400

Okay - milestone time first. This is my 400th post! Woohoo.

Now that's out of the way...

I just finished the first draft of "Dreaming" - 3662 words.

It just kept coming out of me. A few days ago I read Alexandra Sokoloff's latest post which you can read here (sorry about the delay in linking this one) which started me thinking and ended up in one of those moments of startling clarity bubbling to the surface.

I write very much in layers. My first draft is a little about setting, a large part in characterisation and hugely about the dialogue. There is bugger all descriptive prowess, not a lot of shadowing and very little placement of thematic references.

Second pass allows me to beef up the setting and descriptive elements. It also allows me to see where the shadowing and any theme related bits can go.

Third pass will be for polishing all those bits together.

Then it goes out to readers. Rinse and repeat until it's ready for market.

Right now though, I'm full of the adrenaline writing a new story gives me and further topped up with finishing the first draft of something new.

I'll let this sit for a day or so and enjoy the feeling before the cold world of revision takes over.

I hope you've had as good a writing day as I've had.

Speak soon.

BT