As novelling season approaches, I thought I'd share the 'miracle' of how I do it. I offer this little list not as a recommended strategy so much as a confession, or possibly a warning.

1. I’ve had this BRILLIANT idea …

2. … And now all these other ideas are flocking to it, along with some people, and the stuff they’ll be doing and the places they visit ... and ... and ...

3. Guess I’d better stop scribbling illegible notes and listening to my characters having conversations in my head and actually …

4. … write the opening of the story. Hey, this is fun. It looks good, in fact, it rocks ...

5. ... but now I seem to have stalled. Suppose I should work out what happens next. Damn, this is going to take AGES

6. … 1,000 words more and I can have chocolate … 1,000 words more and I can have chocolate … OK, 500 words more and I can have chocolate …

7. Half way! Yes! At least I think I am. Well, hope I am anyway.

8. This sucks. How can I have wasted so much of my life on this sh*te?!

9. But I’ve got this far, I may as well carry on. And there’s still some fun stuff to come near the end.

10. Finished! Thank god!

 ... until it's time for the rewrites