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X Things I Learned Series

4 Quick Screenwriting Tips From Novelists

Screenwriting Tips From Novelists A surprising number of famous novelists have also worked as screenwriters. It’s understandable that many writers would choose to express themselves in both ways. After all, the fundamentals are similar. Tell a story. Create engaging characters. Touch people emotionally. Although the formats may be different, screenwriting and novel writing have a lot in common. Personally, I always find it fascinating to learn from creative people who practice more than one form of art. Often, insights from one area can be applied to another. Novelists can offer unique perspectives on screenwriting. Today, I’d like to share four… Read More »4 Quick Screenwriting Tips From Novelists

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3 Powerful Writing Tips From JOKER

** SPOILER FREE ** I rather loved JOKER. The design. The universe. The cinematography. The story arc. The performance. My god, the performance. The soundscape and music score. Love the music by Hildur Guðnadóttir. LOVE. Here’s what I think writers can learn from this provocative and compelling film … Ready? Then let’s go! 1) Joker is in almost EVERY scene This is pretty unusual as most filmmakers and actors cannot pull off such intense optics and story pressure. It sounds easy. It’s not. I can’t think of many actors who can keep our attention for the duration. It also means… Read More »3 Powerful Writing Tips From JOKER

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1 Important Thing To Remember About Rejection

All About Rejection The thing about rejection is, IT STINGS. When we put all our hopes and dreams into a piece of writing and it gets rejected, it can feel devastating. What’s more, rejection happens to ALL writers. It’s not something that ever magically goes away. Even if a successful pro writer gets most of his or her projects greenlit, there’s still some that will fall through the net. Also, there’s no guarantee of success with target audiences! Pro writers’ work may fail at the box office, bookshops or streaming. That’s just the way it is. Basically, rejection is part… Read More »1 Important Thing To Remember About Rejection

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In The Spotlight: Stephen King’s Top 10 Writing Rules

On Writing, Stephen King Style School’s out for the Summer! But does that mean we throw away the rule book in favour of creative freedom? After all, we’re writers, aren’t we? Who better to consult than Stephen King. This prolific author has a reputation for being one of the hardest working and most successful writers in modern history. King has dedicated his life’s work to the craft. Although he admits he doesn’t always follow his own rules, I think  King’s tips are a pretty good place to start for all writers, new or veteran. Here’s what the master has to say …… Read More »In The Spotlight: Stephen King’s Top 10 Writing Rules

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In The Spotlight: Kirsten Smith’s Top 10 Writing Rules

All About Kirsten Smith Kirsten Smith and her co-writer Karen McCullah are trailblazers in the Rom-Com genre. They are the screenwriting duo behind classic teen movies Legally Blonde and 10 Things I Hate About You, to name just a few. But just what is the secret behind their success? What are the rules, tips or best practices they swear by?Smith in particular has been open with her advice for screenwriters. Here’s what she has to share … Enjoy! 1) Conflict is key “Conflict, conflict, conflict between characters. Although we try to avoid it in life, it’s essential to embrace it in… Read More »In The Spotlight: Kirsten Smith’s Top 10 Writing Rules

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In The Spotlight: Jordan Peele’s Top 10 Writing Rules

All About Jordan Peele Jordan Peele is one of the hottest writers in Hollywood today following the meteoric success of Get Out and Us. Starting out in comedy and now mastering horror, Peele has an original, distinctive style. But just how does he do it? Check out his tips here. Enjoy! 1) Write For Yourself “First off, write your favourite movie that you haven’t seen. Don’t worry about whether it is going to get made. Write something for yourself. After you have that draft, then worry about what you need to do to sell it.” 2)   Learn from the classics “It’s… Read More »In The Spotlight: Jordan Peele’s Top 10 Writing Rules

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John August: ‘The Greatest Barrier To Writing Is Just Starting”

All About John August I had the pleasure of talking with ALADDIN, BIG FISH, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, and CHARLIE’S ANGELS screenwriter John August recently. John is not only an amazing and successful screenwriter, he is also generous in terms of the knowledge that he gives away. His in-depth podcast Scriptnotes (hosted with CHERNOBYL writer Craig Mazin) has more than 400 episodes and his blog (which can be found at www.JohnAugust.com) has more than 1500 posts. Because he has already given away so much instruction in screenwriting, it was hard to find things to ask him that he hasn’t… Read More »John August: ‘The Greatest Barrier To Writing Is Just Starting”

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In The Spotlight: Shonda Rhimes’ Top 10 Writing Rules

Learn From Shonda Rhimes! So, B2W is the first to say there are no writing rules … But there ARE things we can learn from the best writers working today. TV writing goddess Shonda Rhimes is obviously one of them! So whether you call them ‘rules’, ‘best practices’, ‘guidelines’ or something else, she has plenty of great writing advice for us. B2W’s new intern Alice has rounded up some classic Shonda for us to consider in honing our craft and getting our own writing off the ground. Enjoy! All About Shonda Rhimes Shonda Rhimes is one of the most successful… Read More »In The Spotlight: Shonda Rhimes’ Top 10 Writing Rules

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Top 15 Genius Creatives And What Writers Can Learn From Them

Want to be thought of as a GENIUS in this writing lark? Then you need to check out what’s gone before … But also crucially, who’s trod the path before you, too! Many thanks to Michael for this brilliant dose of inspiration in this very diverse list. Whilst you may not have enjoyed every piece of work these creatives have produced, fact is they’re at the top of their game. There’s lots we can learn from them in our own writing journeys. Enjoy! Genius Creatives If you want to become a genius creative yourself, it’s a good idea to try… Read More »Top 15 Genius Creatives And What Writers Can Learn From Them

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4 Things I’ve Learned From Beta Readers

Beta readers are so important (also known as ‘peer reviewers’ in there screenwriting world)! Many thanks to screenwriter and novelist Keith Ndenga Kinambuga today. He’s written a great article about what we can learn from beta readers. Be sure to check out his books at the bottom of the post. Don’t forget too you’re welcome to look for beta readers and peer reviewers in The B2W Facebook group, that’s one of the primary purposes of the group. Enjoy! All About Beta Readers One of the toughest things for anyone to accept is criticism. It is especially tough for the createive… Read More »4 Things I’ve Learned From Beta Readers

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Jed Mercurio:‘Storytelling Is About Creating A Chain Reaction’

Jed Mercurio And LINE OF DUTY Jed Mercurio’s work always seems to be a talking point with the Bang2writers. Whether it’s his use of tech in his storylines; those iconic interrogation scenes; his much-lauded LINE OF DUTY finales; or his female characterisation, we always seem to be putting his writing under the microscope! The first four series of LINE OF DUTY recently hit Netflix. As any veteran of this site knows, I love structure and always thought it was a very tight show plot-wise. But since the show began in 2012, the TV landscape has changed considerably. We’re ‘binging’ content… Read More »Jed Mercurio:‘Storytelling Is About Creating A Chain Reaction’

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Eric Heisserer: ‘Beware The Paper Tiger That Prevents You Writing’

All About Eric Eric Heisserer has a screenwriting resumé most Bang2writers would kill for. From franchises through to adaptations and indie dramas, Eric has been at every level of the movie coal-face it seems. Eric’s also really approachable and offers great insights on the craft. I interviewed him for my non-fiction Drama Screenplays book because he wrote and directed one of my favourite dramas Hours, starring the late Paul Walker. He’s also shared some excellent pointers on female characters in the past for B2W, too. So I thought I’d check back in with Eric in 2019 and see what other juicy… Read More »Eric Heisserer: ‘Beware The Paper Tiger That Prevents You Writing’

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