Developing plot and characters

The first draft of my latest novel, Nanobite, is racing along towards what I hope will be a satisfying conclusion. I've had several bemused looks when people ask me how it's going and I tell them that I can't wait to find out how it will end.

The usual response is along the lines of, 'but you already know how it ends - you're writing it!'

This is true only in the vaguest possible way. Yes, I do have a plot sketched out bit it's more of a work in progress than a finished document. I like to start by putting characters in a situation and seeing how they deal with it. Sometimes it follows my initial plot line quite closely; more often it deviates wildly from it.

I usually just go with the flow when this happens. I find it makes for far more fluid and believable writing and dialogue. On the few occasions where I've forced the story to stick to the plot (usually in a mistaken belief that it is essential to the story) I find I end up with stilted dialogue and wooden characters. More often than not, the scene will either be cut or rewritten.

Allowing characters to breathe and develop their own personalities is what makes them real for me, as opposed to two dimensional cardboard cutouts.

I also find that this way of writing works really well in terms of story development. You find yourself going off on a tangent to your initial plot and exploring other themes; this invariably makes for a more realistic narrative. For me, it also makes it more fun to write.

It's that magic moment when the characters come alive on the page and start talking, almost of their own volition.

I also find that some characters take on larger roles than I originally planned; in Nanobite, I suddenly realised that I'd brought in a character from my last book, The Surgeon. Totally unexpected and initially I thought it would be a bit part. Turns out this character has become quite important, which pleased me as it gave me a chance to explore their personality in greater detail.

So there we have it, my musings on plot. I have an idea how Nanobite will end, but whether or not the story follows that idea is another matter.