The Metamorphosis of a Manuscript

     One of my favorite insects is a butterfly.  Writing a story is similar to the stages this insect goes through to become the beautiful flying creature.
     *The egg- this is the first stage where you discover the concept of your story.  The idea is hatched and the work begins.
     *The caterpillar- in this stage your story is crawling along, developing and growing until you've finished your first draft.
     *The chrysallis- your story is now ready to be changed through editing.  At this stage, your piece may go through so many changes that you don't recognize it as the original piece when you're finished.     
     *The butterfly- that brings us to the final stage of writing, where your story is ready to spread its beautiful wings and fly off for the whole world to see.
     It's sometimes difficult to go through these stages to arrive at the final result, but all are necessary to develop your story into a stunning creation.