Okay, I'll admit it. My first book has only been out for a short time compared with others, so I'm still very much a newcomer to writing.

Even so, the reviews have been encouraging so far.

I use something called the Four Pillars to structure my chapters. Basically, it helps a writer identify the following, in order:

1. What emotion or emotions do you want the reader to experience?

2. What emotion does the narrator experience? There are good reasons for this to differ from number one. For example, if the reader hates a narrator who is sad, the reader might feel vengeful or even pleased.

3. Character definitions. Which characters are involved, and which of their traits come into play?

4. The narrative. My rule here is to explain only what I absolutely must.

After doing this for a few months, I realised there was another step I naturally took once I had the structure of a chapter in place. I imagine the scene as though it were going to be a movie. I imagine the background music that will play in the movie. How the actors will stand. What the camera angle and lighting will be like.

Then I write just enough to describe the scene through the emotions involved.

Once the words are on the page, I listen to them with my eyes closed. I make sure the scene that forms in my mind is the one I imagined at the beginning. This is a way for me to check my own work. I have spotted other authors that say they do the same - also with success.

If I stumble over the words, something is wrong. I stop and fix it, then listen to the whole chapter again. I repeat this several times for every chapter, especially in sections with longer dialogue. People never simply talk to one another. So much is communicated through non-verbal cues, and I try to convey those to the reader when they matter.

Finally, I remove anything I have said twice or that the story does not need.

So, drop a comment below. Tell me what you think of my approach. Also, let me know you might try some, or all of this approach..