three devices

I went to a writing class ten or more years ago and was told the importance of these three things:

1. deadlines
2. crucibles (characters forced under stressful circumstances to work together)
3. secrets

The students were encouraged to write books where we had these three things because they added to reader interest in the book. They were sort of best-seller marks, the kind of things that readers can't put down.

So I read books now and think about whether the ones that I love are using these devic...