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X Things I Learned Series

In The Spotlight: John Steinbeck’s Top 6 Writing Tips

All About John Steinbeck John Steinbeck’s an author best known for the Pulitzer-prize winning The Grapes of Wrath and his novella, Of Mice And Men. (Went to school in the UK in the last thirty years?? You will have almost certainly have read the latter, it’s been on the English Literature curriculum for decades!). Living between 1902-1968, Steinbeck wrote stories about The Great Depression decade and migratory farmworkers. He spent much of his life in Monterey county, California, which was sometimes the setting of some of his fiction. It may also interest Bang2writers that before Steinbeck ‘made it’ as a writer, he supported… Read More »In The Spotlight: John Steinbeck’s Top 6 Writing Tips

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Aaron Sorkin: ‘I Love Writing But Hate Starting’

All About Aaron Sorkin Aaron Sorkin has to be one of the most prolific and celebrated Hollywood screenwriters working today. Working in both television and movies, he’s been responsible for such classics as  A FEW GOOD MEN (‘You can’t handle the truth!’) and THE WEST WING (‘I don’t need a babysitter. Bitch, are you deaf?‘). He also won an Oscar for THE SOCIAL NETWORK for best adapted screenplay. He’s also incredibly admired by Bang2writers … I have lost count of the number of times I have worked with writers who’ve said, ‘I want to write rapid-fire dialogue like Aaron Sorkin!’… Read More »Aaron Sorkin: ‘I Love Writing But Hate Starting’

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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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