When I’m working on a melody I need absolute quiet.   That allows me to feel each note as it is being written on the staff paper. The music itself is leading me and I just keep writing what I am hearing.

I will stay in the piano room  and keep writing and re-writing until I reach a point where I need to get away from it all, knowing that when I return,  the missing melody line will find its way to the staff paper.  It never fails. Walk away and come back refreshed to finish.

For me, the  only time a composition is done is when it is finally recorded.  At that point I know I did my best and I’m ready to work on something new.