I hate the beginning of a novel, when it's like a cloud gradually gathering and taking shape, before it becomes a book in my head. I carry a notebook and make lots of notes, but it's always such a jumble. Then I'll start writing and find I've set off in the wrong direction, or I'll hit an absolute blank wall and have to find a way round it. When I'm writing as Nicci French it's a bit different, because they're thrillers, so the plot's more important. We have to use a synopsis, because we take it in turns, one chapter each, so you can't just go off at a tangent. But it's still a journey and you can still find yourself in unexpected places.
Mslexia: For Women Who Write [date unspecified]
Use the link below to read a selection of articles written by British novelist NICCI GERRARD for The Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/profile/niccigerrard
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