Okay, I confess.
I love chocolate, especially chocolate with nuts.
My idea of heaven would be a coffee, some chocolate and a good idea that I can't stop writing. You know, one of those days where you are in the 'zone' and the story just flows.
Of course, you have to do your ground work. You've been reading about related subjects for years, just because they interest you, so you've done your research without realising it.
Every spare moment, when you've been bored while waiting to pick the kids up from school or in the checkout queue, you've been taking the characters out of their 'green room' and chatting to them, finding out what happened in their childhood, what makes them the way they are, finding out what they really want from life and how they interact.
And then the day comes when it all meshes and the story just comes bubbling out. Of course it helps if you have a supply of chocolate and a fresh cup of coffee.
Then there are those days when you've deliberately done the research, you've text-book planned the characters, you've actually planned a story arc and you sit down to write and even chocolate and coffee don't help. Everything you write is flat and uninspired.
What do you do? Why do some stories come naturally and others are hard labour?
What do you do to get in the 'zone'? Do you plan and plot or plunge and grab the story tiger by the tail?
Do you indulge in chocolate to help get the creative juices flowing?
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