HOW I WORK

--  Thinking about story possibilities 24/7.  While watching   

     TV/In the car etc.      

n  First draft starts before I begin writing.

n  Thinking time between drafts is crucial to give my mind time to work things out.

n  Ruthless in editing and getting to the core of the story.

STAGES OF WRITING A STORY.

Draft one:  Observes/imaginative leap/experiments with possible stories/chooses one/writes to 1^st story point/ pauses, considers opening/edit/ decide on next story point and writes to/pause, considers opening and middle/edit/ chooses ending/writes to and finishes draft.

(  Main aim: deciding story path.  Each section flows from the one(s) previous.   Opening from experiments/middle from opening/ end from opening, middle.)

Draft two:  Main draft. Works on story information/ character details/story path with a view to clarifying what the story is about—ie: fear/loneliness/ finishes draft using same method as draft one—story points.

( Main aim:  Clarifying what the story about.)     

Draft three:  Write one sentence summary of main emotion of story/ a line by line strict edit to eliminate, or add detail with a view to serving that story summary.

(Main aim:   Story finished except for three further edits to tighten language/further clarify character/story.  Also proof read each time.)

AND THEN I SUBMIT/ADD TO MY FILE OF FINISHED WORK, AND MOVE ON TO NEXT STORY.