Suzanne Mcmillen-fallon asked Richard Blake:

Hi Richard,saying hello on Goodreads too,having first accepted Facebook friendship.As writing, is a part of us.Again, thanks for the friendship, and continued success; especially,in April 2016, with your "Crown of Empire." If you wouldn't mind, where's the very first thought - realization - in writing the book come from for you? (mine: http://coldcoffeecafe.com/profile/SuzanneMcMillenFallon?xg_source=msg_mod_comment)

Richard Blake Nice interview. We should exchange website links.

Now to your question. I generally don't write with any plan. I was asked by my publisher to do a third in the latest series. As soon as I'd signed the contract, I sat down at the kitchen table where I work, and waited for the first chapter to come into my head. Once that was done, I waited for the second chapter, and so on. Several times, when the latest chapter turned in a completely unexpected direction, I had to go back and play with what I'd written.

It's not the best approach to writing, I grant - though it does seem to work for me. Here's a longer explanation of how I work. It's the last part of a lecture I gave a few months ago in East Anglia.

http://www.richardblake.me.uk/crime-f...

Best of luck with your own writing, whatever strategy you have.

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