NOTES ON WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ....

1. That details can play such a great part in creating images, for example, naming a flower, saying the vase of bright red tuplips, rather than the vase of flowers is much more effective as a way of placing an image in the reader's mind.

2. That research is necessary because nobody can be an expert on absolutely everything. It is not necessary to research extensively for a fictional piece, but just throwing in 3 facts can add authenticity to your work.

3. To redraft and keep redrafting your work. It improves over time. Once your piece is written and you have checked for spelling and grammatical errors, put it aside for a few days before re-reading it with a fresh eye. Try to read it as a reader and not as the author in order to understand how it will be received.

4. Keep a journal or notebook in order to jot down observations in your daily life. They can often come in use at a later date. Jot down conversations, sounds, emotions and even random ideas. When you are stuck at a later date you can refer to these.

5. If you've had problems writing a piece, write down those problems, ie, moving on the plot, time, setting, place, etc, so that you know how you overcame them when you meet the same problem another time.

6. Learn to read as a writer, rather than understanding the characters, begin to dismantle the piece in order to find out how an author constructed it. How did he build the character? How did he evoke passion?

7. Show don't tell.......show that the girl was thin rather than tell your reader. You can do this by talking about her oversized clothes hanging off her frame, etc. Let the reader draw their own conclusions and build up a mental picture of the girl and her character. Show that she is angry with dialogue, or by description of her bulging eyes, red face, etc.

8. Write detailed and honest self evaluations so that you can learn from them.

9. Try different writing styles in order to find your own voice. This can be fun. It is often easier to stay within your own comfort zone and on a topic that you feel comfortable with, but experiment.

10. Accurate citation and bibliography is imperative to avoid plagiarism, etc.

11. Read on a wide range of subjects and by a wide range of authors. This will impact on your writing.