A writer writes what other people only think.

Most of the time, tough, combative, adversarial dialogue is much more exciting than physical action.

The biggest difference between a writer and a would-be writer is their attitude toward rewriting. . . . Unwillingness to revise usually signals an amateur.

In our not-yet-acknowledged secret garden lie the seeds of some of our best not-yet-written stories

Our instinct as human beings is to provide answers, to ease tension. As writers our job is the opposite, to create tension and not dispel it immediately.

To create tension, dialogue needs to be stretched out. That is, characters should not be immediately responsive.

Dialogue is a lean language in which every word counts.