PLATT-ETUDES

RANDALL’S TOP SUGGESTIONS
(Bits and pieces that I have learned the hard way.)

1. THE FIRST AND LAST LAW OF FICTION
   Never write anything that does not ADVANCE plot or ENHANCE character.
2. CHEKHOV’S COROLLARY
   If you have a gun placed on the mantle it had better go off by the end of the play.
3. THE CORONER’S COROLLARY
   Learn the fine art of murdering your children. Eeeeuuu!
4. THE COOK’S THEOREM
   Quit when you’re ahead - too many rewrites over-thicken the plot. Know thyself and know when to quit.
5. THE DIRECTOR’S LAW
   Enter a scene after it’s already begun.
6. THE RANDALL RULE
   Stories are like fine wines - choose yours carefully and once you uncork the bottle, finish it - unless it was a bad year in which case at least use it for vinegar.
7. THE THEORY OF RELATIVE COOLNESS
   Retaliate with caution. The best way to save face is to keep the lower end of it closed.
8. THE TEACHER’S CONUNDRUM
   FASGAP - Forget About Spelling, Grammar And Punctuation. Get the damn thing written!
9. PLATT’S PRINCIPLE
   Reference your fiction as you would nonfiction. You will be challenged.
10. THE AUDIO AXIOM
    Learn the value of the Audio Daily Double - read your work aloud - twice - once to yourself and once to someone else who cares.
11. THE WE’RE-IN-THIS-TOGETHER PROPOSITION
    Network - join something, write letters, read the trades, team up, share thyself.
12. THE GINKGO BILOBA COMPOUND
    Only Nat King Cole could pull off ‘Unforgettable!” Write it down NOW! No matter how “unforgettable” it is, you’ll forget it.
13. THE DIVISIVE, DECISIVE MOVEMENT
    A body that is in motion tends to stay in motion: In other words: the wrong decision is better than no decision.
14. THE FINAL FORMULA
    Persistence + Luck + Love + Talent + Professionalism - Pessimism - Excuses = Success