At a recent book signing, I shared some helpful tips in writing that participants suggested I post on my blog. So here’s the first three tips out of 10.

1. The Idea: What if? Most stories’ concepts start with a “what if” question. In my case, it was “what if fairies aren’t born with their wings, but have to earn them?” If you go with the analogy to a sturdy grapevine, then this is your story’s root stock.

2. The Plot Outline: I can’t emphasize enough the importance of roughing out the plot’s outline - even tho’ it probably will change quite a bit when you’re writing. Mine did! This forces you to go beyond the idea to what you’re going to do with it. In other words, how are you going to answer your question? If the question is the root stock, this is the vine’s trunk, that supports everything.

I determined that a fairy would ultimately receive their wings through a series of ‘Coming of Age’ Rites, ultimately crescendoing in the Krisalys (or Chrysalis - when a butterfly gets their wings). 

 3. Characters: As you’re sketching out your preliminary outline, rough out your primary characters - and expect them to change. What do they look and sound like? How do they walk, laugh, smile? Your primary characters are the main canes (which bear the leaves and fruit).

I found it helpful to people-watch, poke through magazines and cut out photos of how a character might look… I hunted for visual ideas as a starting point.

Peripheral characters - such as Damon, Elanoria and Rhytha - ”materialized” as I wrote (and rewrote) filling in those important gaps and adding depth to the story (the smaller canes and tendrils). And they are likely to advance to primary characters in the second book.