When a story comes into my head it is like an avalanche. The idea pours out as my pen moves rapidly across the sheet of paper in my notebook. You would think coming up with the plot and the characters would be the hard part of the process. After all, you are trying to bring an imaginary friend to life and give them their own voice.

What are your characters likes and dislikes? What does your character look like? And most of all what is the journey you are taking them on and the lessons they learn along the way?

But really the hard part is the editing, which you have to do again and again. It isn't about just picking up the typos in your work but simplifying what you have written. Taking out all those lovely long words you put in that just are not needed. Breaking your story down so it flows along the smooth white pages.

Even when you are writing non-fiction, you want to get to the truth of your characters. Even if the truth isn't pretty. So how do you get to this while keeping your readers turning the pages? Come with me, on my journey of discovery.