Skip to content

theme

How To Write An Interrogation Scene (And What Most Writers Get Wrong)

All About Interrogation Scenes Interrogation scenes can be exceptionally powerful in our stories. They can be tense, adding to cause and effect, escalating the story towards the showdown. They can also be the moment one character – on either side of the table! – can move from one state of being to another (whatever that means for the story). When writers hear the word “interrogation”, most of us immediately think of police procedurals. Detectives sitting under fluorescent lights trying to get a suspect to crack. Yet interrogation scenes crop up in virtually every genre and type of story imaginable! Such… Read More »How To Write An Interrogation Scene (And What Most Writers Get Wrong)

Share this:

Ink and Emotion: Tracing The Path Of A Romance Novel

From Idea to Page: Tracing The Journey Tracing the path of a romance novel is all-important in understanding what your target reader wants. The latter is not about ‘selling out’, but selling. It’s what professional writers DO. As I’ve written before on this blog, romance is the #1 genre of all time. Whether you love it or loathe it yourself, it’s fair to say readers LOVE it! Tracing what they enjoy and why does not have to mean writing solely for the marketplace. It’s possible to give readers what they want, while also writing what YOU love too. It may… Read More »Ink and Emotion: Tracing The Path Of A Romance Novel

Share this:

6 Of The Best: What The Music of Hans Zimmer Can Teach Writers

The Complete Hans Zimmer Narrative Storytelling Arc Playlist Hans Zimmer is probably the most prolific musician working in film and TV today. So many of his soundtracks are absolutely iconic. You likely have a favourite piece of his, even if you don’t actively listen to OSTs yourself. Humans love music, but what many writers don’t realise is that musicians are storytellers just like us. That is most obvious when a piece of music has lyrics, but it’s also the case for music WITHOUT words. Music and TV have music for mood, tone and genre, but it also tells a story… Read More »6 Of The Best: What The Music of Hans Zimmer Can Teach Writers

Share this:

10 Quick Tips To Writing Romance In The 2020s

All About Writing Romance So, you want to write romance in 2026, huh? Good. But before you roll your eyes at another “boy meets girl” idea, let me stop you. Romance isn’t dead, it’s thriving … and if you want to write it without looking like a clueless dinosaur, here’s what you need to know. Ready? Let’s go … 1) Romance goes with EVERYTHING! Yep … Everything. Thrillers? Romance. Dark fantasy? Romance. Even your grim post-apocalyptic world needs a smidge of “OMG, they might die but also maybe get together?” Humans crave relationships, so don’t ignore them. 2) Diversity isn’t… Read More »10 Quick Tips To Writing Romance In The 2020s

Share this:

Ho! Ho! Ho! Top 10 Christmas Episodes of Favourite TV Sitcoms

Sitcom Christmas Episodes So I love sitcoms and I love Christmas … so it made sense to round up my favourite festive episodes for the holiday season. This time, I took them from my favourite 5 sitcoms of all time: New Girl, Modern Family, Brooklyn 99, Will & Grace and Friends. Be sure to share your faves in the comments! Ready? Let’s go … New Girl 1) LAXmas (s4, ep10) I think this might just be my favourite sitcom Christmas episode of all time! A storm causes chaos at the airport as Jess attempts to go to the UK to… Read More »Ho! Ho! Ho! Top 10 Christmas Episodes of Favourite TV Sitcoms

Share this:

#1 Error That Kills Interest In Your Pitch 100% Of The Time

#1 Error That Kills Your Pitch Obviously there are lots of ways to kill your pitch, but there’s a #1 error I see most often. This error is so widespread and so simple, you’ll kick yourself once you see it … … HIDING your story behind intangible, thematic stuff. In other words, writers go for VIBES over the actual events of the story. Instead of being overt about what literally happens, the writer will fall back on that #1 pitching error like this … A retired bodyguard faces his demons from his traumatic past as he guides a kidnapped girl… Read More »#1 Error That Kills Interest In Your Pitch 100% Of The Time

Share this:

Why Your Favourite Movie Isn’t Perfect (Or Why THE MIST Has Dated – And That’s Okay!)

I rewatched The Mist recently (Frank Darabont version) The Mist made a big splash when it came out back in 2o07. Here at B2W, Halloween is traditionally horror month, so I’ve been talking about the genre a lot with Bangers. I thought it would be fun to put an ‘old’ horror movie like it under the microscope to see how it stands up, seventeen years on. But you can also find other horror case studies and articles here, too: Candyman: A Startlingly Relevant Halloween Horror 5 Top Tips From The Black Phone (2021) Writers Can Learn 3 Awesome Tips On… Read More »Why Your Favourite Movie Isn’t Perfect (Or Why THE MIST Has Dated – And That’s Okay!)

Share this:

“I Like Your Style!” Top 10 Writing Tips To Improve Yours

Your Writing Style Is Important Writing style is unique, but there are things we can consider in making our style the best it can be. As Lucy always says on this site, good writing craft is the least we can do. Style is part of that. Of course, there are no rules. Experienced writers can get away with anything. However, below are some things to be aware of, especially if you are writing a book or short story for the first time. “Writing fiction is a delicate balance.” Sol Stein from Stein On Writing 1)  Avoid The Passive Voice The… Read More »“I Like Your Style!” Top 10 Writing Tips To Improve Yours

Share this:

Fantasy Vs. Science Fiction: What’s The Difference?

Fantasy Vs. Science Fiction One of the most searched-for terms leading to this blog is ‘fantasy vs. science fiction’. Since so many writers seem to want to know the difference, I thought I’d round some up. Fantasy and science fiction are two VERY popular genres in the spec pile, screenplay or novel. I seem to read them all the time. These genres have some similarities, but also some distinct differences as well. Without further ado, here’s my breakdown of  fantasy vs. science fiction … Ready? Let’s go! 1) Setting First up on fantasy vs. science fiction is setting. Whether urban… Read More »Fantasy Vs. Science Fiction: What’s The Difference?

Share this:

Why Obsessing Over Theme Will Make You Ruin Your Story

“I’ve got something to say” Your script or novel’s theme IS important, but you don’t want to ruin your story by obsessing over it. This is because theme refers to the meaning behind the story, not the story itself. This means you need to concentrate on craft first, THEN theme. Look, writer’s voice is important. We’ve all seen various pro writers, prodcos, agents and publishers going on about this. It would seem like putting theme under the spotlight then is a similar no-brainer. Except everybody’s forgotten these important things: Theme is all about individuals making meaning from a story This… Read More »Why Obsessing Over Theme Will Make You Ruin Your Story

Share this:

Top 10 Tips On Writing Sizzling Sexual Tension In Your Novel Or Screenplay

What is Sexual Tension? Sexual tension is a key ingredient in many successful published novels and produced screenplays. Whilst sexual tension turns up most in romance stories, it can be part of ANY story in any genre. For example, I wrote sexual tension in my crime novel, The Other Twin. Sexual tension is that feeling of excitement and anticipation you get when something hot and heavy is happening between the characters, but they haven’t yet acted on their desires. Done well, sexual tension can be incredibly addictive for readers and viewers. It keeps them turning pages late into the night,… Read More »Top 10 Tips On Writing Sizzling Sexual Tension In Your Novel Or Screenplay

Share this:

6 Things I Learned Writing A Fantasy Novel

Writing Your Own Fantasy Novel The rules of good writing apply to every fictional genre and a fantasy novel is no different … You need to: Put your protagonist through the wringer, facing ever greater dangers and tougher dilemmas Build the story, tie in the subplots, and construct a satisfying resolution Do all this in clear and comprehensible prose! I’m Glyn Carter. When I was writing my own fantasy novel Gog-Magog, I realised the fantasy genre offers writers specific opportunities and challenges. Here are six ways in which fantasy has its own demands. 1) Characters need a ‘reason to live’… Read More »6 Things I Learned Writing A Fantasy Novel

Share this: