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Zeitgeist Stories

How NOT To Write A Novel: 5 Mistakes Writers Make

Too many writers attempt to write a novel, but go wrong somewhere down the line … and aren’t even sure where, or why. Here’s 5 clangers to think about in advance, so you can avoid them! 1) Writing Occasionally Writing is not at ALL like it’s shown on movies or TV serials (coughCASTLEcough). Writing is a full time job that requires patience and a lot of labor. Motivation is the only factor that keeps writers glued to their work. If you want to write a really good novel, you have to learn to write every day and as much as… Read More »How NOT To Write A Novel: 5 Mistakes Writers Make

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7 Ways YOU’RE Screwing With Your Writing Chances

So, you think all that stands between you and “making it” is the strength of your writing, the shininess of your craft and a horde of other writers, rabid with the THIRST FOR SUCCESS? Nope, sorry (not sorry). There’s you as well. That’s right … YOU! I’ve seen so many writers divert or even kill their OWN chances in meetings, online, at pitchfests, developing their work … Anywhere you care to mention, in fact. Recognise any of these? 1) “But this happens in real life!” If I had a squid for every time a writers tells me this? I could… Read More »7 Ways YOU’RE Screwing With Your Writing Chances

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9 Ways To Celebrate The Progress Of Female Characters, Writers & Makers

Great news, Bang2writers: I think we can safely say 2013 was a good year for female characters. Why? Well check this out:  And this: Aaaaaaand this:  [If you want to read more, click on the pics.] The three movies above were not the only big budget fare this year to feature unusual female characters; THE WOLVERINE featured not just one, but TWO Women of Colour in prominent roles; PACIFIC RIM also featured a WoC in a prominent role: Mako Mori, who was widely praised for her representation by feminist commentators. In addition, there has been a veritable EXPLOSION of commentary about… Read More »9 Ways To Celebrate The Progress Of Female Characters, Writers & Makers

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7 Steps To Road Test Your Concept

You MUST road test your concepts BEFORE you start writing. I can’t emphasise this enough. Too many writers conceive half-baked ideas and then try and run with them regardless … Then wonder why they hit roadblocks and go down various insane detours. Don’t spend aeons trying to make a draft work when it’s simply a doomed exercise, because you haven’t done the foundation work. But how to road test your concept? Try these 7 simple steps: 1. Write a logline/ novel pitch 25-60 words, describing the characters and the situation they find themselves in. Remember those all important 3 Cs.… Read More »7 Steps To Road Test Your Concept

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7 Reasons You Should Write A Sports Movie

Want to Write a Sports Movie? I hate sports. I mean, REALLY hate them. What’s the point: run up a track? Unless you’re being chased by a monster, do me a favour. Kick or throw a ball? No chance. I was the kid who had “period pain” four weeks of every month rather than do PE at school. True story. (Of course, the joke’s on me now ‘cos Mr C is OBSESSED with sports … not a week goes by without some tournament, however obscure, on the telly. THANKS COSMIC JOKER). So it may surprise you then to note I… Read More »7 Reasons You Should Write A Sports Movie

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9 Ways To Write Great Characters

Great Characters Wanted Great characterisation is layered and complicated – y’know, like REAL people. This is why  characterisation is the hard bit of writing. Yet over the years I’ve been working with  writers, I’ve found many will too often plump for the first character that comes into their mind and then add all those distractions on top for decoration. People are more than the way they look, act or seem. We all *know* this. So why don’t spec screenplays and novels reflect it? I don’t believe in creating character profiles, or questionnaires. I don’t care what your character had for breakfast, went… Read More »9 Ways To Write Great Characters

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4 Reasons Your Concept Counts Above All Else

Your Concept Counts NEWSFLASH: your concept counts above all else! Here’s why … I see a lot of spec screenplays and novels with concepts that “misfire”. There can be hundreds of reasons for these misfires, but generally speaking ends up one of these … Ready? Let’s go! i) There’s more than one story going on This is a particular problem for spec screenplays, especially features, but it can adversely affect TV pilots and novels too. You see, even if you DO have various different story strands going on, they should generally relate back to that single central concept *in some… Read More »4 Reasons Your Concept Counts Above All Else

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Can I Pitch My Unfinished Projects?

  Unfinished Projects Many thanks to Bang2writer Jon Ryan, who asks this question on the FB page: “I often speak to journalists about a story I’m working on and if they’re interested, they say to ‘check in’ later when it’s closer to being ready for them to cover. Is it ever worth doing that with a producer? I’m thinking of at LondonSWF if you don’t have a final draft. Or do they get so many pitches that it would be wasting their time? You often say concept is king – if that is rock solid, can it hurt to pitch… Read More »Can I Pitch My Unfinished Projects?

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7 Submission Don’ts! From The Person Who Has To Read Your Script

Avoid These Submission Don’ts A brilliant list of Submission Don’ts from Sophie Wing today! I especially love her “don’t over-package” tip, which I will back up with another submissions horror story of my own … One of my first interning jobs, I opened a script held together with butterfly pins. One of the little feckers sliced right through my palm and I have a SCAR THERE TO THIS DAY. Even *better*??? Because it was a paper submission (wow, I feel so old), the writer wrote back to the literary agent and complained there was blood on his rejected script!!! Yargh.  Over… Read More »7 Submission Don’ts! From The Person Who Has To Read Your Script

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10 Lies Writers Tell Themselves, Pt 1: The Writing

Lies, Lies, Lies  Lies we tell ourselves as writers have a direct impact on our potential success. Don’t believe me? Fine, let’s put this idea under the microscope … Ten years ago, I was a young single Mum working out of my kitchen. I’d just finished uni; I had a few scripts in my portfolio, but I had no money – so little, in fact, I couldn’t even take the literary agent’s assistant job offered to me in London or indeed the otherwise unconditional MA offer I’d also received. In other words, the odds were against me and there were some… Read More »10 Lies Writers Tell Themselves, Pt 1: The Writing

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How To Write The Most Cliched Script Opener EVER

  DON’T Write A Clichéd Opener Before we begin: obviously, don’t write a clichéd opener to your spec screenplay. It’s your one-way ticket to getting rejected. It is not hard to see why. If a script reader is treated to the same *types* of events, characters, moments and dialogue over and over again (and they are), why would they recommend a screenplay??? Answer: they wouldn’t. Human beings prize novelty and originality. That’s just the way it is. We can fight it – and lose! – or we can find new and intriguing ways of presenting our stories. What Is An… Read More »How To Write The Most Cliched Script Opener EVER

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6 Ways To Build An Audience

 I had an idea for a character. A character without a story. Being a fan of Twitter, I thought it might be interesting to set up an account in his name and use it as a testing ground for material to see if anything like a plot would emerge. Two years later, it had over 25,000 Twitter followers; appeared briefly in GQ magazine and Time, we made a short film (How To Be Dead); I quoted Yoda on stage to a large audience and had a whole lot of fun. I am now writing The Death Guide To Life as… Read More »6 Ways To Build An Audience

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