The Fiction Author’s Ten Commandments

1. Thou shalt not set thy story in New York City.
2. Thou shalt not stereotype, unless for parody.
3. Thou shalt not use three words when thou canst use one.
4. Thou shalt create dynamic hierarchy that it may enliven thy story to the end of its pages.
5. Thou shalt not kill thy supporting cast halfway through the story, nor shalt thou write them out by cheap device.
6. Thou shalt not use sex as an excuse for action.
7. Thou shalt not write a prequel to a story unless the prequel is to be written first. No exceptions.
8. Thou shalt not over-speculate when basing a story on actual events.
9. Thou shalt use whatever necessary to make thine characters believable.
10. In all things, thou shalt be original!