Sharing their first draft habits with us today is crime writer Emma Kavanagh.
Emma was born in Wales in 1978 and currently lives in South Wales with her husband and their one year old son. She trained as a psychologist and after leaving university, started her own business as a psychology consultant, specialising in human performance in extreme situations. For seven years she provided training and consultation for police forces and NATO and military personnel throughout the UK and Europe.
Falling is her first novel and was published in March 2014.
When you decide to write something new, what is the first thing you do?
I tend to start with an event – a ‘what would happen if?’ kind of scenario – and then expand upon that. Who would be the people involved in it? What would this kind of scenario mean for them? What could have led to this kind of event?
Do you have a set routine approaching it?
Once I’ve got the basic idea set in my mind, I then start working on the characters. I tend to develop pretty extensive character profiles well before I start writing and much of my plot will then grow from what I learn about the characters. Then I will rough draft a plot outline, just so that I have a general idea as to where I’m going with it.
Pen and paper or straight to the keyboard?
Pen and paper first. The blank computer screen is just too terrifying. I like to jot notes in a notebook, and even write my first draft longhand before I commit anything to screen.
How important is research to you?
Very. I am a big believer in being as factually accurate as possible. I think it can really snap you out of a book when you pinpoint something that is simply inaccurate. Of course there are exceptions, and there are times when you have to fudge things to keep a story moving, but where it is possible I try to keep things as realistic as I can.
How do you go about researching?
I start by doing my own research on whatever topic is going to feature in my book – either online or in books. I just do enough that I have a rough idea as to what is accurate, bearing in mind that you never really know how much will remain until the finished book and what will be edited out. Once I’m pretty confident that what remains is there to stay, I set up consultations with experts in the relevant field. For Falling I met with airline pilots and had telephone interviews with an Air Accident Investigator and a Crime Scene Investigator. I’m also lucky that both my husband and my best friend are in the police force so I have a ready made source of expertise!
How do you store everything; ideas, research, images that catch your eye?
I keep a series of notebooks for every book I write, and pretty much everything is kept in those. I also tend to use my iPhone for any quick notes or ideas that I find on the go.
Tell us how that first draft takes shape?
Once I have a rough idea of where the story will go, I begin by drafting my chapters longhand in a notebook. I also tend to run through things like what the events in that particular chapter will mean for those characters involved in it, including minor characters. When I’m relatively happy, I then transfer that onto the computer. Sometimes this can be a direct reproduction of what I’ve written out, other times what is written is only a rough template and will change dramatically once it’s entered onto the computer.
Are there any rituals you have to do or items you must have with you while writing that draft?
I am addicted to crime documentaries, and I tend to play them in the background as I’m working out my chapters. I hate writing the first draft in complete silence as it just feels like too much pressure. But crime documentaries keep my brain working in that forensic type mindset.
Does the outside world exist or are you lost to us for a period of time as the magic works?
It depends how it’s going. On a good day I’m completely wrapped up in my own world. On a less good day, I’m far more distractible. And of course, once you are published there are also lots of others responsibilities and things that need taking care of, e-mails that need answering, etc, so sometimes there’s no choice but to snap back to the real world.
What does your work space look like?
My work space is my sofa. I used to have an office, but in all honesty I never used it for writing. I found the whole thing about sitting at a desk too intimidating to be creative. Besides, my office is now in the process of being converted into a nursery for baby number two!
Edit as you go or just keep getting words out?
I live by a mantra – get it written, then get it right. I try to get the words down, so that I at least reach the end of the chapter. Then I’ll go back and edit that until I’m relatively happy and then move on. I tend to do about three or four edits before even my agent sees my work.
I see many writers counting words in a day. Word counter or other method of keeping track of progression?
I don’t tend to like counting words. I tend to follow events more – I know roughly what is supposed to happen, so I’ll tend to aim to reach a given event. The other issue is, I’m the mother of a toddler and so my time is quite strictly limited. That means that I will write for as much time as I possibly can and then stop!
So, that first draft is down. Roughly how long did it take? And what shape is it in?
First draft tends to take maybe four or five months. It is ROUGH and I would never let anyone read it in that condition. Once that’s done, I’ll sit down with my trusty notebook and go through it identifying the problems and what needs to be corrected.
In what format do you like to read it through, ereader, paper or the computer screen?
Computer screen – my house is already untidy enough without me adding more paper to it than is strictly necessary. And my e-reader is for me to read for pleasure!
What happens now that first draft is done?
Theoretically, I take a week or two off. It is, however, rare that I actually have the patience to wait that long. So generally I have a couple of days where toddler and I go off and do fun things, then I’ll pick the manuscript up and start looking for the problems. It’s a first draft. I rarely have to look too hard!
Thanks for digging into the depths of the first draft. It’s been a pleasure having you.
You can find Emma on Twitter and Amazon.
A new feature of First Draft Friday’s is that I will add the contributors most current book blurb to the end of the piece. Here is the blurb for Falling.
A town in mourning. A murder in waiting.
Jim is a retired police officer and worried father. His beloved daughter has disappeared and he knows something is seriously wrong.
Tom has woken up to discover that his wife was on the plane and must break the news to their only son.
Cecilia has packed up and left her family. Now she has survived a tragedy but sees no way out.
Freya is struggling to cope with the loss of her father. But as she delves into his past, she may not like what she finds.
Before the plane crash, after the plane crash, such a short amount of time for the world to turn on its head.
To read any of the previous First Draft Q&A’s you can check the list Here.
To be a part of the First Draft series, just get in touch and let me know. Along with the answers to the questions, I’ll need a profile photograph, a first draft photograph and three links that you feel are your most important.
FictionFan says
Thanks for another interesting interview, Rebecca and Emma. I’m always amazed by how many young authors still go to pen and paper first – as a…ahem…slightly less young person I always assume computer would be first choice for people brought up using them.
Jacqui Murray says
Love these summaries. It seems anything goes. I like that you write the entire mss without editing. I keep getting distracted.
D.A,Cairns says
Fascinating. This one is quite different from most of the others I have read in the series. I was struck by Emma feeling intimidated by a blank computer screen, and her not using her office to do much writing. I am the complete opposite.
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