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That's so interesting, and I would agree that you need to know your characters through and though to fully establish an ending. HOWEVER I must admit that I have found that sometimes there is a picture in my head, a scene, a dialogue that you know happens right at the end, and I have to write and rewrite and edit to get to know the characters & find out who is in it and why it is there!

This is so true! For me anyway - I always start the book journey with a fairly good idea of where I'm going but when I get there, so much detail has changed - strange things often happen that I couldn't have known about. I can not wait to read Shine.

And, you can't write the beginning until you know the whole book. How can you do the setup without knowing what it is you're setting up. That was the latest edit, planting the seeds that will blossom later. I love seeing this done visually in film. We caught the beginning of Ghostbusters the other day and as Sigourney Weaver emptied the shopping onto the counter at the beginning of the

This is my usual method: <br />1. write the first chapter, <br />2. write that last chapter, <br />3. write the middle, <br />4. rewrite the last chapter, <br />5. rewrite the first chapter, <br />6. rewrite the middle,<br />7. repeat 4 to 6 until run out of time....!<br />But quite seriously even though it may change the last chapter is usually one of the first things I write. I like to know

Good one Maureen. I find it really difficult to write outside the line of my narrative. I tend to begin at the beginning then work my way to the end. I get paralysed if there is something up ahead that&#39;s already created and complete because it doesn&#39;t feel like it&#39;s part of my storytelling!

Good method!I always know where I am going but I don&#39;t put it down because I need the energy of the whole book to write the best words for the finale!

Thanks Kathy ... I think I work like you. And I can&#39;t wait to read Shine either!

In Finding Nemo they said they always knew they would end with the going to school scene again. But they wanted to reprise the best bits of the film ... which they couldn&#39;t until they were done.

Do you plot everything out Teri?

How much plotting I do varies - have plotted book 3 quite heavily as I didn&#39;t have enough time to repeat steps 4 to 6 indefinitely. But I did write the ending first

Congratulations on finishing Shine, Candy! That must feel great. Can&#39;t wait to read it!<br /><br />So interesting to read about different working methods. Although I always have a general sense of how I want the story to end, I find I can&#39;t write the last scenes in any detail until a really late draft. I seem to always write several drafts where the ending is just a few notes, and it&#39;

I didn&#39;t really understand what authors meant when they said that the characters wrote the book themselves. I used to think &quot;How stupid. You&#39;re the author, you decide what happens.&quot; Then I wrote my first book. By the time I was only just into my second book I was beginning to wonder if I just bred very independent characters who paid little attention to what I said! I have

Oh that is so true! Mind you characters can be so annoying - always trying to wrest control of the story from you.

We are totally on the same wavelength, Helen. We should really be in the same critique group. Oh wait. We are!

Could you clarify guys by &#39;end&#39; do you mean climax onwards of just the post climax denouement? Thanks :0)

Hmm both but especially post denouement ... after expending all that emotion at the climax, staying the course and writing well to the end is tough. I really notice it when books lose energy at the end as if the author just got on with tying up loose ends and let go of his/her magic wand.