"
"Editors and public tired long ago of the poor boy whose industry at
last brought him the hand of his employer's daughter; the pale-faced,
sweet-eyed young thing whose heroism in stamping out a fire enabled
her to pay off the mortgage; the recovery of the missing will; the
cruel step-mother; answering a prayer which has been overheard; the
strange case of mistaken identity; honesty rewarded; a noble revenge;
a child's influence; and so on to a long-drawn-out end."[26]
[Footnote 26: J. Berg Esenwein, _Writing the Short-Story_.]
In avoiding trite subjects the surest teachers are common sense, a
wide reading, the constant study of the photoplays seen on the screen,
a friendly critic, and the printed rejection slip. _And do not forget
this most important point_: It is not so much the time-worn _theme_
that makes a story hackneyed as it is the threadbare _development_ of
the theme. A new "twist," a fresh surprise, coming as the climax to an
old situation, may redeem its hackneyed character. But when you can
combine a fresh theme with a new treatment you have reached the apex
of originality. Time spent in working on unhackneyed lines will save
you many later heartaches.
_8. Inconsistent Situations_
A word or two concerning inconsistencies in film stories.
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