Friday's How She Does It featuring Barbara Bradley

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

 

 

 

1.      How do you create your characters? Do you have a specific method? My characters kind of create themselves. It's really hard to explain because sometimes they come to me in dreams. Other times while I'm working, focusing on what I'm doing and they just start talking to me.

 

 

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? Oh definitely the characters come first. I let them guide the story. I normally have a scene that spurs me to write the story but they whisper in my ear and try to take control. I enjoy the ride as they take me along.

 

 

3. Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general way or a specific one? I know what the climax is. It might not be word per word in my head but I know where I'm going before I start writing. I like writing this way - I know my beginning and my end it's the middle part that is a bit murky at times and the discovery of how I get from the beginning scene to the ending scene is the part I like most.

 

 

4. Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans of houses sitting around? I write SF/Futuristic so that doesn't always come into play for me - if I'm imitating something then I do look it up but no I don't have plans or books on settings. My very vivid imagination creates a lot for me. That doesn't mean I don't have research books - I have a ton of them.

 

5. Where do you do your research? On line or from books? If I'm not creating a whole new world from scratch I do it on line - I find it easier and more up to date on what I'm looking for.

 

 

6. Are you a draft writer or do you revise as you go along and why? I'm a draft writer. I write better and faster that way. I do edit as I go from time to time if something just doesn't feel right, but I pretty much right a rough draft then go back and clean it up. I tried editing as I go and found it too difficult for me and I believe in the old adage if it ain't broke don't fix it.