The Improver

I killed somebody today. Not the victim I originally targeted, but things seem to be working out better this way.

Before you call the cops, I should confess: I’m working on Book #3 of my Samantha Newman Mystery Series. And today, while I was busily typing away at it, something really exciting appeared on page thirty-six: the victim, dead.

You may have to wait until page 284 or so to find out who done it. So will I, because page thirty-six is not deep enough into the story for me to know who the killer is. I’ve got my suspicions. However, there are two or three likely perpetrators to choose from, so I’ll keep my options open. For all I know, another one may show up along the way. That’s what happened in Books #1 and #2 of the series, when my characters began to behave in ways I hadn’t intended.

Some authors outline an entire book before they begin writing it, and then follow the outline to the end. Others, like me, work with rough notes, suggestions, possibilities. In the writing biz, an author in my cohort is sometimes called a “Pantser,” a coined word that brings to mind someone flying by the seat of her pants. It’s a messy, ugly word. I refuse to fly that flag. Besides, novel writing is a long trek into the unknown. Even the outliners tweak their plans along the way.

I’ve never been a fan of outlines, going back to high school, when the blasted things were foisted on the free-wheeling imaginations of teenagers like me. How could I know what I was going to write until I wrote it? It seemed like a waste of time. I got around it by writing the required piece first, then filling in the outline afterward. Fast and easy, and it worked for me, every time.

So, here we are on page thirty-six, and I’m as astonished as a reader would be at what just happened. It’s what makes a mystery almost as fun to write as it is to read. Discovering the body today gives me a better idea of who the perpetrator could be, along with new ideas for more twists in the tale.

Of course, I have a concrete story arc for the main recurring characters. I know them pretty well by now. And there are themes and conflicts I plan to include. But surprising developments can crop up at any time as characters interact with new friends and foes in pursuit of their separate goals.

If I must wear a label for my approach to novel writing, call me an Improviser. I studied improv in acting class, and believe me, it’s both harder and more fun than following a prepared script. Given only a few cues, you have to instantly embody your character and stay open to any and all surprises the other actors may throw at you. In improv, you must sift through all kinds of possibilities to help the piece come to a satisfying conclusion.

Same as in writing fiction. Same, too, for a sleuth trying to solve a mystery.

Go ahead, call me an Improviser. Or even better, an Improv-er. I’ll fly that flag. And stay tuned to see what happens next in The Other Body, coming to a bookstore near you in 2019.

How about you, writer friends? How do you like to work: Outline or Improv?