People keep asking me where I get my ideas for books. The truth is, I have no idea. One day I’m driving along, taking a shower, pulling my luggage of a carousel at an airport or sitting at my desk, and then boom some person is talking in my head and having a conversation. And it’s not me, or my subconscious, I know us both well. No, these are strangers who want to tell me a story.
Don’t send in the guys with the white coats just yet.
I’ve learned through the years that this is my creative process – part of the magic that helps me when I have no idea what to write next. My books begin with the characters and then I wrap the story around them. I don’t usually know much about them in the beginning, but I love discovering what they are about as we go along.
I learn these things on a need to know basis. As the story reveals itself, so do these characters and many times in the most interesting ways. I was so surprised when I learned the heroine, Gillian, of “The Demon King and I” was the CEO of her family’s company, as well as the owner of several art galleries around the world. She found such pleasure in art and it was something she was incredibly passionate about. It carried over into other parts of her life whether she was dealing with demons, or trying to solve a murder mystery. Art is a big part of who she is.
The art parts (that’s so much fun to say) are small tidbits throughout the book, but they help define who Gillian is. They show a softer more vulnerable side of her. I was also surprised to see how she interacts with her sisters. I never had siblings growing up and she had this bond with the women in her family that absolutely fascinated me. The little nuances, pet names, rivalries, Gillian shared these things as her story revealed itself.
The funny thing is, not every conversation these characters have in my head ends up in the book. I’ll be driving along listening to my favorite tunes, and Arath (that’s Gillian’s love interesting in the book, and he’s the Demon King) starts talking to Gillian about his brother and those familial ties. For the two hours I was stuck in traffic they had this discussion about family. None of that ended up in the book, but Arath revealed something to me that did. I can’t tell you because it’s a major plot point in the book. I had no idea he felt that way, and it made him more human to me.
There are people who sit down and must know everything about their characters before they begin writing. They even make note cards. I’ve nothing against anyone else’s process, but that would drive me crazy. I usually know their names, but even that can change. But there is one thing in the beginning that I know, and it might help others to do the same. I know why I want to take this journey with this character. There’s a reason I’m climbing on board the Gillian train, so to speak, and she usually tells me right up front what that is.
When I finish that first draft I really do feel like I’ve been on an amazing journey. As I go back do my fluff and puff (revisions) I learn even more about the characters I’ve written and they continue to have conversations in my head. Sometimes I wish they’d go to sleep, and leave me alone. But then that’s part of the magic, and I really can’t wait to see what they do next.
