When it comes time to start a new book the blank screen can seem intimidating. Some writers feel they have to rush to write something. But for me I have to have an idea that is so great that I'm prepared to invest a huge amount of time on it over several years (at least). The idea has to be refined so that it is sharply focused. I have to know what I want to say. I need to come up with an outline - not everything is mapped out, but a basic idea of where I’m going with it. And I have to get to the point where I feel I have the patience to do justice to the story, so the reader gets the experience that I'm going for. Writing fiction is essentially creating something out of nothing. And it's hard work. The very thought of embarking on such a project can be exhausting, so when I'm starting a new book, I spend a lot of time thinking about it and preparing. It might take months before I put down the first word of the first draft. Other times I have laboured over something--mapping it out, doing character development, researching—and it still doesn’t feel right. I’ll end up abandoning the idea and moving on without writing a single word. The blank screen is still there. But it’s good to remind myself it’s all part of the process. It’s like prepping a wall before you start painting it. There’s a tremendous amount of thought and work that goes into this stage, even if no one ever sees it.
Other writers approach this differently. They just plunge in and see where it takes them. Stephen King for one. Maybe that’s a sign of genius. But, me? I’m a plodder.