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WHY This Story? … Or 8 Questions They’re **Really** Asking

One of the questions I’ve been asked and heard other writers asked most is the ubiquitous, “WHY this story?” Very often this triggers a writer to look like a rabbit in the headlights and start garbling plot. But that’s NOT what publishers, agents, producers and filmmakers are asking. Here are 8 possible things they want to know about your project … or you! 1) WHY  these characters? Remember, we don’t want characters that are THE USUAL … but equally, we don’t something completely out of the left field either. We want something surprising, that is still recognisable. So, what’s different… Read More »WHY This Story? … Or 8 Questions They’re **Really** Asking

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6 Ways YOU’RE Stopping Your Own Writing Success

You’re Stopping You NEWSFLASH – someone is stopping your writing success and it’s not who you think it is … It’s you! True story. When it comes to writing, forget those mythical “gate keepers” who won’t give you a chance … A writer can be his or her OWN worst enemy. Here’s 6 ways I’ve seen – and been! – it: 1) You’re scaring everybody off This is the thing. How you present yourself – especially online, but also networking in real life – is how people will decide whether they CAN work with you. So if you leave this… Read More »6 Ways YOU’RE Stopping Your Own Writing Success

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5 Reasons Bullying Happens At School

Today, my youngest ever Bang2writer, Harri (just 12 years old!) is talking about his new book and why he thinks kids get bullied at school and how bullies are created … This is a great opportunity for adult writers to see school from a kid’s perspective – I found number 5 particularly useful, I’d never thought of this being a useful way of avoiding bullies! So make sure you check out the post and Harri’s sites and profiles — and buy his book! Enjoy! It’s About Being “Different” … 1) Talents For example, if you’re particularly good at something like… Read More »5 Reasons Bullying Happens At School

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6 Ways To Put The Spark Back In Your Writing Relationship

Writing and I have a volatile relationship. I think about breaking up with writing at least once a week but somehow I can’t let go. One day we’ll be curled up on the sofa making plans for our future together and the next, writing looks past me at the telly even though I’m dancing around in my knickers doing my best Beyoncé meets Brontë impression. Call me a fool but I just can’t leave, so here are six ways I put the spark back into my own writing relationship. They stop me weeping into my laptop keyboard whenever I think… Read More »6 Ways To Put The Spark Back In Your Writing Relationship

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Starting NOW: Lizzie’s Diary, on Twitter & Facebook

So … in case you’ve been hiding under a rock or visiting Outer Space in the last few weeks, you’ll know I have a novel out, called THE DECISION: LIZZIE’S STORY, which was published yesterday and is now available on Amazon. It’s the first in The Decision Book Series, in which a female protagonist is faced with a dilemma and ALL its possible consequences. The second in the series, JASMINE’S STORY will be out later in the year. In LIZZIE’S STORY, teenager Lizzie will have to deal with an unexpected pregnancy and will live through ALL its potential outcomes in… Read More »Starting NOW: Lizzie’s Diary, on Twitter & Facebook

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11 Expositional Clichés That Will Kill Your Story

Exposition: it’s a cheeky little b*****. Whether novelist or screenwriter, we all need it: too little background info will mean no one has a clue what’s going on … But equally, how much is TOO MUCH? Well, check out these expositional superclangers from the spec novels and screenplays I read: 11) Random Flashback … [… Pssssst Screenwriters! See also: dream sequence; intercut; plus all about montages].  Do you really need this? REALLY? Now, look. Flashback (and indeed flashforward) – when used correctly – is a brilliant device for novels and screenplays. It can be dramatic and intriguing. But when used badly, it… Read More »11 Expositional Clichés That Will Kill Your Story

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5 Ways To Fall In Love With Your Character

Many thanks to novelist Mya Kay, who provides us with our second Bang On post on the theme of “Love”. Mya offers up some GREAT writing exercises for those of us who need to get to know our characters better and I ESPECIALLY like number 5, which I’d never heard of before. Thanks Mya! Enjoy, Bang2writers and make sure you check out Mya’s links at the end of this post … Often, writers find themselves caught between a love/hate relationship with their characters. A month later, they’re abandoning their story, without even realizing that it’s not their characters that may… Read More »5 Ways To Fall In Love With Your Character

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2 Things ALL Writers Get Wrong In Early Drafts

What Writers Always Get Wrong There’s two things writers get wrong more than ANY OTHER writing craft elements … Yep: Not. Even. Kidding. We’re talking novelists AND screenwriters, plus pro writers JUST AS MUCH as the seasoned and newbies too ! Just about every single writer IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE including aliens (and why wouldn’t *they* write?) get these two things wrong in their early drafts. And NO it’s not hyperbole either! Bang2writers might come to me and ask, “What are the most likely things writers get wrong in early drafts?” I suspect this is because they want to try and… Read More »2 Things ALL Writers Get Wrong In Early Drafts

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5 Ways To Write A Complex Female Character

Complex Female Characters As a writer it can be hard to come up with fresh new characters. We have the unfortunate tendency to only write one type of character or to write characters as stereotypes. However, writing your characters in this way does not make for a great read. Here are some ways that you can improve your female characters and make them complex and rich: 1) Forget She’s Female One of the first obstacles you need to overcome is the idea that there are intrinsically female or male characteristics. Females are not always the mother type, weak, emotional or… Read More »5 Ways To Write A Complex Female Character

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10 Ways To Make A Good Impression As A Writer

Look, we KNOW it’s all about the writing … and totally NOT all about the writing. But bar networking and meeting people, what else do writers actually need to do, to earn that all-important good first impression? After all, we know a bad impression has a nasty habit of lasting and stinking us all out with its fetid whiff, so chew on these advance solutions for size: 1. Send them all they ask for, the way they ask for it. C’mon guys, this is a no-brainer, right? Well, you would *think* so. But until submissions guidelines get READ, never mind adhered to,… Read More »10 Ways To Make A Good Impression As A Writer

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5 Steps To Writing A Novel: A Beginner’s Guide

Some great steps from Cressida today for those of you considering writing a novel for the first time. Thanks Cressida and good luck everybody who takes on the challenge! NOVEL FACTS The word “novel” is derived from Italian word “novella” which means “new”. The history of novel writing can be traced back to the medieval period, when novella was a more popular form of fiction writing. Novel has been a popular genre of fiction writing since its inception. This style of writing has been adopted by the likes of H.G Wells and Isaac Asimov. Check out The B2W Novel Writing Pinterest… Read More »5 Steps To Writing A Novel: A Beginner’s Guide

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7 Ways To Name Your Characters

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.”  Names. They’re important. They’re not important. It depends. For me, names are important. I spent a long time choosing my children’s. I had various reasons for this and the names I chose (and I did choose them all; my Husband had power of veto, but we came to the agreement I carried the babies, so I named them. And no, don’t feel sorry for him – he suggested this!). Ultimately, I wanted a name for each of the children with a meaning… Read More »7 Ways To Name Your Characters

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