Tip #448: Not everyone is the same

Pick two people on the same side of a conflict, but give them completely different motivations for fighting on that side.

http://www.writingexcuses.com/2013/12/08/writing-excuses-8-49-hard-social-science-fiction-with-joel-shepherd/

One of the advantages of using this in a story is it can be a far more subtle way of showing how evil an antagonist is without having them kick a puppy.

Tip #447: That which is unspoken

That which is unspoken defines the relationship.

Given examples:

Those things you won’t talk about.

The apology never given.

The explanation never provided.

The promise never followed through on.

The secret never shared.

The unspoken things that affect our relationships can also be those truths we keep from ourselves rather than the other person. We often hate most in others things that we fear in ourselves.

http://writerunboxed.com/2013/12/13/things-left-unspoken/