Should I create my plot first? How to write a novel.

Many people ask, how should I write a book? Should I map out the plot first, or should I wing it? The creative process is different for everyone. Some authors like to create a road map; others prefer to write the ending of their book, so they have a destination point. There is no write (pun intended) way to write a book. For D. Golden Conlin, the author of The Golden Corset, he explains that he doesn't enjoy making his plot map too detailed.

"When your plot is 100% solid in your mind, it makes the creative process less enjoyable. There is a rush you get when you are writing late at night, and a new thought enters your mind that completely changes the course of the story. I prefer to have some solid blocks or benchmarks in my head before writing, but ultimately I like to leave a lot of wiggle room. Sometimes a small detail that you didn't plan can make a good story into a great story. Let the story and the characters run free, and you may be surprised." Some may question this unorthodox method, even asking, couldn't that create plot holes or long unnecessary passages? In response to this D. Golden Conlin says, "Sometimes. Yeah. But for me, I prefer to go over my story a few times. The first draft mostly gets out all my creative thoughts, the second, fourth, twentieth time or more I rewrite makes everything polished."

When asked if rewriting too much could muddy the story, Conlin says, "I often find that if I take breaks, then rewrite again, it mostly improves the story. Of course, it is always important to know when to stop." There you have it: How to write a plot. Create solid ideas, but ones that are not too concrete. The more one writes, however, the closer they get to developing their style.