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5 Steps To Writing The Perfect Cover Letter

Congratulations – you have written a novel! This is no small thing, for in the words of Hemingway, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” After the effort that has gone into your manuscript, it’s understandable that you’re eager to secure a literary agent, but you need to be patient for long enough to write a great cover letter. It’s the gateway to getting your book published. Here are 5 tips to help you on your way: 1. Write concisely Your letter should be no longer than one page. Not one-and-a-bit,… Read More »5 Steps To Writing The Perfect Cover Letter

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5 Career Strategies For Writers

All About Careers Various Bang2writers have been asking me, especially on Twitter, about career and submissions strategies, so here’s a quick breakdown of approaches you may want to consider/try. As ever, the usual disclaimer: “buyer beware” and do your homework on all submissions opportunities … Plus, *obviously* nothing “guarantees” success and you may find you want to/need to tweak various elements of these approaches to suit your own life. Equally, if you have a strategy you feel I’ve missed here, let me know in the comments section and I’ll add it. Before we get started, here are resources that are… Read More »5 Career Strategies For Writers

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7 Submission Don’ts! From The Person Who Has To Read Your Script

Avoid These Submission Don’ts A brilliant list of Submission Don’ts from Sophie Wing today! I especially love her “don’t over-package” tip, which I will back up with another submissions horror story of my own … One of my first interning jobs, I opened a script held together with butterfly pins. One of the little feckers sliced right through my palm and I have a SCAR THERE TO THIS DAY. Even *better*??? Because it was a paper submission (wow, I feel so old), the writer wrote back to the literary agent and complained there was blood on his rejected script!!! Yargh.  Over… Read More »7 Submission Don’ts! From The Person Who Has To Read Your Script

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6 Reasons NOT To Have A Prologue In Your Novel

So I’ve been reading a lot of spec novels via the Bang2write script reading service and downloading various free self published works for my Kindle app on my shiny new iPad (why the hell didn’t I get one years ago? Oh yeah, no money and the whole technophobia thing). Anyway, of the many spec or self published works that have crossed my radar in recent weeks, I’ve noticed some similar issues, all relating to prologues. Here are my thoughts on  NOT having one and why: 6. Your story starts too early. All too often, prologues in spec novels are boring… Read More »6 Reasons NOT To Have A Prologue In Your Novel

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6 Ways To Build An Audience

 I had an idea for a character. A character without a story. Being a fan of Twitter, I thought it might be interesting to set up an account in his name and use it as a testing ground for material to see if anything like a plot would emerge. Two years later, it had over 25,000 Twitter followers; appeared briefly in GQ magazine and Time, we made a short film (How To Be Dead); I quoted Yoda on stage to a large audience and had a whole lot of fun. I am now writing The Death Guide To Life as… Read More »6 Ways To Build An Audience

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4 Reasons YOU Should Be The Next B2W Intern

So, we’re at that time of year again when I offer up the opportunity to be the official Bang2write intern for the summer period. B2W offers a platform for the successful applicant to get their work seen by a social media network of approximately 10K, as well as introducing them to the rigorous demands of branding; managing various social media sites; facilitating discussion; sourcing links, encouraging debvate and deflecting flame wars to name just a few. In return, the successful applicant will get my full attention and moral support as I edit and give feedback on their articles; advise on… Read More »4 Reasons YOU Should Be The Next B2W Intern

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8 Ways To Jump Start Your Novel’s Description

All About Novel Description The quality of your novel’s description can make or break your book. Novel description is one of the most important elements to be judged when you send it to an agent or publisher (or direct with a reader if you’re self publishing). Yes, yes we all *know* this … Yet STILL all too often writers do not invest in their novel description adequately. As a result authors drop a multitude of description clangers. This serves only to dissuade agents, publishers or readers from engaging with the story in front of them. So what to do? Don’t… Read More »8 Ways To Jump Start Your Novel’s Description

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Women & Writing # 3: Philippa Willitts, Freelance Writer

Brill to have the lovely Philippa on the site today, who is a freelance writer. I know a lot of you out there would love to know how to source and undertake freelance writing work, so think you’ll get a lot from Philippa’s great insights. I think what she has to say about “making it happen” applies very much to writers of other mediums, too. Enjoy! 1) If you could describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be? Opinionated, funny, conscientious. 2) What’s your background? I studied French at the University of Sheffield, which included one year of studying… Read More »Women & Writing # 3: Philippa Willitts, Freelance Writer

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29 Ways To Find A Literary Agent

Many thanks to Harry from Agent Hunter for today’s guest post – some absolute submissions GOLD here, not just for novelists but screenwriters too. Enjoy – and pass on to all your writery friends! Since super-agent Carole Blake recently advised on how not to get an agent, I thought it might be helpful to suggest some good ways to secure one. Truth is, only the first few of these tips really matter, so readers with attention deficit issues can just read the opening items, then move swiftly on to playing computer games or swallowing food additives, or whatever else helps… Read More »29 Ways To Find A Literary Agent

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5 Ways To Use Feedback Effectively On Your Screenplay or Novel

So, you’ve got some feedback on your writing … Maybe it’s great … Yay! Or maybe it’s bad. Boo. Or maybe it’s both? OMFG. Whatever: you need to use that feedback effectively in order to rewrite. You know this. But what next? This is often where writers come unstuck … ‘Cos they don’t know how to use feedback effectively, even with GOOD notes!!! Sometimes it’s because there seems like too much choice … Other times it’s because problems with a draft seem insurmountable, or life gets in the way. Sometimes all of the above – or something else. Ack. CUE WRITER… Read More »5 Ways To Use Feedback Effectively On Your Screenplay or Novel

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Women & Writing # 1: Suzanne Palmieri, Novelist

Now, a new series of articles dedicated to women and writing – I’ll be profiling inspirational ladies and their writing (or related work) in the coming months. First up we have novelist Suzanne Palmieri who I befriended on Twitter recently and discovered I have an amazing amount in common with! Plus her book comes out today – happy publication day, Suzanne! Enjoy … 1) If you could describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be and why? Scrappy: I was a young, single mother on welfare and I picked myself up, went back to college, received a presidential scholarship to Fordham to do… Read More »Women & Writing # 1: Suzanne Palmieri, Novelist

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Top 5 Ways Writers Screw Up Their Characters

Don’t Screw Up Your Characters Characters are the lifeblood of any great story, so we don’t want to screw up on this … BUT writers frequently do. There are multiple, multiple ways to screw up on characterisation, but here are the typical ways … Characters are ‘tropey’, ie. derivative of existing characters, so boring They are stereotypes or recycle toxic myths and ideas The characters feel inauthentic Readers feel they can’t invest in the character’s journey for a specific craft reason (as opposed to personal reason) So if we don’t want to screw up, we need to keep the above… Read More »Top 5 Ways Writers Screw Up Their Characters

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