PART ONE: NUTS AND BOLTS: Begin sentences with subjects and verbs
Take it easy on the -ings
Fear not the long sentence
Establish a pattern, then give it a twist
Let punctuation control pace and space
PART TWO: SPECIAL EFFECTS: Prefer the simple over the technical
Give key words their space
Play with words, even in serious stories
Riff on the creative language of others
Set the pace with sentence length
Vary the lengths of paragraphs
Choose the number of elements with a purpose in mind
Know when to back off and when to show off
Climb up and down the ladder of abstraction
PART THREE: BLUEPRINTS: Work from a plan
Learn the difference between reports and stories
Use dialogue as a form of action
Reveal traits of character
Put odd and interesting things next to each other
Foreshadow dramatic events and powerful conclusions
To generate suspense, use internal cliffhangers
Build your work around a key question
Place gold coins along the path
Repeat, repeat, and repeat
Write from different cinematic angles
Report and write for scenes
In short works, don't waste a syllable
Prefer archetypes to stereotypes
PART FOUR: USEFUL HABITS: Draft a mission statement for your work
Turn procrastination into rehearsal
Do your homework well in advance
Read for both form and content
Break long projects into parts
Take an interest in all crafts that support your work
Recruit your own support group
Limit self-criticism in early drafts
Own the tools of your craft.
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