Concepts work in politics too. “Death panels” is a concept. “Job creators” is a concept. “Pro-life” is a concept. So is “pro-choice.” A concept can be complete balderdash. It can be evil. “The master race.” “Manifest destiny.” “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” When you as a writer carry over and apply this mode of thinking to other fields, say the writing of novels or movies or nonfiction, the first question you ask yourself at the start of any project is, “What’s the concept?”
