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.

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.

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

The semi-colon is a burp, a hiccup. It's a drunk staggering out of the saloon at 2 a.m., grabbing your lapels on the way and asking you to listen to one more story.

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