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Top 5 Reasons A Writing Retreat Will Help Your Writing

So, You Want To Go On A Writing Retreat? A writing retreat offers the rare chance to step away from everyday life and fully immerse yourself in your novel or screenplay. Whether it’s tucked away in a stunning countryside location or held virtually from the comfort of your own home, a retreat provides dedicated time and space to prioritise your writing. It’s a sad fact that many writers struggle to carve out time for their craft. Between demanding jobs, family responsibilities, and the mental toll of modern life, it’s easy for writing to slip to the bottom of the list.… Read More »Top 5 Reasons A Writing Retreat Will Help Your Writing

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5 Tips To Crush Self Doubt & Get More Confident As A Writer

Self-Doubt Versus Confidence If you want to crush self-doubt and get more confident as a writer, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s some common beliefs of writers and how to crush them for good. Ready? Let’s go … 1) “I don’t know if my writing is good enough.” I remember having self-doubt about my own writing. I agonised for ages about whether I was ‘good enough’. Then someone said something very wise to me: ‘You don’t get to decide that.’  That person was absolutely right. It didn’t matter what I thought … it mattered what agents, producers, publishers, readers… Read More »5 Tips To Crush Self Doubt & Get More Confident As A Writer

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‘This Story Defies Genre!’ Why That’s NOT The Flex You Think It Is

There’s A Weird Snobbery Around Genre … Bangers we need to talk: some writers seem to think that being “genre-defying” is something to aspire to. That if you’re working within genre conventions, somehow your story’s less intelligent, less original, less… special. Let me be clear: that attitude is killing your script or novel. I’m not kidding. Let’s unpack the biggest myths I hear (daily!) from writers about genre — and why sticking your nose up at it is a mistake. 1) “My story defies genre!” Oh dear. Where do I even start? When a writer says this, what they usually… Read More »‘This Story Defies Genre!’ Why That’s NOT The Flex You Think It Is

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‘No One Will Read My Script! Access & Getting Past Industry Gatekeeping

All About Industry Access Let’s talk about the elephant in the writers’ room: access. Or rather, the lack of it. Every single time I work with writers  – whether they’re total beginners or seasoned creatives trying to level up – these familiar laments come up: “I don’t have access to industry professionals.” “No one will respond to my queries.” “I don’t know what to do with a finished script.” Sound familiar? Let’s break it down. Because yes, gatekeeping is real, but it’s also beatable. And you don’t need to be “in the club” to make progress. Let’s go … 1)… Read More »‘No One Will Read My Script! Access & Getting Past Industry Gatekeeping

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5 Pitch Deck FAILS That Make Industry Pros Say, ‘I’m Out’

Pitch Deck FAILS I’ve seen a LOT of pitch deck fails in my time as a script editor here at B2W. And whether it’s film funds, script labs or co-production markets, the same problems show up again and again. Here are 5 red flags that make professionals quietly close your deck before you’ve even got to the good bits. Ready? Let’s go! 1) Opening with a bloody quote Look, I get it: you love storytelling. You’re deep, poetic, meaningful. Maybe even a bit mystical. But that’s not what your pitch deck is for!! Agents, investors, broadcasters, producers want clarity and… Read More »5 Pitch Deck FAILS That Make Industry Pros Say, ‘I’m Out’

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6 Top Tips For Writing About Controversial Topics

All About Writing Controversial Topics Writing about controversial topics can feel like walking through a minefield. One wrong step and the internet might explode. These 6 tips on writing controversial topics don’t guarantee that the internet won’t explode. However, the points below gave me the confidence to write about it and even publish the book, Until the Walls Come Down. My novel is a story about a Jewish Israeli woman who discovers her childhood home in Jaffa used to belong to her Palestinian husband’s family. Here’s what I learned navigating the very real – and potentially controversial – elements of my… Read More »6 Top Tips For Writing About Controversial Topics

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3 Ways Anti-Wokists Are Right About Storytelling In The 2020s

Let’s Talk about So-Called ‘Anti-Wokists’ ‘Anti-wokists’ are those voices in the culture wars claiming stories have become “too political.” They complain that writers are prioritising agendas over quality. They may say that entertainment has lost its way altogether. Let’s get one thing clear first: no, I have not lost or changed my mind. I believe in inclusion, authentic representation, and thoughtful storytelling. (It would be bonkers if I didn’t, I literally wrote an entire book on this!). But I also believe in looking critically at all perspectives … Yes, even the ones we fundamentally disagree with. (Because, obviously – on… Read More »3 Ways Anti-Wokists Are Right About Storytelling In The 2020s

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Top 10 Fillers To Delete From Your Screenplay Or Novel Right Now

Delete Delete Delete! If you’re editing your draft right now, then the delete key is your friend … especially when it comes to storytelling fillers. But what are these? Well, fillers are those moments in your story that seem like action, but serve no real storytelling purpose. When it comes to storytelling, actions and behaviour are king (or queen … or monarch!). Simply put, every little thing that happens in your story has to do two things … i) reveal character (WHO are they? WHAT is their role here? WHY are we investing in their journey?) ii) Push the story… Read More »Top 10 Fillers To Delete From Your Screenplay Or Novel Right Now

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How Great Visual Writing Works In Your Screenplay Or Novel

You’ve Heard It All Before: ‘Show, Don’t Tell’ Whether you’re writing a screenplay or a novel, visual storytelling is your secret weapon. Why? Because readers and viewers don’t connect with lists of facts. They connect with images, action and emotion. But how do we write these three things? Well, I’m putting them under the microscope in this blog post with 5 top tips to concentrate on. Ready? Let’s go! Let’s explore how to write visually and bring your scenes – and your characters – to life. 1) Think: Scene Description = Scene Action In screenplays, scene description *is* what we… Read More »How Great Visual Writing Works In Your Screenplay Or Novel

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Next Level Dialogue: How to Make Your Characters Speak With Power & Purpose

NEWSFLASH: Dialogue Needs Power & Purpose! The purpose of dialogue is consistently underestimated by writers. This in turn saps its power in many spec screenplays and unpublished novels. Yet dialogue is one of the most powerful tools in a writer’s arsenal when done right. But too often it’s done wrong … This means dialogue may end up feeling cheesy, expositional or even downright cringey. So, how to avoid this on our novels and screenplays? I’ve dug deep to put dialogue under the microscope … ready? Let’s go! 1)  Understand The Purpose Of Dialogue Many authors and screenwriters misunderstand the purpose… Read More »Next Level Dialogue: How to Make Your Characters Speak With Power & Purpose

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Happy Pride Month! Top 10 Queer Women In Movies And TV

Top 10 Queer Women It’s Pride month, which means queer representation is on the menu here at Bang2write. My Top 10 female character rundowns are super-popular on this site, yet I realised I don’t have any about queer women. Oops! Consider my wrist slapped for this massive oversight. But before I share my faves, a disclaimer of sorts. “iT’s gAy NoT qUeEr!!” Okay, let’s get one thing straight (arf).  Yes, some older members of the LGBTQ+ community still find the word ‘queer’ painful. For them, it brings back memories of the word being weaponised in the ’80s. That hurt is… Read More »Happy Pride Month! Top 10 Queer Women In Movies And TV

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How To Write A Synopsis For Your Screenplay Or Novel

Why Writers Still Need The Traditional Synopsis (Yes, Really!) Let’s get one thing straight upfront, Bang2writers … When it comes to submissions, the traditional synopsis is still very much a thing. It’s true, I’ve advocated for one page pitches A LOT on this site (you can grab a free reference guide, HERE) … But  sometimes you just can’t beat a good old-fashioned traditional synopsis. I know, I know. You’d rather chew glass than try and summarise your 90,000-word novel or your 120-page screenplay in just one or two pages. But here’s the kicker: agents, publishers, and producers EXPECT it. Like… Read More »How To Write A Synopsis For Your Screenplay Or Novel

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