Once upon a time a creative writing teacher told me that all stories had to have outlines. As a result, I thought I couldn’t be a writer because I have a very difficult time working with outlines. My brain simply doesn’t work that way. Years and years passed before I discovered that writers work in all sorts of different ways, and they’re all valid. (If someone tells you there’s only one way to write — run, don’t walk to the exit.) Also? I’ve written six novels so far, and every novel is a bit different from the last one. (Some are more different than others.) You’re working with your subconscious, and your subconscious sometimes can get a bit tricksy with you because… well… everyone has their insecurities. (Get used to it. You’ll be facing them every time you look at a blank page or computer screen.)

That said, I’m an organic writer for the most part. I get a scene in my head and then I follow the characters around until things start to jell. That’s what it feels like. I’m spying on my characters and jotting down the things they say. Sometimes I get ideas ahead of time for how things should work, and I write those down. Once it’s down on paper or in the computer, I can safely think about other things. Often, my husband and I go on long walks around the neighborhood and talk about the story. He’s not only my alpha reader, but my idea wall — I bounce ideas off him. (I can tell you the neighbors have given us an odd look or three. Oh, the conversations we’ve had in public.) The thing to remember is that writing is in the re-writing. Type whatever comes to mind. Polish it later. It’s okay to suck. Just write. Eventually, I end up with enough to stop and plan. (Usually, this is the famous “middle muddle.”) Where is the story headed? Where does it need to go? What do the characters want? What best serves the story? That’s when the planning comes in. I need to know what the ending is before I get there. That said, sometimes the characters throw me for a loop and that’s the fun part. I know I’m in a good place when that happens.

Books are different than short stories, by the way. I have to know everything about a short story before I start writing, and I guess that’s why I don’t write them often, but they’re great practice. They make you focus on the ending. Most beginners focus on writing beginnings over and over and hardly ever write endings. That’s why endings — good endings are hard.