I am a planner, when I write. As I have no doubt mentioned before, I outline. I have a goal in mind when I begin a story, and I go there.

But I also, traditionally, give myself a few chapters before I begin the outline and this is why:

Sometimes, in the first chapter or two, my Hero and/or Heroine go their own ways while I write them. I have a thing, a trait, a feel I want to develop but somehow they don't cooperate at first.

When this happens, I have choices: 1) Scrap what I've written and tuck it away into the Story Start File; 2) Go with the way the story is unwinding for those first few chapters and then figure out how I can still get to the desired goal for the final chapter; 3) Growl at the uncooperative characters and rewrite the scenes as written and MAKE them behave.

If I am not under contract, each one of these is a viable option. However, my tendency is to go with #2, here.

I let the characters have their way. At first. As I am getting to know them better. After those first chapters, I then develop an outline that will get me to The Desired End in a way that suits their personalities as well as hitting the main themes for the book as it should be.

Retroenvintage.blogspot.comToday, it is Option Day for the current Regency Romance. A man whom I thought was a rake (for that was what I had intended) is instead an ambitious fellow who seeks to attain and use influence for the good of his district. Admirable, practical, but he'll take some time to be lovable, I think.

Still, perhaps a man with ambition is preferable to a fellow who has romanced his way through the Ton during a London Season, yeah?

If not, I could always move on to the next book in the series!