What I keep in mind when writing.

• Who is this character? What motivates them? Like any real person, a character needs background to do the things they do. They need history to shape their decisions. But; they also need to be real. Even the villain will have moments of "goodness" and the good guy will have moments where he / she is capable of real evil. 

• Describe where the characters find themselves. IE: the setting or location. I don't think it's necessary to describe every place, but the really important ones should be explained and given a life of their own. Particularly if the setting has some significance to the character...you can also reveal why, to add to character development. 

• Add an element of surprise to your novel! Keep it twisting! When I am in the process I love to look over what I have already written and then have some fun...what if he did this but she didn't know? Add a BIG secret that leaves readers on the edge of their seats! As I call it "it's a little bit twist" 

• Allow the characters to have a life of their own. If you are writing a young English rose, let her speak as such, if he is a rough and tumble cowboy, let him take a spit between his drawling sentences! 

•  Don't be afraid to be daring. It's your book. Write what you want to write about and don't be scared of the hard topics. Science fiction is a hard genre to break into, but it didn't stop me from writing my novel. If it’s relevant to you story, discuss some topics that are confronting to some people, religion, war, death etc. 

• Release yourself to the story. Let the story tell itself through you, the storyteller. At the end of it all, just write your book, because the last and final point is: 

•  REVISE, revise, revise. Read your book at least three times over before you send it into the world. Prior to this I revise each and every chapter several times. Find an assessment service (near you) and get an expert opinion.

•  Then after these revisions, get it PROFESSIONALLY EDITED!! 

•  But most of all... Have fun. I know I enjoyed bringing my characters to life; they are wonderful!