this was really helpful! thanks! just as a suggestion, i'd also say it's very very important not to force your carachters to do anything--if there is something they need to do to make the plot go along, then it should be something they would naturally do...hope that made sense
. for instance, if you're writing something about a young, timid girl, unless there has been something in your story to substantially change her into a more courageos person, it would be very strange and awkward if she just ran into the middle of a fight to break it up.