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Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With Short Films

Short Film Mistakes Writing short films is exceptionally difficult. In recent years, many film festivals have started to prioritise short films that are ten minutes or under. Telling a story in such a short timeframe is a big challenge. As a script editor, I’ve spent a lot of time in the world of short films. In the past 20+ years I have been … Involved with numerous produced films, including award winners & nominated ones A judge for Shore Scripts’ Short Film Fund A mentor on numerous screen agency short film schemes, including BFI New Voices Part of the steering… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With Short Films

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Why Your Screenwriting Career Is Stalling (And How To Fix It)

Feel like you’re stalling? If you feel like your screenwriting career is stalling, you’re not alone. The past ten years have created huge problems for the industry. Screenwriting circa 2026 is more challenging than it has ever been. Industry pros have left in record levels, with those that remain telling me it’s the worst they’ve ever seen it. But the point of this post is not to make you feel despondent. Instead, it’s designed to help you stop stalling and get your best chance of getting out of the spec script trenches. Ready? Let’s go … 1) Concept still sells!… Read More »Why Your Screenwriting Career Is Stalling (And How To Fix It)

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Why Most Spec Scripts Fail (It’s Not The Idea – It’s The Execution)

It’s All In The Execution? Most scripts don’t fail because the idea is bad – they fail because the execution is not doing the work. But how can we tell if our execution is not cutting it? Here’s 8 common pitfalls I see regularly in spec screenplays. Ready? Let’s go … 1) A situation is not a story A cool idea or set-up isn’t enough. Your concept at the heart of your story needs to be road-tested at foundation level. A story = movement. This means your story requires escalation, cause & effect, and a protagonist driving towards a clear… Read More »Why Most Spec Scripts Fail (It’s Not The Idea – It’s The Execution)

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What Writers Can Learn From The Short Film That Launched a $1 Billion Franchise

Selling, Not Selling Out ‘Write me a low-budget screenplay that launches a $1 billion dollar franchise.’  A producer said this in a room full of writers I was in, back at the very beginning of my career. To say it landed with me BIG TIME is an understatement. It made me realise that story is not the only thing writers must contend with. As a collaborative medium, it’s also our job to come up with ideas that SELL. Of course, this is where writers might say: ‘But I don’t want to sell out!’ I totally get this. It can seem… Read More »What Writers Can Learn From The Short Film That Launched a $1 Billion Franchise

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Bad Deals, Brave Asks and Why You’re Allowed To Walk Away (Yes, REALLY!)

All About Bad Deals NEWSFLASH: bad deals are not worth it! One thing I see over and over again with writers is this: They want it so badly that they’ll accept almost anything. An “opportunity” lands in their inbox. It sounds exciting, even flattering. It sounds like this might finally be the thing. Then, because they don’t want to miss out, writers don’t ask questions. They don’t push back. They don’t stop to think whether the deal actually helps them advance in their careers. Here’s the truth many writers don’t want to hear: A bad deal is often worse than no… Read More »Bad Deals, Brave Asks and Why You’re Allowed To Walk Away (Yes, REALLY!)

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Into The Spec Pile: 12 Quick Tips On Making Your Submission Stand Out

Into The Spec Pile I’ve been diving into the spec pile of screenplays and novels for 20+ years now. ‘Spec’ is short for ‘speculative’, meaning no one in the industry has asked the writer to create that story. Instead, the writers have done it themselves ‘on spec’. I always call it the SPEC pile rather than the more common ‘slush pile’. To me, ‘spec pile’ is much more neutral, whereas ‘slush pile’ seems very derogatory. It is essential to remember that ANY story – script or novel – is someone’s hopes and dreams. However, I also like to shine a… Read More »Into The Spec Pile: 12 Quick Tips On Making Your Submission Stand Out

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5 Steps To Writing Success (Or Why Optimism Bias Kills Your Chances)

What Is ‘Optimism Bias’? Optimism bias is the tendency of an individual to overestimate the likelihood of positive events and underestimate the possibility of negative events. I see it all the time in writers, who may feel their masterpiece novel or screenplay will get picked up right away … and when they don’t, they get VERY downhearted. All of us are vulnerable to optimism bias, by the way. It’s very easy to get carried away and imagine our futures accepting Oscars, seeing our books on shelves, our TV shows on Netflix, or movie posters in our mind’s eye! What’s more,… Read More »5 Steps To Writing Success (Or Why Optimism Bias Kills Your Chances)

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How NOT To Write at Home (Unless You Enjoy Back Pain and Meltdowns)

The Truth About Writing At Home Ah, the dream: pyjama-clad brilliance, coffee in hand, your genius pouring out between bites of leftover takeout. Writing from home sounds idyllic … until it isn’t. The truth? “Freedom” becomes flailing, the couch becomes a chiropractor’s nightmare, and somehow your word count is still zero after three hours of “getting in the zone.” Let’s bust the myth of the home-writing utopia and talk about the chaos it actually breeds. Because unless you enjoy back pain, creative paralysis, and emotionally bonding with your cat more than your screenplay, it’s time for some real talk. 1)… Read More »How NOT To Write at Home (Unless You Enjoy Back Pain and Meltdowns)

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10 Brutal Writing Lessons You’ll Wish You Learned Sooner (I’m Not Kidding)

10 Brutal Writing Lessons I’m not a fan of the term ‘brutal honesty’. This is because too often, the person being honest is paying more heed to the brutality than the honesty. Yuk. No thanks! That said, sometimes we all need a hardcore reality check. This is especially the case in screenwriting, filmmaking and publishing. There’s so much romantic BS and myth-making going on in these industries, it can be difficult to see that reality. I’ve made it my life’s work to demystify the spec pile, the process and the industry. With that in mind, here’s 10 brutal writing lessons… Read More »10 Brutal Writing Lessons You’ll Wish You Learned Sooner (I’m Not Kidding)

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3 Important Wake Up Calls For Screenwriters And Authors

Wake Up Calls For Writers One of the biggest wake up calls I ever had was realising I was a workaholic. We live in a hustle culture and we glorify the grind. I was used to people telling me how impressed they were by my output. It’s true I was prolific, but I was also completely and utterly burned out. Ironically, I was working so hard I couldn’t do my best work! That realisation changed everything for me. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your writing goals too, you’re not alone. Many writers struggle, feeling creatively ‘frozen’. They may be trying… Read More »3 Important Wake Up Calls For Screenwriters And Authors

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Top 7 Tips To Help Your Indie Book Sell (Even Without Viral Marketing!)

The Silent Bestseller Why do some indie books thrive, even without viral marketing? We all hear stories of self-published books skyrocketing to bestseller status overnight, thanks to a viral TikTok trend or an influencer’s endorsement. But what about the indie books that don’t explode right away? How do they quietly build an audience over time? That’s been my journey. As the author of three suspense-thriller novels – Caught In Cryptic, Falling Cryptic, and Nighty Night, Dear – I’ve come to appreciate the long game. Some books don’t need a viral moment … They just need the right readers to find… Read More »Top 7 Tips To Help Your Indie Book Sell (Even Without Viral Marketing!)

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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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