Do you plan your books out carefully beforehand or fly by the seat of your pants?

Usually, I just sit in front of the computer and start typing. For THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA, I knew I was doing something about an adopted teen returning to China. So I did a lot of online research to percolate some ideas, then wrote the first three chapters, then started an outline, subsequently got mad at the outline, then kept writing until I thought I had something workable. At the same time, my critique partner is telling me what she thinks is working and what’s not. Without that second set of eyes, it would be much harder to get through writing the book as efficiently.

So it’s a flying-pants thing and an outlining thing. But mostly flying-pants. Hey, I like saying that. Flying-pants, flying-pants, flying-pants …

Related posts:

1. Critique #1 from Editor Karen Chaplin, Puffin/Speak Books
2. Critique #2 from Editor Karen Chaplin, Puffin/Speak Books
3. Critique #1 from Editorial Director Andrew Karre, Carolrhoda Books, Lerner
4. Critique from Associate Editor Martha Mihalick, Greenwillow Books, HarperCollins
5. NEW! Critique #2 from Editorial Director Andrew Karre, Carolrhoda Books, Lerner