Great list! This guy knows his stuff. It's all good advice, but a couple of them spoke to me:

Number 13. “In A Story, Tell Only The Story”

That's the way I see it too. Lines that form a pattern. Lines that weave together. Much like a well orchestrated piece of music where all the melody lines come together and create a larger harmonious whole. It's really satisfying for the audience when all the pieces of the story fall into place like pieces in a puzzle and they realize that everything was there for a reason.

Number 22. “Treat Place Like Character”

This is something I struggle with. A lot of times my characters seem to be operating in a vacuum or in empty rooms with white walls. I'm getting better at it but it's a challenge sometimes.

I really needed to read this today. Deep in rewrites. Thanks Scott!

6. "The story is a map; plot is the route you choose"

because that simple fact kills my efforts many a time. First I create this universe which becomes more and more detailed and interesting to me... and then... then I don't know what kind of story to tell within that world. You can go visit millions of places, thousands of characters... choosing the path I feel afraid like a Hobbit in Mordor and excited like a kid in the candy store.

Wow, what a wonderful list, thank you, Scott. Wendig also has a great list re writers here.

Finally watched Avatar, and keeping in mind that Cameron pulled in $2.8 billion while I managed to get my kid late to school, again, today, I kept thinking last night, story didn't need to be so big, seemed to go on and on. And what should have been visceral was cerebral. How to Train Dragon ($165mil prod, $0.5bil boxofc), for me, hit so many of the same notes, and was edge of seat fun, entirely visceral. And, visual spoiler, can't unsee it (like Colbert's defiant ears), those folks on the planet, omg there was no variation in face and body, felt like high school drawing, not a world truly sprung up from nature.

So big story in small places has been on my mind, Sandlot great example. How compressed in time and place can you make a hugely impactful story.

Every item on list speaks loudly, two favorites, take it down to the bone, as few moving parts in the machinery as necessary, and tether backstory as lightly as possible to front end.

@Teddy Pasternak, came across this book couple years ago, haven't read, but looks fun, and might provide additional door into character spaces: Snoop, intro, amazon.

@Atlanta: Thanks for that link to Wendig's other list. Looks like another post with a HT to you!

@Atlanta - thanks, I'll check it out!