From: Raymond E. Feist
Date: 11 September 2011
There's no one size fits all. Look, I write front to back, as do most writers, but every once in a while, I'll go, "Wait! That goes later in the book!" Originally, Magician opened with a scene very much like the one where Amos's ship arrives in the middle of the storm. I had Arutha out there on the quay brooding about something (I saw him as a broody guy early on) but I don't remember what, and then after I got out of that scene I realized that if Arutha was going to go save his sister . . . the plot that turned out to be the start of King's Buccaneer, anyone? So sometimes you find you're writing a different book.
Anyway, if the Prince goes to save the Princess, and she's his sister, there's no love interest unless I'm George Martin. So, the Prince needs a companion, who will be the Princess's love interest. He shall be a plain kitchen lad, but maybe I'll make him a magician. Wait, I need to introduce him, so let's start the book with him!
And so it goes.
I've got 30 years of writer's muscle memory working, so I pretty much know how the damn thing goes together. This last one has been a bit of a challenge, due to the final trilogy being really one honkin' big story in my head.
Anyway, you do what works for you. Period.
Best, R.E.F.
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