Ten Reasons Why

1. Most beginning writers are fearful of betraying in their writing a secret residing in some familial, romantic, or non-familial relationship.

2. Most advanced, long-term writers are fearful of not betraying in their writing a secret residing in some familial, romantic, or non-familial relationship.

3. Most beginning writers regard approach their work with the belief that everything they write will make strangers curious enough to want to read it.

4. Most veteran writers have long since understood that they have to write as though their words were set down in a locked journal, the better to protect individuals written about.

4a. In 3 and 4 supra, the irony is that both are wrong.

5. An opening in which a character confesses to having done something unspeakably awful is more likely to be read in one sitting than an opening in which a character confesses to having done something wonderful and affirming.

6. Readers prefer a story in which a main character does something because he cannot control a relevant part of his body/mind connection.

7. Readers have no interest in or patience for a character who can control his emotions.

8. The first thing beginning writers say about material they don't like or understand is that it is well written.

9. A story with an interesting character being placed in an intriguing situation does not have to be well written.

10. The most difficult thing a beginning writer faces is keeping himself out of the way of his characters.