Think of it as the Doorway of No Return. The feeling must be that your lead character, once she passes through, cannot go home again until the major problem of the plot is solved.

There's a perilous word fiction writers need to watch out for. The word is 'had.'

Anyone living in Los Angeles who has opposable thumbs is required to write a screenplay.

If you can write each day, do it, and meet a quota. Minimum 350 words a day. A baboon can do 350 words a day. Don't be shown up by a baboon

A writing teacher once told me that the most successful movies and books were simple plots about complex characters. You should be able to articulate your concept in a couple of lines.

Every hour you spend writing is an hour you don't spend worrying about your writing.

My philosophy on writing books is that if you learn only one new thing, or even get a new take on something you already know, it's worth it.