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Writer's Blog - 2.

If, like me, you are attempting to write a book for the first time, you're likely to find that planning the work is a major headache.

That strikes some of my friends as odd, because in my previous existence, I used to plan all sorts of projects.
But that was different.
Then, I was dealing with projects that were similar in many ways to ones that I'd done before. It was possible to identify the process by which they could be completed and all of the steps within that process. In turn, each of the steps or stages could be described in detail and the time and effort needed to complete each one could be estimated.

It's not at all like that if you're trying to write your first book, especially if it's a work of fiction, like mine.
Consider the plot - and all the sub-plots. Each will have many twists and turns. Do you need to know all of these at the start before you begin writing?
And how about characters? How well do you need to know your characters before you start writing scenes in which they will act, talk or just "be there"? Should you have a complete life history of each, knowing details that may never emerge in the book itself?

On these and other topics, there is no shortage of advice - conflicting advice.
Ultimately, the new writer has to try an approach and if it doesn't work, try another. You have to find out what suits you.
That takes courage. As an example, you can be quite frightened of starting to develop your story in a particular direction in case it turns out to be a dead-end and you are faced with a complete re-think - and a re-write.
On the other hand, it is hard to develop characters and plot in advance, away from the hot-blooded process of writing the story.

What seems to suit me is getting to know the characters quite well through a few scenes that I've imagined and to know the outline of the plot and main sub-plots, then to start writing, developing people and plot as I go along. That seems to work best because the act of writing the story prompts fresh ideas that add life to the pre-planned outline.
The most realistic piece of advice that I've read is this: "Always set out to do a prototype - one that you intend to throw away - before you do the real thing. Even if you don't intend to junk your first effort, that's what will happen anyway."

That is certainly true for me.
In order to write something that I think is good enough, I know that I'll have to write - then re-write - a first attempt that won't be fit to be seen or heard.