Like a recipe, it might sound fun to throw a bunch of spices into something, but what often happens is that the flavors become muddled and indistinguishable. A sign of a seasoned and skilled chef is restraint -one who makes few ingredients shine. Likewise, a skilled author will highlight their most important characters, being sure not to pollute the pages with unnecessary information or names.

Reading books on technique while you have your story in mind allows you to think about your work differently.