Q & A with DWJ at PW.

From the interview:

When I used to go and visit schools I always used to shock the teachers because I used to tell the kids that I didn’t plan it out, I waited to see how we got from the beginning to the picture I’d got of the middle of the book, or somewhere into the book, anyway. They were always very shocked. Because they always insisted on all their kids planning it out in advance, and I did sort of plead with them that this was not always necessary. In fact, some people are better for making it up as it goes along.

If I try to plan anything out in that kind of detail it just goes completely blank on me. And I don’t understand what I’ve written as a plan. I just found a plan several weeks ago, actually, when I was looking through stuff to see what I’ve got. And I looked at this plan, and I knew it wasn’t any plan of any book that I’d actually written, and I could not understand a word of what I’d done. It was just like the map Charmaine tries to get to the palace with! All twisting and completely obscure. And I’d left little notes for myself which were also obscure. Goodness knows what I meant.

How is it even possible that Diana Wynne Jones doesn't plan out what she writes ahead of time?  I ask you!  She usually has about fifteen bazillion storylines going on, and when you finally figure them all out (on your third re-read), they all dovetail perfectly and make complete sense!  HOW DOES SHE DO THAT WITHOUT PLANNING?  She just broke my brain.  If you need me, I'll just be crying quietly in the corner.  (More because I still haven't snagged a copy of the new book than because of this no-planning business, buuuut regardless, that's where I'll be.)

(link via Oz and Ends)