Prolific British playwright and screenwriter David Hare (Skylight, The Hours, Straight Line Crazy) sits right at the intersection of acclaimed and popular. (Which, let’s be honest, is where most of us wouldn’t mind being in our careers.) He is both thoughtful and economical, meaning there is a lot he has to teach.

Hare’s ten rules for writers include a number of gems, from “Never take advice from anyone with no investment in the outcome” to “The two most depressing words in the English language are ‘literary fiction’”.

But the line of advice that really jumps out and explains so much of his propulsive style is this:

Style is the art of getting yourself out of the way, not putting yourself in it.

Once your style is noticed, it can be an impediment. Focus on your story and your characters. Everything else is a distant third.