A review by magtferg
The Art of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives by Lajos Egri

Corneillie: "It is certain that there are laws of the drama, since it is an art; but it is not certain what these laws are."
"Anything that happens in your play must come directly from the characters you have chose to prove your premise, and they must be characters strong enough to prove the premise without forcing."
Emerson: "What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.”
immediately/necessity/there must be something at stake-something pressingly important:
"A play might start at exactly the point where a conflict will lead up to a crisis"
"A play might start at a point where one character has reached a turning point in his life."
"A play might start with a decision which will precipitate conflict."
"A good point of attack is where something vital is at stake at the very beginning of a play"
"The shortest scene contains all the elements of a three-act play. It has its own premise which is exposed through conflict between the characters. The conflict grows through transition to crisis and climax. Crisis and climax are as periodical in a play as exposition is constant."
Arc: A conflict which rises becomes a crisis and a climax