Maybe I'm strange, but I actually think of my stories in terms of dialogue. So I spend several times a day writing down random bits of conversation. Its amazing to me how these little tid bits later turn into characters. I never throw anything away. My computer is slam full of ideas, conversation, and thoughts. I agree with another post that stories are never written but are rewritten. For me, the drafts are actually the fun part. LOL. I get to know the characters in a way that helps me rewrite it later. I hope your story works well. I have a story I've had in my head for years and even though I just finished a book, its still not the story that I keep putting aside. I keep thinking maybe I should just scrap that story but I can't let It go. The characters are an extension of me now. So, its there sitting on my computer, on back up discs, and on scraps of paper waiting...
its just not ready yet, but it will be.