Tip #65: Remember...

creativity needs stamina and energy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00d5vqc (Interview with Ursula LeGuin)

Tip #64: Pacing

it’s a question of how much do you reveal about each character and the world and in what order?

http://samsykes.com/2011/02/unsounded-characters-pacing-and-building-with-ashley-cope/

Tip #63: Ending the day with a beginning

Before I go to bed at night I try to jot down in my notebook at least one sentence to start the next day. I guess I’m hoping it’ll poke my subconscious into thinking up something good while I sleep.

http://writersofthewest.blogspot.com/2011/01/visit-with-carol-crigger.html

Tip #62: Crucial lines

Often I will reluctantly cut a line I think crucial only to discover on rereading the revised version works better without it.

@KateElliottSFF

Tip# 61: In a world built of words...

Dialogue is the number one thing that marks a character out... Not description or action or physical quirks. Dialogue.

http://screenwritingtips.tumblr.com/ Tip #526

Which is one of the reasons why first person novels so often have such strong protagonists; the author has invested significant time in finding/perfecting the character's voice.

Tip #60: Character flaws

It’s not the flaw itself that makes the hero interesting, it’s how he deals {and has dealt} with the flaw, how he overcomes (or fails to overcome) the flaw that gives him depth and thus makes us appreciate him more.

http://samsykes.com/2010/12/lament-for-a-meathead/

Tip #59: Realism

"Realism" is often not very realistic. The grimmest of realities often kick up moments of acute wonder and beauty. Any one-note depiction is not realistic and it's bad art.

http://thesilverkey.blogspot.com/2011/02/realism-does-not-equal-adult-followup.html
"Annonymous" comment by Jim Cornelius.

Tip #58: Teachers & critiquers

a good teacher... does not say, 'Imitate me' but, 'This is what I think you are trying to say'.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/feb/11/lost-art-editing-books-publishing
(Comment by Blake Morrison quoting Frank O'Connor)

Tip #57: Something to bear in mind...

The Chosen One (in its most common iteration) removes a crucial part of a conflict: the hero.  If he’s been Chosen by Whatever, he can safely assume that he is right and everyone else is wrong, that he does deserve to rule and get the girl and exterminate the orcs and whatever.

http://samsykes.com/2011/01/the-chosen-jerk-jam-session-with-n-k-jemisin/

Sykes adds that something often lost is "the conflict of {the protagonist's} own morality", something which has some interesting possibilities in tense situations.

Tip #56: The Beginning

The hero is going about their business when suddenly, something happens and they have a problem. This is the inciting event that causes the rest of the story to happen.

http://storyflip.blogspot.com/2009/04/plot-thickens.html

In some cases the problem may already be present, but something happens which forces the protagonist to face it and then deal with it (inciting incident).

Tip #55: Knowledge is power

Keep careful track of what your characters know and don’t know. There’s huge dramatic mileage in having your characters obfuscate, tell little lies and keep information from each other.

http://screenwritingtips.tumblr.com/ Tip #520

Tip #54: The magic of revisions

That’s the magic of revisions – every cut is necessary, and every cut hurts, but something new always grows.

http://johndbrown.com/2011/02/interview-with-author-kelly-barnhill/

Tip #53: Lackluster endings

Low points, defeats and the dark point can be used to develop a surprising or twist climax by threatening and taking away (one by one) the things that the protagonist (their mentor/allies, their antagonist, and the reader) think of as "essential" to victory.  Each permanent loss raises the stakes for every scene - not just the final showdown - and makes the climax and result harder to guess.  The Dark Point comes when the protagonist thinks they have lost everything and haven't a chance in hell. Then give them a glimpse of hope; a glimpse of insight into the strengths they have been forced to develop as a consequence of the losses, or have alway had and never taken seriously/thought about; into the antagonist's weakness... and let them off the leash.

H.R.Filmore's Reminders To Self, February 2011

Tip #52: Timelessness

timelessness comes from the themes and characters and experiences more than from references or other small details. Regardless of dated elements, we still read the classics because they’re good stories and great voices…those will always be the key to staying relevant.

http://kidlit.com/2010/11/19/references-and-dating-your-manuscript/