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

Write like you're in love. Edit like you're in charge.

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.

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

In fact, one could argue that the skill of the fiction writer boils down to the ability to exploit intensity.

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.'