It didn’t take me long to understand my process when it came to writing. It was similar to how I once created paintings. I like to explain to friends that my process is like going for a walk and not being overly concerned with which path to take as long as I get to where I wish to go. It’s not that I don’t have a basic idea of what I want to write about. I do.  As soon as I have the overall topic, I then begin writing, allowing for what if’s to guide me.

What I do, is first decide on the topic, then I start writing, and as I come across a character, scene or event, my mind is set free to make creative choices which carry the story, changing it, transforming parts of it until I get to where I want to bring it. I write in a stream-of-consciousness sort of way. They may be right. I follow the unrestrained narrative of my inner voice. I constantly evaluate if what I write fits with the whole of the story, I work at tying different parts of the story to others as I go with the flow.

Before writing my debut thriller, I decided to conform to certain craft rules and bought many books on writing, character arcs, plotting, and more. Hell, I even invested in a large corkboard to keep track of every character, plot line, twist and turn, and as I tacked colour-coded cards to it, I started to feel bored, uninspired, trapped even. This approach wasn’t for me.

My process is not what anyone would define as logical or well organized, yet it is effective and gives me that pleasure I feel as a creative. I’m not knocking those who plan and plot, not at all. I’m only speaking for myself and what works for me. I suppose I find purpose in mucking through the chaos. It’s like discovering the story one chapter at a time and, often, one paragraph at a time. There is something I do that helps. I have a premise for the story and keep it at the forefront of my mind as I write. I also usually know who my characters are, their goals and dreams, then I throw in scenarios to hamper them and create frustrating barriers they’ll need to fight through to come out the other side.

So, allowing for the ebb and flow of the story to carry me, I follow tangents that I find appealing, and when I encounter a block, I rest and leave the story to sit, returning to it when I figure out where it’s going. I am a pantser. I write from the seat of my pants. I need to wander around, peeking under rocks and staring up at the sky to find my way. Taking the meandering path, I come across new ideas to flesh out my story. This is me.

I do not think there’s any one perfect way to write a novel, and it falls to each of us to decide what works best. I will be the wanderer, finding adventure and taking up challenges as I go, and, in the end, write a kick-ass thriller that you, dear reader, will not be able to put down.

Joelle