1.) There are only about eight story lines. It’s what done with them that counts.
2.) Heightening is the art of suspense.
3.) If the characters don’t care about what’s going on, neither will the audience/readers.
4.) Every character, even the tiny ones, need a valid motivation for their actions.
5.) Engage all the audience/reader’s senses to heighten mood and illicit emotion.
6.) While setting is important, people come/read for the characters.
7.) Create subtext and intrigue by contrasting a character’s dialogue with their actions.
8.) People generally talk at each other, not to each other.
9.) A story’s through line should be able to be expressed in a simple sentence.
10.) Never apologize for the finished product. It robs the audience/readers from their experience.
