Draft Images

These photos show material that is part of my writing process, from creating story maps and chapter outline notes to tackling manuscript pages bristling with my editor's Post-it notes. I have often found that the preliminary process in writing a novel--building the story in my mind, making notes and time-lines and outlines, compiling research material, sketching out characters and plot sequences--is equaled only by the final process of editing, revising and rewriting through several drafts of a manuscript. For me, the middle process--the actual writing of the first draft--is the most solitary and takes the shortest time. During the preliminary process I have always found it helpful to frequently talk over my ideas with someone whose insights and observations I respect--just as I have always found it essential to work closely with my editor during the final process of revision and rewriting.