1 cup of heart

½ cup tears and angst

¾ cup courage

Equal parts action and adventure to taste 

2 cups plot (often combined with setting)

A dollop of conflict (to breach the status quo and create questions)

A handful of characters, cut to size

1 tbsp tension (it’s OK to let a little ugliness into the story)

2 tsp theme

Add metaphor and simile to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl (avoid over-mixing, as this can damage the nearly imperceptible contract between reader and writer). Separate into bite-sized parts and place equally distanced apart on the cookie sheet (this helps to prevent narrative greed by revealing too much, too fast). Dust with a sprinkle of grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation just prior to putting in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees until the edges are browned (an undercooked story is as equally frustrating as an unfinished love affair). Remove from oven and place on cooling rack, allowing the story to come to life in all its papery possibilities as it cools. Let cool before tasting (once told, a story cannot be taken back).