Thinking About Writing

This time we're taking a look at characters, how they can make strong impressions, the balance between clarity and complexity, and how audiences may respond to characters. It's an accompanying piece to Thinking About Protagonists from series one, if you've not listened to that one before! You can follow the podcast on social media: x.com/writing_pod instagram.com/writing_pod tiktok....

The first special guest of season two is Jonathan Harvey! Having written for theatre, TV, film and radio, he offers his perspectives on the different mediums. He also looks back at the journey of his classic creation Beautiful Thing, the joys of writing for Coronation Street and his current play Mother Goose starring John Bishop and Ian McKellan. Follow Jonathan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JOJE...

I don't believe it! We're kicking off season two by thinking about believability, how to make writing feel authentic and why it may or may not matter. There's a plethora of terminology to demystify, including emotional reality, internal logic and the suspension of disbelief.  So if you're worried about audience incredulity, this is the place to be! You can follow the podcast on...

It's time for Season Two: Electric Boogaloo. So here's a little explanation of what you can expect from upcoming episodes. More interviews, slightly more concise and consistent durations, ongoing strange singing choices. You can follow the podcast on social media: x.com/writing_pod instagram.com/writing_pod tiktok.com/@writing_pod Or search for Thinking About Writing on Facebook. Find ou...

It's the final episode of the season, and in this last act we're thinking about structure. We examine some of the traditions and expectations of story structure, ponder some familiar act structures and discuss how important or useful formulas may be. We hope you've enjoyed these 12 episodes, and now.... Maybe go and do some writing! If you wish to do so. You can follow the podcast o...

This time around we cover the idea of editing and how it can be a vital tool in the writing process. As the saying goes, writing is rewriting, and that involves editing. We'll think about how to approach an edit, the tools you can use when editing and dissect the stalwart concept of killing your darlings. Poor darlings, your sacrifice was not in vain. You can follow the podcast on social medi...

Well this different, isn't it? In this episode we have an extra special guest, Jessica Loveland, the head of new writing for BBC Writers and BBC Drama Commissioning. (This was pre-branding change to BBC Writers, so we say Writersroom a lot, like fools from the past) We discuss writing, opportunities, how to stand out and Jess's mild obsession with Tom Cruise. Plus an exclusive reveal of...

As Robin's cold continues, he talks about tone, discussing what it is, how to get the right tone, the use of humour as a change of tone, and the risks of an insensitive or controversial tone. Tone! We also examine a superb mix of comedy and horror via the excellent Shaun of the Dead. You can follow the podcast on social media: x.com/writing_pod instagram.com/writing_pod tiktok.com/@writing_po...

What's your approach to writing? What works best for you? What have you never considered before that you might want to try out? What do you do before you even put pen to paper? It's all process, and that's the subject of this episode! Plus we examine supporting documents, what they are, what they might look like and how can then influence your script strategies. You can follow the p...

This time we explore the topic of criticism, a necessary part of the writing process, but something which should be used as a strengthening device, rather than a soul crushing one. With the 'help' of our 'producer', we'll talk about how to receive criticism, the types of notes we might get, and even how to give critiques to writers. And overall we attempt to encourage you...

Are your characters looking for something to do? Well maybe they need some motivation, and funnily enough that's the topic of this episode! We'll be looking at the classic concept of a hero's quest, the different types of motivation a character can have, and saying "Gosh, isn't that impressive!" about the skilful use of motivation in the show Breaking Bad. You can fol...

As we continue our two part dive into how information is delivered when writing, this time we mull over the classic theory of show don't tell, consider the opposite concern of insufficient information and exemplify everything we've pondered by dissecting the opening of a lesser known film called Stars War, or something like that. You can follow the podcast on social media: x.com/writing_...

In the first of a two parter looking at how information can be delivered in scripts, we think about the contentious issue of exposition. This includes a breakdown of the different details a writer can convey, an example of overwritten dialogue, and a look at some conventionally accepted but risky forms of exposition. You can follow the podcast on social media: x.com/writing_pod instagram.com/writi...

Pace yourselves, as we're jogging into the topic of pacing! We'll be thinking about the impact pacing has on a script and how it is often tied up with purpose, perusing the idea of slow burns such as Midnight Mass, and contemplating the concept of ticking clocks. So hurry, have a listen, before it's too late! There's no reason why it would be too late, but still... You can foll...

This time we dedicate our brains to the subject of protagonists, aka lead characters. We discuss how important they are and the attributes which can be useful in making them feel balanced and interesting. We also dissect  their malevolent counterparts, antagonists. You can follow the podcast on social media: x.com/writing_pod instagram.com/writing_pod tiktok.com/@writing_pod Or search for Thinking...

In this episode we think about three qualities which can be significant in creating an idea for a script; Originality, Identity and Substance. We also theorise on the deeper meaning of  popular sitcom Friends and ponder some potentially useful methods for generating ideas. You can follow the podcast on social media: x.com/writing_pod instagram.com/writing_pod tiktok.com/@writing_pod Or search for...