Think about it, talk about it, write about it

Hi everyone,

I often tell kids that writing the first draft is easier if they prepare for it by thinking about what they want to say and then practicing the story aloud before they sit down to write the words. I’ve used the approach myself so I know it can work. This is especially true when the writing is memory-based.

I’ve been carrying a story in my head for several days and working out the scenes the way I thought they should go. During drive times I began to tell myself the story until it felt right. Two mornings ago I sat down and wrote the whole thing in a little over two hours.

I’m sure that I’ll make changes when I can get back to it. I already know that I need a different ending. But the basic framework is sound. I’ll tuck it away and one of these days I’ll pull it out and see where it goes. The nice thing is that most of the major revisions already took place in my head where it’s much easier to make changes than after I commit the words to paper.