Writing

http://janefriedman.com/2011/12/12/win-a-pulitizer/

http://poewar.com/fifteen-craft-exercises-for-writers/

http://io9.com/5916970/the-22-rules-of-storytelling-according-to-pixar

Techniques

Zula's Key

Through much of Reamde Zula, unknown to her captors, has the key to the lock they are counting on to keep her in place. If she's left unguarded for even a few moments, she can escape, but that doesn't happen.

Asymmetric Knowledge

Let the reader know something important that one of the characters doesn't

Parallel Narration

Setup multiple convergent plots and jump between them

Sexplanation

In the HBO show Game Of Thrones, in order to work in all the explanation from the book, they have characters do it while in bed. Leverage some form of brain candy to sweeten the necessary back-story.

Cosmos Laundromat

Have characters working hard to complete some small task that's part of a larger task, but make the small task clear and give no hint of the larger task. Give the reader more questions than answers.

New Access

character gains new access or ability - Ari in Cyteen, Ender, the Matrix

Case Studies

• Harry Potter
• The Alquemist
• Hunger Games
• The Martian
• Da Vinci Code

Commonalities

• Simple writing, nothing a middle-schooler couldn't handle
• life-and-death; all these stories have nearly continuous life threatening conditions
• "heroic" characters, expecting having a scenario thrust upon them
• The Martian and Da Vinci Code make the reader feel like they're learning
• Structure; these stories all have rigid, clear structures that serve as guides to the reader where they are in the story
• most use a McGuffing
• all world builders; these are set in places, environments and cultures the reader does not know

Opening Line

• HP: Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.
• The Alquemist: The alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had brought.
• HG: when I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.
• The martian: I'm pretty much fucked

Ideas

Whistle-blower

After a Snowden/Ellsberg type incident a new hire discovers that they are sitting at the desk of the whistleblower, they are the replacement. They see that the whistleblower is telling the truth, the response is distorted and that tools are being used to suppress the facts. But there's also a focus on the agency doing good. The replacement is faced with the choice of following in the steps of the predecessor or helping to persecute them.

Thief

Oceans 11 meets Harry Potter. The story is set in the interleaved places where mystical creatures are real - goblins, vampires and the like. But unlike HP, there's not really magic, there a few additional physical laws. And it is a solidly modern world - internet, cell phones, reality TV.

The story follows the classic heist plot. Leader is putting a team together for the ultimate heist, but his motives are more personal than professional.

"it's the darknet" said the gremlin, "Sounds nice" said the vampire.

"They always have humans in green-face playing us goblins in these films. And the names they give us are just offensive, 'Girmgalore' or 'Maxrot'. "What is your name anyway", "Donald". "I shudder in the presence of true evil".