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Top 5 Mistakes series

Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Getting (And Taking!) Notes

1) Not realising that it’s NOT ABOUT YOU One of the most important things I learned about giving notes is to make it about the script and not the writer. This is not personal. This is about a piece of writing. This is about improving that writing and it’s not saying you’re a bad person or a bad parent or a cheating husband or any of that. I once had a client whose pilot was about a husband and wife divorcing and the notes wrote stated that the wife was unlikable and hard to connect to. He was furious and… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Getting (And Taking!) Notes

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Top 5 Mistakes Indie Authors Make

As an author of over 150 non-fiction books, it is safe to say I have made my fair share of mistakes over the years. However, in my opinion, making mistakes as an indie author will only serve to make you a better writer and publisher. In this article, I will share with you the top 5 mistakes indie authors make. Read and digest each tip carefully to maximise your writing and publishing efforts. Ready? Let’s go … 1) A poor book cover design I have seen many authors spend months (sometimes years) writing their masterpiece, only to fall at the… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Indie Authors Make

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Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With Reviews

So, you’ve received an angry one-star review for your novel? Maybe it’s something like this: This is nothing like the brilliance that is Romeo and Juliet. I know everything about books and this one sucks balls. A Tale of Two Cities, it is not! More like a Tale of Too Shitty! AVOID! Do not waste your time and money!!! Take a deep breath … Before you start digging a six feet deep hole in your back garden, read my solutions to the top five mistakes writers make with reviews: 1) Murdering the Reviewer Your first instinct might be to find… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With Reviews

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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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Top 5 Screenwriting Contest Mistakes Writers Make

One of the remits of B2W is demystifying script reading, especially screenwriting contests, so I’m DELIGHTED to have Phil Gladwin of UK contest Screenwriting Goldmine back on the site. The contest is currently open for entries, so make sure you utilise Phil’s great insider info here before submitting your script. Don’t miss the extra links at the bottom, either. Good luck! 1) Miss the early bird entries A lot of contests, including Screenwriting Goldmine, reward early entries with a discount on entry fees. They do this because it helps them stagger the reading . If you miss out on these windows… Read More »Top 5 Screenwriting Contest Mistakes Writers Make

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Top 5 Screenwriting Mistakes Writers Make

Screenwriting shouldn’t be that hard. You have a story, and you turn it into a script. You just have to follow a precise format that’s easy to read. Unfortunately, it’s a bit more complex than that! The script has to paint a picture for the reader. If you want to get it on the desks of producers, directors, actors, and all other important people in the process of making a movie, you have to make things right. Everything starts by critiquing your own work. No matter how good you are, you’ll still notice mistakes when you’re careful enough!  We’ll list… Read More »Top 5 Screenwriting Mistakes Writers Make

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Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Dealing With Rejection

I LOVE this from Unstoppable Author’s Michael Alvear today! Michael offers some really sage words of advice for that never-ending problem that affects ALL writers – rejection. None of us can escape it, but we can learn how to deal with it effectively. Over to you, Micheal … 1) Not Having An Effective Coping Strategy For Rejections It is one thing to be hopeful and optimistic, it’s another to delude yourself with the magical thinking that you and you alone will be spared the slings and arrows of rejection. The truth is you’re going to get cooked like a kipper.… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Dealing With Rejection

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Top 5 Proofing Mistakes Writers Make

Proofreading is an essential practice when it comes to writing. It’s that final check to make sure spelling and grammar are correct because misspelled and misused words can destroy the quality of your work. Even the best writers need to edit and proofread. Often, when we proofread our own work, the mind does not catch the little mistakes because it was that same mind that wrote them in the first place. This is why it is important to find a second party to read your writing. However, not all of us have proofreaders on hand, which is why we must… Read More »Top 5 Proofing Mistakes Writers Make

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Top 5 Diversity Mistakes Writers Make

Writing diverse characters isn’t just trendy, it’s becoming more and more necessary if you want your scripts to get read and commissioned. Nothing wrong with  heterosexual cisgendered white men – my very longterm partner is one and he’s just the best! – but there are a lot of other exciting stories to tell, and a lot of other compelling types of characters to create. The good news is, more and more writers are including more inclusivity in their scripts; the bad news is since this is new territory for many, there are a lot of common mistakes writers make that… Read More »Top 5 Diversity Mistakes Writers Make

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Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With True Stories

All About True Stories Do you love true stories? Me too. They’re very popular. My debut novel, The Unseeing, is based on the life of a real woman convicted of aiding a murder in London in 1837. I made a lot of wrong turns when writing the novel when it comes to true stories. I hope that what follows will help provide some shortcuts for those considering writing fiction based on fact. Good luck! 1) Thinking using a ‘pre-made’ story will make the writing process easier Writing true stories is by no means easier than creating a story entirely from scratch.… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With True Stories

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Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With Historical Stories

I’ve always considered myself a history buff and have written quite a few historical fiction novels requiring exhaustive amounts of research. Creating believable historical fiction means getting facts straight and making sure that your research and imaginative input inspires the most plausible, complex plots and characters you can possibly bring to life. Here I lay out the top 5 mistakes authors make when writing historical stories and how they can be avoided: 1) Not Enough Research Writing historical fiction can be intimidating and you might feel either overwhelmed by the amount of research that is required or constrained by the time… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With Historical Stories

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Top 5 Mistakes Comedy Writers Make

‘How to write comedy’ is a VERY popular search term via Google to this site, so when Peter and Jon from The Comedy Crowd offered their expertise in the genre for the Bang2writers, I snapped their hands off! Enjoy!  There is a perception that it’s harder than ever to get into comedy. Established writers have bemoaned the shift of scheduling and budgets away from sitcoms and towards drama, or the oft-maligned ‘comedy-drama’ genre. If you’re aiming for that primetime BBC slot and you aren’t an arena stand-up those established writers are probably right – it is tough to get into comedy.… Read More »Top 5 Mistakes Comedy Writers Make

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