I have a couple of RSS feeds that I read every day. One of which is John Augusts excellent blog on screen writing. Although I don't aspire to be a screen writer the information he relates is still pertinent. John offers excellent advice on how to build plot, develop characters and frame scenes. John also entertains questions from his readers. In a recent post John answered a question from a working screen writer about how to continually improve ones skills while being gainfully employed. The question dealt specifically with how to move from an intermediate/advanced level of screen play writing to an exceptional level. John's advice is well grounded, and actually applies to more than just screen writers. Specifically he suggests that you take a great story and dissect it. Breaking the story down into it's basic building blocks allows you see how the story was constructed, and in turn you will gain insight into ways you can improve your own writing skills. Think of it as reverse engineering a story.