I’ve been bingeing on historical fiction and drama lately, and you know that can only mean one thing: more clichés to skewer. So what are our favourite historical TV drama characters doing these days? Well, it’s all about the plot in ye olde modern times, so take a deep breath, and get ready for some serious telling…
The way that publishing works today is unrecognisable in comparison to 15 years ago. For many readers and writers, it hasn’t changed for the better, resulting in much weeping, wailing, and a deluge of think pieces pretending to know what they’re talking about (just like this one). But you know what else changed as much in that time? Television. And it’s kicking ass. Why can’t publishing?
I went to Wicklow for the day and got all sorts of notions about what I’m demanding from books and TV shows from now on. And just like those shows, some parts of this post will be more enjoyable than others. Boom!
There are too many women crying in fiction. You can’t move in film and TV for women in floods of tears. Who is writing the crying woman? And how can we make it stop?
How are you watching TV these days? Are you giving it your full attention? Half? A third? Two-ninths? Isn’t there a lot to be said for TV you can watch without having to watch it?
Yes, of course they can! We tend only to talk about the great books we know which were assassinated by bad films, but we forget that there is another side to the coin. Filmmakers are always looking for ideas, and screenwriting tutors will tell you that it’s a hell of a lot easier for an unknown writer to…
Gosh, open letters seem to be the weapon of choice these days, don’t they? And I have something to get off my chest. So today, we interrupt normal booky programming to bring you this message. Dear BBC Productions, Sometimes, when I’m watching your work, I have an irresistable urge to hunt down some of the crew,…
Tara Sparling writes 