As a writer, I’m often asked questions about ‘the writing process.’ Where do you get your ideas? How do you come up with a plot? Can you put my son-in-law in your next book? So here is my attempt to answer these questions.
Where do you get the ideas for your characters?
FANTASY: A character wanders into my office, sits down, eyes me skeptically over his pince-nez and says, “Well, old girl, what’s on the books for me today? Not that same tired old plot you used last time, one hopes. Oh – and I fancy a bit more action this time around. That dark-haired, moody bloke gets all the best dialogue. Not to mention the girl. Hardly fair, is it?”
TRUTH: Characters come from observing the people around me, from looking at photographs of people and imagining who they are, and from the sum total of everyone I’ve ever met or ever known.
Where do you get ideas for plots?
FANTASY: Normally an idea comes in the form of a great cracking thunderbolt from Zeus, or a creative epiphany. I much prefer the creative epiphanies to the thunderbolts – easier on the nerves. And much quieter.
REALITY: Plot ideas can be found by reading newspaper and magazine articles; by asking the question, “what if;” by taking a tried-and-true plot idea and turning it on its head. (Instead of “girl is abducted by hero,” “hero is abducted by girl.”)
What’s your process for writing a book?
FANTASY: I go into a trance, spout gibberish for a couple of minutes, then sit down and write the book – longhand – in two days’ time. Instant best-sellerdom follows.
REALITY: I have a vague (very vague) idea – girl decides to try online dating, with unexpected results – and then I begin to formulate the characters. Who is this girl? What’s her background? What does she look like, talk like? Is she a Democrat or a Republican? What makes her unique? Who is the guy? How is he different than her? How is he the same as her?
Then I start to write. I write a couple of chapters. I throw them out. I write some more. I repeat this process – working around minor annoyances like work, family, the need to sleep and bathe occasionally, etc. – until I finish.
Can you put my son-in-law in your next book?
Only if he’s dark-haired, moody, and doesn’t mind giving over some dialogue to the bloke with the pince-nez.
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