Hi Cherys,

I tend to write the whole thing in 'Word'. Not much 'penmanship' these days.

I write an outline, chapter by chapter first. I include under each chapter heading as much detail as I can, with descriptions of scenes and sequels.

Once I am happy everything makes some kind of sense, I print it out, triple spaced, so I have room for additions etc.

Then, because I know where I am headed and where I want to start the book, I am able to write whichever of the chapters takes my fancy. As long as I use meanigful titles for the chapters, I can arrange them in sequential order from my outline at a later date. So I bash on with a first draft.

I used to tinker and polish as I went, but that got me nowhere. I kept putting off the writing of new advancing material. I realise now, it might have been the 'fear of success' that made me dither like this. Or plain laziness.

So I am getting on with writing new scenes for my present work in progress. I alter previous stuff only when it becomes necessary to keep fresh ideas in mind or make changes that are required becuse of new directions my story has taken. Thiuus my first-draft isn't all that rough. Lots of grammaticals and typos maybe, but at least it makes sense.

I also use a melamine board and 4x2 inch post-it notes, which I can move around the board as a literal 'story-board'.

I still use floppy discs; one disc will hold about 80,000 words and they are more reliable. I also use two 8-gig pen drives for storing ALL my writing work, in duplicate. And to be safe, I do use CD storage. So many of those fall over though, so I make four copies of each!

I hope that helps.

John

I laughed when I saw you put notes next to your work - especially when you're unsure about the scene.
I often put things in square brackets like [ this is crap ] or [ what?!?] or one of my all time favourites [ if you don't want to read this who on earth do you think will]. HB x

<Added>

I was refering to Emma's first post.

[ if you don't want to read this who on earth do you think will].

Ah, my favorite chapter heading, Helen. Makes editing so much easier.


- NaomiM

Before I sit down to write a new drift to my ever going story lol lets go with part five I take time to think it trough before my fingers touch the keys...I plan it out on a white board the plot... or what I like to call it the out line, then I just wait 'til the mod hits me right and I am in one of my characters shoes. It takes me about a year or more to write a first draft, why you ask because, I say the longer it takes the better the story is going to be, in all it has taken me seven years to get the first draft of Part One right, and now I am very pleased with the way he has turned out, sorry by he I mean Master Guardian, he is the main character of my Dark Fantasy story.

When writing I complete a chapter and then mull the idea in my head for six months. If I am happy with it and it has logic and sense then I will continue. Usually I then write 1000 words a chapter with place-holder dialogue. And thats the first draft done which I guess is quite rough.
Can take well as long as it needs to.

Stuart