“Story is honorable and trustworthy; plot is shifty, and best kept under house arrest.” Stephen King"Don't write the first page until you know the ending." Joyce Carol Oates
Stephen King says he likes to find his way as he writes. Joyce Carol Oates knows the whole story before she begins to write it. Even the experts disagree about what is the best approach.
My writing technique lies somewhere between these two extremes. I always have an idea about the overall plot but I am even more inspired by the characters who live first in my mind. When it comes to the actual writing of the first draft I fly more by instinct than plan. Even if I have a plot in mind it often veers away from my original intent. Characters suggest other possibilities than the ones I had in mind.
The most important aspect of any story I choose for a plot is that it has deep meaning for me. I may not be writing about my personal experiences but I am writing about issues that resonate deeply. I find myself drawn to the same themes over and over. My stories often express the need for family, for connections, concern for the protection and care of children, and the secrets that families keep. This concern resurfaces in short stories, plays, and novels, mysteries or literary, adult or young adult.
For me, like life, the essence of writing is the journey, as much as the destination. WRITE ON!
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