Saturday change - How She Does it with Margay Roberge

Being away for five days has made the schedule rather skewed. Next week I'll be back to the regular posts. Today Margay Roberge is on with How She Does It. Her chapter will be on tomorrow so there will be no blog visits on Sunday.

We all know there are six elements in writing fiction and often fact. Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. I believe the first five lead to the sixth which for me is the plot. What's your take on this?


I believe you are right about that. But also that you can't have one without the other - that would lead to plot holes.

1. How do you create your characters? Do you have a specific process?


No, they just seem to come to me fully loaded, most times. Almost like real people - except they live in my head! Until I put them on paper, that is.

2. Do your characters come before the plot? Do you sketch out your plot or do you let the characters develop the route to the end?


A lot of times, they come together - the characters bring the plot with them. I do some sketching of the plot, but the characters do dictate a lot in respect to where it goes.

3. Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general way or a specific one?


Not always! Sometimes, I'm just as surprised as the reader as to how it will end. Other times, I have an idea of how it will end, and on some occasions, I totally rewrite the end.

4. Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans of houses sitting around?


A combination of the two, although I do use my home state as setting in most books.

5. Where do you do your research? On line or from books?


These days, a lot of it is done online, but I do still hit up the library on occasion.

6. Are you a draft writer or do you revise as you go along and why?


Sometimes I do some revisions along the way if I backtrack to go over the previous day's writing to get back in the flow. Usually, though, I try to keep the main revisions for the second draft because I'd never get off the first page if I didn't.


We all know there are six elements in writing fiction and often fact. Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. I believe the first five lead to the sixth which for me is the plot. What's your take on this?


I believe you are right about that. But also that you can't have one without the other - that would lead to plot holes.

1. How do you create your characters? Do you have a specific process?


No, they just seem to come to me fully loaded, most times. Almost like real people - except they live in my head! Until I put them on paper, that is.

2. Do your characters come before the plot? Do you sketch out your plot or do you let the characters develop the route to the end?


A lot of times, they come together - the characters bring the plot with them. I do some sketching of the plot, but the characters do dictate a lot in respect to where it goes.

3. Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general way or a specific one?


Not always! Sometimes, I'm just as surprised as the reader as to how it will end. Other times, I have an idea of how it will end, and on some occasions, I totally rewrite the end.

4. Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans of houses sitting around?


A combination of the two, although I do use my home state as setting in most books.

5. Where do you do your research? On line or from books?


These days, a lot of it is done online, but I do still hit up the library on occasion.

6. Are you a draft writer or do you revise as you go along and why?


Sometimes I do some revisions along the way if I backtrack to go over the previous day's writing to get back in the flow. Usually, though, I try to keep the main revisions for the second draft because I'd never get off the first page if I didn't.