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Oi Writers, This Is Not A ‘Real’ Publishing Deal

Want A Traditional Publishing Deal? If you want a publishing deal, you’re not alone. Loads of Bang2writers get in touch with me, asking about how they can get that elusive publishing deal with one of the ‘Big 5’. In the UK, these are usually considered to be … Penguin/Random House Hachette Book Group Harper Collins Simon and Schuster Macmillan Obviously, different countries will have different big publishers at the top. Traditional publishing deals can also be struck with smaller independent publishers that are not the ‘Big 5’. In addition, more authors than ever before are self publishing. Myself, I’m what’s… Read More »Oi Writers, This Is Not A ‘Real’ Publishing Deal

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How to Build Relationships with Agents and Producers Online

Relationships Are Everything Relationships are SO important in this industry. You’ve heard the saying before: ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.’ Any professional in any industry will tell you this is true. Actors, producers, and film directors all got to where they are today because of their connections and relationships. In this article, I’ll show you how you can build industry relationships online, straight from your computer. This way, when you want to pitch your script to an influential decision maker in the film industry, you’ll have the relationships you need to do so successfully. Build your… Read More »How to Build Relationships with Agents and Producers Online

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18 Experts Share Their Submissions Pet Peeves

Submissions Pet Peeves If you’ve decided 2021 is the year to make submissions, congratulations! Lots of Bang2writers make that commitment to making submissions, especially in January, so best of luck with it. However, what if I told you that, no matter how fantastic your novel or screenplay is, HOW you submit it could sink you?? Supersadface. Fact is, the people judging our writing are not robots. Everyone, no matter how tolerant, has a pet peeve or two when it comes to submissions. With this in mind, I rounded up 18 experts who deal with submissions ALL THE TIME … Literary agents,… Read More »18 Experts Share Their Submissions Pet Peeves

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10 Quick Tips About Writing TV From Gina Fattore

About Gina Fattore Gina Fattore is a television writer, showrunner and author. Gina’s credits include Dare Me, Better Things, UnREAL, Masters of Sex, Parenthood, Californication, Gilmore Girls and Dawson’s Creek. Wow! That’s quite the resumé. Gina has also written a comic novel about her life as a TV writer, The Spinster Diaries, which is available now. Her TEDx talk, ‘Become What You Believe’ has had 16,000 views and you can watch it HERE. Since you Bangers love TV writing, I thought I’d ask Gina for her tips about it! Ready? Let’s go … 1) Write The Script Only YOU Can Write… Read More »10 Quick Tips About Writing TV From Gina Fattore

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Top 20 Screenplay Contest Tips From Scriptapalooza

Screenplay Contest Tips From Scriptapalooza Many thanks to The Scriptapalooza Screenplay competition for today’s post. There’s some straightforward gold here that can provide a powerful reset and act as a really useful checklist. If you’re planning on entering contests this season, be sure to check out Scriptapalooza at the bottom of the post. Ready? Then let’s go … 1) Read the Submissions Guidelines Each competition has its own guidelines/rules. Make sure you read them and submit exactly what each competition suggests. 2) Always spell check your script Nothing is more frustrating than a producer reading your script and seeing mistake… Read More »Top 20 Screenplay Contest Tips From Scriptapalooza

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Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Writing Relationships

All about Relationships Relationships are the best, aren’t they? Not always – fortunately – otherwise they’d be dull to write about. Creating modern relationships for modern audiences does require staying fresh and relevant, however. Here’s what to avoid to make sure your fictional relationships don’t crash and burn (unless you want them to…). 1) Love is only for the Young  Falling in love can happen to anyone, at any time. We’ve seen the ‘two star-crossed lovers’ storyline play out for eons, so if you want a fresher way to approach this trope, you might have to look a little higher up the… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Writing Relationships

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1 Pesky Word That Kills Your Loglines DEAD

Writing Loglines and Pitches Loglines can be pesky little things. For the uninitiated, loglines are those 1-2 sentence descriptions of your story (aka ‘short pitch’ if you’re a novelist). When I work with my Bang2writers, one thing I’ve noted is most really struggle with them. Yet being able to pitch our stories in just a sentence or two actively helps us SELL them to literary agents, publishers, producers, filmmakers, audiences or readers in … Cover letters Query Emails Pitchfests (both online & in real life) Meetings and networking events (‘What are you working on?’) Writing contests, schemes and initiatives Funding bids… Read More »1 Pesky Word That Kills Your Loglines DEAD

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6 Top Tips On Writing Characters of Colour

Writing Characters of Colour Lots of white Bang2writers say they want to write characters of colour, but are afraid of ‘getting it wrong’. So I am delighted to welcome eight talented black screenwriters to the site today to share their top writing tips. The writers below all appear in the curated list Highly Recommended Scripts by Black Screenwriters, curated by @avishaiw. If you are a producer or filmmaker, make sure you check the list out! If you are not, please pass it on by sharing it via your profiles and pages. Thanks! 1) ‘Be open to others’ thoughts’ ‘My best tip:… Read More »6 Top Tips On Writing Characters of Colour

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How To Watch And Break Down A TV Show Episode

Watch & Learn Lots of my Bang2writers say they’re going to watch TV shows ‘for work’ … but then don’t do any work! They just enjoy them. Tsk. Naughty writers! But seriously, you CAN watch whatever you like *and* learn from these produced TV shows at the same time. I’m going to show you how to do this, using the free B2W plotting worksheet, which you can download HERE. By the way, you can watch stuff if you’re a novelist too! Everything I know about novel writing, I learned from watching movies and TV shows. Similarly, you can watch different… Read More »How To Watch And Break Down A TV Show Episode

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10 Ways To Write 1000 Words By 9AM

1000 Words By 9am What if you could write as much as 1000 words by mid-morning, and enjoy the ride? Even though you love writing, it’s probably the most challenging activity you tackle each day. Here are some of the best tips that will let you “eat that frog,” sidestep procrastination, and 1000 words done by 9 AM 1) Create an outline the day before Sitting down in front of a blank screen first thing in the morning is a recipe for low productivity. What you should do instead, is to create an outline the day before, so you’ll immediately… Read More »10 Ways To Write 1000 Words By 9AM

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NEWSFLASH: Like it or Not, You Need To Outline

Oi, You … Yes YOU Look, I’m not saying an outline is an absolute MUST for writers … Except I am and you are utterly bonkers if you don’t outline! (What?? BRING IT!). Anyway, while I head off angry non-outlining writers at the pass, here’s why you SHOULD BE … Ready? Let’s go! 1) The Industry Expects It As screenwriters, we need to get used to outlining, because that’s the way of the industry. No one is going to pay us real money just to dive into a draft head first and ‘see how we go’. If nothing else, what happens… Read More »NEWSFLASH: Like it or Not, You Need To Outline

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How To Get Over Fear of Rejection

Fear Is Natural Working with writers, many confess to feeling fear about the prospect of getting rejected. This is natural. No one wants to be told their work is not good enough. But if you want to get your writing published or produced, this fear is something you will have to get over. But how do we do it?? Check this out … 1) Prepare Yourself First up, you need to be prepared. ALL writers get rejected. Literally, all of them. It doesn’t matter how famous or renowned they become, there will always be failure in their lives. Whether those… Read More »How To Get Over Fear of Rejection

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