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Just For Boys? Why The Hero’s Journey Is NOT Just For Male Characters

The Hero’s Journey I’ve been researching The Hero’s Journey for about a decade now on this blog. When I wrote my Thriller Screenplays book back in 2013, it was a plot template that was ALL the rage. In fact, just ten short years ago, screenwriters were told it was pretty much the ‘only’ plotting archetype worth writing … and that if their characters did not change, their writing was ‘bad’!  Fast-forward to 2023 and these expectations have changed considerably. Audiences have started to tire of The Hero’s Journey and its ubiquity. Novels, indie film and even major blockbusters have started… Read More »Just For Boys? Why The Hero’s Journey Is NOT Just For Male Characters

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Top 10 ‘Unlikeable’ Female Characters In Movies & TV

All About ‘Unlikeable’ Female Characters ‘Why are so many female characters unlikeable these days?’ That was a thread I had the misfortune to read recently, but it’s not the only one. Commentary on supposedly ‘unlikeable’ female characters never goes away, it seems. Men – and sadly, some women too – all chime in regularly about this topic online, saying shit like … … It’s ‘misogyny’ to write female characters with bad motivations or other bad behaviour (sigh) … Female characters have a RESPONSIBILITY to be role models to young girls (erm no, ENTERTAINMENT first!)  … Writers are showing their inexperience… Read More »Top 10 ‘Unlikeable’ Female Characters In Movies & TV

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Top 10 Fearless Female Archers In Movies And TV

Female Archers in Fiction You don’t have to look far to find female archers in fiction. Though male archers obviously do exist too, this is often part of their specific characterisation (Arrow and Hawkeye are the most obvious here). In contrast, female archers in fiction frequently use the bow and arrow as their weapon of choice as a warrior: nothing more, nothing less. In fact, female archer warriors use the bow and arrow so often, it’s become a trope of its own. Tropes are those recurrent ideas or motifs we see in novels, movies or TV. Whilst many internet commentators believe… Read More »Top 10 Fearless Female Archers In Movies And TV

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5 Ways To Find Your Target Audience & Build Your Following

All About Your Target Audience We all want our writing to be seen and appreciated, but this is impossible to achieve without a target audience. However, building an audience from scratch and turning your readers into loyal followers is hard. If you want to build a strong follower base, here are 5 ways how to get it done. 1) Get to know your target audience  The first thing you need to do to is ask yourself who the target audience of your writing is. One way to answer this question is to create the persona of your ‘ideal audience member’. (Iconic… Read More »5 Ways To Find Your Target Audience & Build Your Following

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Ask The Experts: 15 Industry Pros Share What’s On Their Wish Lists For 2023

Industry Pro Wish Lists It’s January, so that time of year again when B2W asks industry pros what’s on their wish lists for the year ahead! There’s an eclectic mix of literary agents, editors and other experts sharing their wish lists this year. They come from both the worlds of publishing and screenwriting. Enjoy the article and don’t forget to read B2W’s pointers at the end. Ready? Let’s go … 1) Anne Perry, Jo Fletcher Books (Quercus) “I want the happiest of happy endings. I want every character to walk away happy (maybe even the villains?!) and everyone who reads… Read More »Ask The Experts: 15 Industry Pros Share What’s On Their Wish Lists For 2023

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9 Top Tips To Build Your Following As A Writer

How to Build Social Media Profile as a Writer In 2022, an online following is a MUST for any writer. Being a writer is so much ‘more’ than writing! We need to show up if we want to get ahead and make money from our projects. Many writers do this online via self-publishing, using sites like SubStack or Patreon or creating online products like courses or real-life events like workshops. Luckily, in the era of social media, building an online following is really not that difficult. Let’s read on to learn a few tips … ready? Let’s go! 1) Build… Read More »9 Top Tips To Build Your Following As A Writer

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How To Make Great Contacts Online

This Industry Is About Relationships Whether you’re a screenwriter or author, you’re going to need great contacts. That’s the bad news. The good news? It’s easier than ever now, because you can make those contacts ONLINE! Writers ask me all the time **how** to make contacts online. Unfortunately, it’s one of those ‘pieces of string’ questions. People are individuals, which means they will have individual preferences. That said, I’ve pulled together some ‘best practices’ below for you. First up though, it’s probably easier to focus on what NOT to do. Sadly, there are still multiple ways of screwing up when you’re… Read More »How To Make Great Contacts Online

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Your Antagonist DOESN’T Have To Be A Villain. Here’s Why

All About The Villain Most writers ‘get’ the villain archetype intuitively. At their foundation, stories are often about ‘goodies and baddies’. Just like every story needs a protagonist, it usually needs an antagonist of some kind … … and that antagonist is nearly always a villain. A villain may have relatable and understandable motivations for their ‘evil plan’. We may invest in their journey every bit as much as the protagonist’s … Alternatively, they may just be evil because that’s their personality. They may be criminals, politicians, narcissists, abusers, serial killers, actual monsters … it doesn’t matter. The villain role… Read More »Your Antagonist DOESN’T Have To Be A Villain. Here’s Why

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How Not to Be Afraid of Criticism As A Writer

Criticism And Writers Criticism can scare writers. Every human has an inherent fear of stepping out of their comfort zone. Yet, this is exactly what every person needs to do in order to grow. This why you need to overcome your fear of criticism and start taking risks as a writer. Here’s my top tips on dealing with criticism. Let’s go! 1)   Acknowledge Impactful Work is Bound to Attract Admiration *and* Criticism Understanding that criticism is recognition for your work enables you to control how you handle feedback. You will no longer beat yourself up when people comment negatively about… Read More »How Not to Be Afraid of Criticism As A Writer

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Why Should Writers Work With A Sensitivity Reader?

About Alex Creswick  Alex Creswick is a sensitivity reader and producer who specialises in diverse storytelling and project development. Previously the VP at Paradox Studios, she oversaw the company’s slate of TV and Film projects. Alex has produced numerous short films and is currently in post-production on her first indie feature The Blackout. This is written and directed by Daniela De Carlo and starring an incredible, diverse cast of up-and-coming talent. In other words, Alex really knows what she’s talking about!  I thought I’d have a chat with her about sensitivity reading and how this can help us write our own… Read More »Why Should Writers Work With A Sensitivity Reader?

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Yes, Male Writers CAN Write Fantastic Female Characters

Not ALL Male Writers It’s true, male writers can get a bum rap when writing about female characters. As the headline of this article suggests, OF COURSE male writers can write great female characters. In fact, some of my all-time favourites have literally been written by male writers!!! From my time as a script reader, I’d venture there’s no correlation between gender and talent of writers. This obviously means there will be GREAT writers who happen to be female … But it ALSO means a female writer will not automatically write a great female character too. No one knows where talent comes… Read More »Yes, Male Writers CAN Write Fantastic Female Characters

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Top 5 Reasons Why Your eBook Failed

All About Ebook Marketing You had high hopes for your eBook, but it failed to deliver the results you wanted. So, what happened? Why did your eBook fail? Here are a few probable reasons for your eBook not getting the reception it should have, plus what you can do about it … 1)   Poor Promotion = Failed eBook Your eBook failed because you didn’t promote it the right way. You didn’t generate any leads with your eBook because your promotional campaign fell short of being successful. To promote your eBook, you need to rely on both online and offline marketing tactics.  You need… Read More »Top 5 Reasons Why Your eBook Failed

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