On The Craft Of Writing

I was reading Neil Gaiman's blog today and came across this little gem:

"And today I finished writing Chapter One of The Graveyard Book, and it's a real book. I know it's a real book because there are all sorts of things I don't quite know yet, and I can't wait to find them out.

Happiness."

(You can read the whole blog entry, which isn't all that much longer, here.)

The mere fact that Neil writes that way, where he has an idea and begins fleshing it out before knowing exactly where it's going to end up, sparks all kinds of thoughts in my brain. I suppose I should've known that he'd be that type of author, rather than the more conventional type who does a detailed plot outline and then just... writes it! But I didn't (or if I did once, I've forgotten) and so I'm mildly surprised. It also fills me with hope, because I love to create that way at times myself - have an idea, see where it goes - and now I guess it seems less amateurish to me than it used to. Plus it's pretty clear, just from those handful of words just how much he loves the act of writing, with its wonders and surprises and delights. That's great to know about an author whose work I enjoy as much as I do his.

And then there's the added pleasure that I can actually hear Neil's voice as I read that, having seen him interviewed a number of times, as well as being in his presence for a very entertaining panel at the Chicago comic convention.