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Submissions Insanity: Demystifying The Spec Pile

One weapon in writers’ armoury is KNOWING how best to approach agents, publishers and filmmakers – but also, how others before them have screwed up! This is why I attempt to demystify the spec pile wherever possible. On this basis, I’m a Script Magazine columnist. My monthly advice page is called – you guessed it – Submissions Insanity! Check out some of the articles posted already: The Basics Of Online Submissions Familiar Ideas To Avoid  How To Win Or Place Highly In Screenwriting Contests And keep an eye on my Scriptmag Author Page, here for more articles, updated every month. Also, check out my tweets… Read More »Submissions Insanity: Demystifying The Spec Pile

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Bang2write Resources

FYI, there’s now dedicated B2W Resources AND Free Downloads pages at the top of this blog, under the banner! Or click > HERE I get lots of questions about One Page Pitches, such as how “best” to lay them out, what to put in them etc, so have created a new resource at The B2W Required Reading List. Download The One Page Pitch Reference Guide as a PDF here … And as a .doc here. Here’s another 6 Tips on writing a one page pitch for your script or novel. Other B2W resources that may be of interest: The B2W… Read More »Bang2write Resources

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#scriptchat @Londonswf 50 Kisses Comp #5: Scene Description

The “50 Kisses” contest is NOT just a writing contest – potentially, your script could be made by filmmakers. If you want your script to be picked first by the reader, then by the filmmaker, yours has to STAND OUT and one really easy, quick-fire way of doing this is to ensure your scene description ROCKS. Most scene description is bland at best, yet good scene description knows it is SCENE ACTION. Everything you write as scene description should be about moving the story forward and revealing character. A lot of writers get uppity and say the above cuts out… Read More »#scriptchat @Londonswf 50 Kisses Comp #5: Scene Description

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Girls On Film – A Few Thoughts So Far

LSF’s Girls On Film Initiative has been running a few weeks now. We’ve been off to a steady and pleasing start, with 5 scripts put through for a full read so far (though the reading is ongoing remember, so anyone with a script “in the system” who hasn’t heard yet DO NOT FREAK OUT). Here’s a few thoughts on what’s been going on so far: Drama versus Genre. Several writers have not appeared to know the difference between drama and genre. It was GoF’s “bad” in one sense not flagging up on the first page that we do NOT want… Read More »Girls On Film – A Few Thoughts So Far

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Script Length # 2: Is My Script Too Short?

Many thanks to Bang2writer Matthew Prince, who asks this question: I’ve written three scripts so far. Two have come in at 60 pages, with the third at 102 pages. Is writing well under 90 pages a bad sign, should I have written over 120 pages or does it not matter how many pages your first draft is? First off, I’d recommend taking a look at this post about what the *right* script length re: page count, though the bias is on writers’ more common problem, which is writing uber-long monster scripts of 150 pages or more. Basically though, I never… Read More »Script Length # 2: Is My Script Too Short?

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What’s The "Right" Length? (For A Script! Quiet At The Back)

It seems every time I think The Format One Stop Shop (a list of all the format/script convention issues I see most at Bang2write) is finished, someone comes up with a question or I get a bunch of queries that make it necessary to update it again. Just recently I’ve had some enquiries about what I think of as MONSTER screenplays – the shortest was approximately 142 pages; the longest over 300 pages. Now, whilst most writers know nowadays a feature length MOVIE script is *typically* between 90 and 120 pages, but the confusion appears to have arisen here regarding… Read More »What’s The "Right" Length? (For A Script! Quiet At The Back)

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Redrafting & Feedback Processes

Many thanks to Bang2writer Sandra Bendelow, who has posted her thoughts on my development notes for her spec TV script, “The Book of Lost Causes”. You can see her post here:http://ping.fm/GjChU I think it’s really fab so many writers now feel confident enough to post their reactions to feedback and talk honestly about their drafting processes. It’s incredible to see such a change in writers’ attitudes over the last decade: when I started reading, first-first drafts in the spec pile were the norm and feedback was often met with hostility. Now look at us all!!! Don’t forget you can still… Read More »Redrafting & Feedback Processes

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New Articles for the Required Reading Post

Not a member of Twelve Point? Are you nuts! Just £29 a year gives you access to a wealth of articles, info and other writers at the press of a mouse. But don’t take my word for it — take a look at their FREE articles, below. Like what you see? Then sign up, it’s as simple as that!!! I’ll be putting them in the right sections of The Required Reading Post as soon as I get round to it. Enjoy!————————————————-FREE ARTICLE: The digital world 1 : How writers and filmmakers can use it to succeed, by Laura WilsonThis series… Read More »New Articles for the Required Reading Post

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Writing For Radio: Don’t Miss It

Okay, Okay I’m late to the party – but a lot of my Bang2writers ask about writing for radio and this is one area I just don’t have a clue about, since I have never attempted it! Luckily for me however, the mighty Michelle Lipton has written a mammoth, ten step post on how to get a radio series commissioned, because she’s ONLY GONE AND DONE IT. Nice one Michelle! And thanks for sharing your insight with us, for I’m going to steal your delicious brains and write the rival series, I will be Cain to your Abel! Corrie to… Read More »Writing For Radio: Don’t Miss It

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New Links For List Of Wonder

I’ve updated The List of Wonder! Kudos to Robin Kelly, Sir Daniel and Phill for their words of wisdom: consider yourselves archived. I’ve also given the List a general clean up and added some new sections so it should be easier to find what you’re looking for… It’s getting bigger! (ooo er). Remember, if you’ve seen a post that’s helped you or think an entry on your own blog deserves to be added, email me. Enjoy!——————————————————————— The Technical Posts: Good Examples: Voiceover, Flashback, Montage, Intercut – okay it’s by me but it does have some wick links in it by… Read More »New Links For List Of Wonder

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More Updates For The List of Wonder

I’ve been promising some updates for a while now and with so many interesting articles out there, it’s hard to remember where they all are, let alone catalogue them! Here are the best of the best in the last three or four months as a Xmas present: For My Beloved “Structure” section: THE STRUCTURAL MONOMYTH BY UNK For the “Misc” section: LOCATIONS AND ARENA BY MYSTERY MAN ON FILM Thanks to Lianne for sending me the link to this one and thanks to her once again, for we have: WRITING TREATMENTS BY LIANNE For the “Scene Description” section: GET IN… Read More »More Updates For The List of Wonder

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