Back of the Embroidery

Have you ever wanted to write something but had zero idea where to start?


That happened to me late last year when a friend told me that submissions were open for a Red Riding Hood anthology.


Everyone’s writing process is different, but sometimes learning new tricks and techniques can get you going. So here’s a back-of-the-embroidery look at what went into writing A Cactus Among Wolves (one of the short stories featured in Ye Olde Dragon Books’ Tales From The Forest Anthology).

💭 Feed the creative well

First, since I had no clue how to start, I figured my subconscious needed raw materials to work with.


I perused the Red Riding Hood Wikipedia page and read about the original stories, interpretations, and spinoffs. (The wolf sure goes about things in a ridiculously convoluted manner, doesn’t he?)

After mulling things over for a month or two, I settled on three elements to include in my own tale that would make it enough like Red Riding Hood to qualify: A grandma, grandkids, and a reference to wolves/predators/deception.

📝 Notebook brainstorm

Now, I love writing about spunky old people. (If you don’t believe me, check out my stories about a nursing home protest or my admittedly improbable tale about an elderly woman taking out a felon with a potato gun.)

Point is: I knew I wanted to write about a spunky grandma. So I pulled out my notebook and erasable pen and started scribbling.

This scene emerged: a white-haired firecracker of a grandma strode down a cobbled street with three children trailing in her wake (lovers of chemistry, barometers, and cheese, respectively).

Something was going to happen involving a solitary road, a picnic, and a motorcycle gang.

But where to go from there? I was stuck again.

🎤 Character interviews

To generate more ideas, I pretended to be a reporter and interviewed each of my main characters: Grandma Brumby, her three grandkids, and an elderly gentleman named Terence Cooper.


The interviews turned out to be a goldmine. They gave me a sense of each character’s voice and personality, what made them tick, and insights into how Grandma Brumby needed to transform.

✍️ Write, brainstorm, write, get feedback, and rewrite

Armed with this treasure trove of phrases and dialogue, I wrote out most of the story in one focused day. When I hit a snag, I let it rest over the weekend. Fortunately, by Monday, I had enough direction to write the ending.

I self-edited that first draft as much as possible before sending it to my sister, older brother, and dad. They gave me suggestions on how to improve the story and make it more believable.

On the afternoon of the deadline, I implemented their suggestions, read the story over once more to check everything, and submitted it (by then it was 8:35 pm.) Whew!

What about you? How do you overcome snags in your work, writing, or life? I’d love to hear.