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Writers, Everyone Hates Us On Social Media. Here’s Why …

Social Media Hate If you spend a lot of time on social media like I do, you’ll have noticed a LOT of writers blotting their copybooks lately with their potential friends and followers. Here’s what’s happened to me lately, in just the past 2 or 3 weeks: Facebook Fiends. Writers may send me Friend requests. That’s obviously fine, but within SECONDS of accepting their request, they may send another asking me to LIKE their page. (Plus the really persistent ones will send a private message as well). Facebook Fiends #2. Writers on Facebook may ‘tag’ me from their timeline, especially into… Read More »Writers, Everyone Hates Us On Social Media. Here’s Why …

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FOCUS ON FORMAT – When To Use Captions

What is a caption? On a screenplay, ‘captions’ are those bits of text you may see flash up on screen – i.e.: 24 HOURS EARLIER NEW YORK DAY 32 COLONY 1, THE MOON BAGHDAD, IRAQ INSIDE DEREK’S LOWER INTESTINE You know the ones. You will have seen them countless times whilst watching movies, TV dramas, sitcoms, documentaries and even short films, web series, sketches, YouTube reviews etc. Lots of Bang2writers ask me how to format these. Well, it’s pretty simple. You just need to write: SUPER: [Caption you want to put in] Apparently, ‘Super’ is short for ‘Super impose’. This… Read More »FOCUS ON FORMAT – When To Use Captions

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Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With Erotica

Cringey Capers You only have to dip into the erotica section of Amazon to see that it is distressingly easy to write poor sexy tales.  Yet just by following a few simple rules you can lift your erotica from tacky to tantalising … Just don’t make any of THESE clangers … 1) No story! Where’s the story? If you are going to write your own sexual fantasies, then don’t forget to make it part of the story and not just a cold happening. 2) Being OTT Keep it your erotica simple and relatable. Use something ordinary and familiar as your starting point-… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With Erotica

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21 Top Tips To Get More Creative

One of the most searched-for terms that lead writers to this blog is ‘get more creative’. When writers discuss creativity, we nearly always focus on stuff like writing exercises and prompts – but creativity is a STATE OF MIND. We need to change our thinking to get our writing going and create good work. This is why I love this infographic from the good folks at Custom-Writing.org. It ranges from the obvious to the not-so-obvious, but crucially also offers tips, quotes and snippets on the subjects too – the attention to detail is brilliant! I particularly like numbers 9 and… Read More »21 Top Tips To Get More Creative

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How To Boost Your Writing Confidence To New Levels

  Got No Confidence In Your Writing? If you have no confidence in your writing, you’re not alone. LOTS of writers lack confidence, including professional creatives. Yes really! Being a writer might be challenging, as creative people very often worry their work is not good enough. Lacking confidence can be immobilising and may influence the quality of your writing, too. But instead of focusing on your lack of confidence, check out these simple ideas and exercises. They are designed to boost your confidence and make your creative genius shine. 1) Use writing prompts Many creative people know that writing prompts… Read More »How To Boost Your Writing Confidence To New Levels

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How To Crush Your Writing Deadlines

1) Understand the Benefits of Deadlines You’re on a deadline. You’re doing your best to complete that script. It has to be outstanding. You have to develop impressive characters. It has to be on time. The deadline is pressurising you so badly you freak out. You push yourself to write more. It doesn’t work; you get stuck. You try to get some sleep. You can’t; you’re constantly concerned about that deadline. How do you deal with this pressure??? Hold on … Due dates are not your enemies. They should serve as an inspiration for you to get the job done… Read More »How To Crush Your Writing Deadlines

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The Ultimate Guide To Writing An Outstanding Query

How To Query A query is a short, to-the-point email that you can send to an agent, producer, filmmaker or publisher. Usually 2-3 lines long only, it will detail who you are, what you have (ie. a logline or short pitch) and a polite enquiry whether that person will read it. I am a HUGE fan of query emails. I must have sent thousands over the years. Many have lead to read requests, meetings and even paid jobs for me. What’s more, even places that say ‘no unsolicited material’ will accept queries … They either ignore and delete them, or… Read More »The Ultimate Guide To Writing An Outstanding Query

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6 Ways To Get Great Writing Ideas From Social Media

Social media gets a bad rap as a ‘time suck’ for writers, but as any Bang2writer knows, I think social media is BRILLIANT for us … Not only can we get ideas and inspiration, we can use it as a ‘water cooler’ to chat ideas through (either overtly or covertly). We can crowd fund for opinions and answers to our queries, as well as observe debates, talks and even flame wars too. What’s more, we can even find out what our potential audiences are interested in (or conversely, NOT interested in!) too — this is one of the main reasons… Read More »6 Ways To Get Great Writing Ideas From Social Media

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10 Useful Infographics To Help You Pick The Right Words

1) TIP: Never Use Boring Words! First up, the obvious … And one that some say is the ONLY rule every writer should follow – ‘Don’t be boring!’ Novelist Bang2writers obviously have the strongest burden in NOT being boring. In comparison to screenplays, every single word of a novel is accessible to a reader. That said, script readers have to read a screenplay first, so it’s still not wise to be repetitive and write ‘flat’ and flabby prose. This infographic from Custom Writing breaks down some common and frankly DULL words, plus what ALL writers can use instead. Remember, just because… Read More »10 Useful Infographics To Help You Pick The Right Words

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11 Habits That Can Transform Your Productivity

Many people are constantly trying to make the most out of their working days. Sometimes, it means working until late and drinking a few additional cups of coffee. This method, although applied by many, is largely ineffective because it includes working harder and longer. Why not work smarter? To increase the efficiency of your work and avoid spending unnecessary additional hours at the office, we need to analyse the latest knowledge provided by the experts. This is exactly what the infographic below by www.assignmenthelper.com.au does. For example, it reviews many important factors that influence productivity and are often ignored by… Read More »11 Habits That Can Transform Your Productivity

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Why Writers Are Not Always The Best Judge Of Storytelling

Theme is probably one of the most-asked questions I get ‘off blog’ when working on writing projects with my Bang2writers. These writers will fret people may not ‘get’ their theme or message, or perhaps even claim the point of their story is ‘wrong’ somehow. But this is the thing. People WILL disagree about the theme or message of your story — even with you, the writer! Whilst sometimes this goes waaaaay off-piste, 9/10 this is actually a good thing … It shows how your reader or viewer has participated in breaking down your story for meaning. This is brilliant! Let… Read More »Why Writers Are Not Always The Best Judge Of Storytelling

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4 Easy Ways To Track Your Online Buzz

We’ve all done it before. Come on, be honest! You see that little rectangle box and all you have to do is type your name and you can see how many times you come up. It’s a little narcissistic, but it’s also human … … I’m speaking, of course, of Googling yourself. Whether you admit it or not, it’s perfectly natural to want to know who’s talking about you online! This is even more true with authors. If someone wrote a blog about your book, you want to know so you can see if it did anything for your sales. Or… Read More »4 Easy Ways To Track Your Online Buzz

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