I’m sure I’ve written it here before, but I’m fundamentally a “seat of the pants” writer most of the time. I’ve forced myself to get into the habit of writing outlines (and to take notes on characters as I write), but the majority of my work doesn’t start until I sit down to actually write the novel.
This is the opposite of somebody like, say, a Sanderson or a Martin, who need to have extensive notes and thorough plots before they start. Martin couldn’t keep all his characters straight, nor weave the intricate political machinations that he does, otherwise. And this isn’t a judgement… I really enjoy Sanderson and Martin! They have their faults, but so do all writers, and it shouldn’t detract from the things they do well. Martin in particular has a gift for naming multiple characters with the same name (which, let’s be honest, happens way more often in real life than it ever does in fiction) but still keep them distinct. Usually you know which Rob Stark is which!
My method (and the method of many writers much better than me… it’s not “my” method, it’s just the method I use!) allows for more spontaneity and surprise, both for me and for my audience, most of the time. But it requires way more work in editing. A really satisfying “sudden but inevitable” element to a book means that when you realize the “ah ha!” moment, you then have to go back and seed leading hints towards that moment throughout the work. And as much as I love writing, I’m not crazy about editing. It’s necessary, and I do a pretty okay job at it (and I have a professional editor who does a great job at it!), but most of the time I just want to write something else, rather than spending my time editing what I’ve already written.
These are the things I think about as I start a new novel (I mean, I’m on Chapter 5 at this point, but it’s still pretty early on). Have I left myself enough room that I can come back and add in the details I will later need? Is my story already too front-loaded… a constant threat when one writes sci-fi and you just want to spend three chapters describing all the cool tech and neat cultural shifts in your new galaxy.
Ah well. One nice thing about writing is that I can worry about all that later. For now, I’m just going to write my story!
Hope everyone out there is staying safe and healthy!