Julia Jarman

Ingredients:

1. REAL LIFE.

2. IMAGINATION - add some WHAT IF? 

The words 'what if?' open up your mind and activate your imagination!!!

Ask yourself more questions - who? what? where? when? how? to gather more ingredients.

Your story must have:
Characters, plot (the action) and setting/s.
A beginning - start with one main character. Give him/her/it a problem. (Another character perhaps)
A middle - let your main character try to solve the problem once, twice, three times at least but the problem gets worse! Keep your reading guessing Keep the excitement rising - how is it going to end?

An end -make it the most exciting bit of your story. Surprise your reader if you can!(CLIMAX!) Your character solves the problem! (unless you like unhappy endings)
NOTE Almost certainly, you will need to do some RESEARCH
Even in fiction your facts - if you use them - must be right.

Please follow this link to download an article from the Writers Forum, explaining how I research information for my books.

Don't expect your story to work out first time. Most authors do many DRAFTS. It's hard work, but also FUN!

When I draw my plan I start with the sloping rising line to remind myself:

1.The excitement must rise
2. The tension must mount - that's why my plan looks like a mountain, but note a one-sided mountain.
3. The story must build UP to a CLIMAX, the most exciting bit of the story, which is near the END.