Start Where?

The End.

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How many sets of 10-30 pages do you have lying around or saved on your computer?
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You had a brilliant idea, saw the characters streaming through your mind, heard their voices, imagined their predicaments. You typed frantically, scarcely taking time to breathe. The world on your computer screen was more real than the dinner burning or the kids screaming in the background.
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But finally you got it out. There it was, three or four chapters. You were shaking with exertion and exhilaration. And then you went to turn off the stove. And never came back.
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Every writer has those stories lying around in various stages of dress, like the cast of a play at the after-party. I've had them since the 6th grade, when I spent every free moment in class--and some moments that were not designated "free time"--scribbling away in my notebook.
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So how do REAL writers do it? How do they get to the end? How do they tie up all those details and characters and plot lines to make a satisfying book?
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Here's a tip: Start at the end.
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May successful authors do it that way. They have a good handle on the main characters,have a vague outline of a plot, but then they focus on a good ending. Nothing ruins a great book like a limp finish. So write the end with all that passion that first fired your story. Don't worry about how it's all going to tie together. That's what middles are for.
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It's okay. Your mom will never know you started with dessert!
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