halloween From B2W The Shining is one of my favourite movies of all time. You may have noticed my fab poster in the background of my Zooms, livestreams and selfies (below). One of the reasons it is one of my favourites is because it was part of my own writing journey. I first watched the movie when I was a teenager. I was a strange kid who loved to watch things over and over in a loop. In doing so, I realised there were a variety of ‘giveaways’ of what would happen in the story. I was confused at… Read More »The Genius of THE SHINING: Foreshadowing and Dramatic Irony Done Right

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Stuck On Act 2? 5 Tips To Take Your Story Towards A Great Ending

The Dreaded Act 2 ‘Slump’ Screenwriter or author, many – if not most? – writers fear Act 2. Lots of Bang2writers I’ve worked one-to-one with label it ‘The Wasteland’! It’s not hard to see why. While Act 1 is full of promise, plus Act 3 is the ‘wrap up’, so it’s easy (and normal!) to stall in Act 2. Many writers stall because they’re not entirely sure what Act 2 is for. So, breaking it down, Act 2 is for … Escalation of the conflict (with characters ‘climbing walls, each one bigger than the last‘) Development of character arcs, so… Read More »Stuck On Act 2? 5 Tips To Take Your Story Towards A Great Ending

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The Curse of Plot Armour: Why Some Characters Can’t Die (and Why It Matters)

What Is Plot Armour? Plot armour is when a character cannot die in a story, no matter what happens to them. It’s … The smooth-talking hero who survives falling off skyscrapers, cliffs, out of planes without a parachute Villains who appear to be dead, yet inexplicably come back to life Kickass hotties who can stop bullets hitting them by being super-fast Characters with supernatural or scientific abilities that stop them dying (including superheroes) Hitmen who have a ‘bulletproof suit’  (hello, literal plot armour in John Wick 4!) Plot armour is most obvious in horror, fantasy or science fiction, though it… Read More »The Curse of Plot Armour: Why Some Characters Can’t Die (and Why It Matters)

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3 Common Problems Writers Have Getting Words On The Page

Having Issues Getting Words On The Page? If you’re having issues getting words on the page, you’re not alone. It’s probably one of the most common laments I hear from screenwriters and authors. It’s so common as to be NORMAL, with even pro writers wrestling with the page too. The good news is, B2W can help – especially if you’ve found yourself thinking any of these … Ready? Let’s go! 1) “I don’t have enough time to write.” Do you have a day job, a disability, mental health issues, or neurodivergence, money problems, kids or other caring commitments (or maybe… Read More »3 Common Problems Writers Have Getting Words On The Page

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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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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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An Introduction To Kishōtenketsu, The Art of Plot Contrast Over Conflict

All About Kishōtenketsu If you learned storytelling in the West, you may not have heard of kishōtenketsu. Whilst some literature and screenwriting degrees may include it, most prioritise what I call ‘the transformative arc’.  The most obvious transformative arc is, of course, The Hero’s Journey. A protagonist must go from ‘zero to hero’ while challenging a ‘Big Bad’ of some kind. Most often that protagonist will undergo fundamental changes in dealing with a villain. This villain may or may not be emblematic of ‘The System’. Good examples of villains that are part of ‘The System’ include Darth Vader (The Evil… Read More »An Introduction To Kishōtenketsu, The Art of Plot Contrast Over Conflict

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Top 10 Reasons Your Spec Screenplay Is Being Sent To Trash

Is Your Script Being Sent To Trash? If you suspect your spec screenplay is being sent to trash, you’re not alone. I started script reading so long ago, most of the submissions I received were ON PAPER. No, I wasn’t born in prehistoric times with dinosaurs running all over the place … it was just twenty years ago. (Cheeky). But these days, most spec screenplays are PDFs and attached to emails, or sent via portals like Submittable. However, this does mean they’re easier than ever to overlook, or get sent to trash. All overworked readers have to do is highlight… Read More »Top 10 Reasons Your Spec Screenplay Is Being Sent To Trash

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