From Pixar: 22 Rules for Storytelling
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There aren't so much rules as bits of advice on how to tell stories, how to get ideas, and how to get unstuck.
I don't like them all, but these six I do and recommend:
#7: Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.#8: Finish your story, let go even if it's not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.
#9: When you're stuck, make a list of what WOULDN'T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.
#15: If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.
#17: No work is ever wasted. If it's not working, let go and move on - it'll come back around to be useful later.
#20: Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d'you rearrange them into what you DO like?