The library was like this too—you could get exactly what you were looking for or surprise yourself.
Writing a novel is also like this, for me! I've learned over the years that I can't write based on an outline. My greatest joy in writing comes from the surprise and discovery that happens along the way.
For much of the process, I know my characters well, and I may know the beginning, the middle, and the end of the story—or glimpses of them—but it's essential for me just to skip around and write parts of the book that interest me and see what the characters do as I lose myself in that particular scene or story arc. Sometimes writing this way creates challenges, where storylines or the timing don't match up or there are inconsistencies in a character's development, so it involves a whole lot of editing and revising. But to me, it's worth it for the pleasure along the way, and I don't think I could write any other way—or want to!
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