A Writing Blog Worth Reading
Hiya, love.
To everyone that read the Tongue in Cheek blog last year, thank you! And also, sorry about that. It was a bit of a mess, wasn’t it? Think pieces one week, story craft the next, and a complete lack of focus led to a bit of a mismatched year for the blog.
Well, in 2026, that all changes.
From now on, this blog will be craft, craft, craft. When thinking about the value I can add to an over-saturated market of educational writing blogs, there was one niche that felt clearly under-serviced.
Industry examples.
So many writing blogs are focused on the academic craft of writing; structure, character, theme etc. But none really highlight how that translates into real writing practice. A five-act structure is great, but what does that look like to a James Cameron script, or an A24 project?
So, embedded into all craft articles, there will be examples of how real writers employ that specific craft element into their scripts. How does Daniell Ward write an act break in an episode of Daddy Issues? How does Coralie Fargeat use thematic language in The Substance?
Moreover, in this growing age of AI, how are writers pushing the form of scriptwriting forward to make sure that their scripts aren’t only great, but also distinctly human?
TV and feature film drama is now over 100 years old. If humanity hasn’t nailed the craft of scriptwriting by now, it never will. Luckily, it has. Now it’s time to turn that craft into an art.
Within the rules of producible screenplays, there’s a lot of ‘play’ up for grabs. It can be easy to look at the existential changes brought in by AI and lose all hope. Me? I’m frankly full of hope. If AI is designed to repurpose and repackage everything that’s been, then that’s a good thing for art. If common audiences can’t tell the difference between AI and human-produced work, then that’s a good thing for art.
The whole point of art is to push things forward. To evolve. To play.
So, leave the corporate push for AI behind. Leave dread to the philosophers. We’re artists. Let’s make art.
ALSO
What’s the point in just talking about art? Put your money where your mouth is! Following from last year’s projects, I’ll again be undertaking several writing challenges in 2026 to prove that craft and play can and do work together well!
I’ve already done this a couple of times in 2025, where I began experimenting with colour and imagery in the two scripts I wrote and posted here, Mothership and Doctor Who – Silent Night.
AND THAT’S NOT ALL!
Finally (I promise), I’ve got some exciting community projects that I’d love to get moving in 2026. If you’re Cardiff-based, a writer, and feeling like opportunities are scarce, then I urge you to make sure you’re following @tongueincheekwriter on Instagram. The ideas I’ve got could change the game!
So that’s 2026 in a nutshell. Craft lessons from the best and brightest writers in the world. Dispelling dread with a playful approach to new writing frontiers. Original writing with a playful twist. And community building like you’ve never seen.
It’s all here!
And if that fills you with excitement to become best friends, you can even hire this 5* expertise on Fiverr to review and edit your scripts which is great for two reasons. It’ll keep you ahead of the pack, and it’ll help me keep the lights on! It’s win-win!
Happy New Year, everyone!
