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I finally get to the place where the book has matured in my mind and I can hardly wait to start writing it. Then I just sit down and I start. I hit the go button. I have an outline, which is 70 pages, but I don't look at it. I never have to look at it.

I really strive to bring something new to each book. I don't want to write the same book over and over again.

Every book is like starting over again. I've written books every way possible - from using tight outlines to writing from the seat of my pants. Both ways work.

I am a big outliner. For my adult book, 'The Visibles,' I did not outline, and it took me two years to write because I just didn't outline, and I had no path.

But I've been at writing long enough now to know that every three or four books I have to start a new direction.

The way I outline has changed quite a bit from when I first started writing.

I cannot outline. I do not know what the next thing is going to happen in the book until it comes out of my fingers.

I usually know where I want to end up when I begin, but I have no idea how I'm going to get there... I don't write with an outline, and surprises happen on the way, and sometimes it changes.

I always work from an outline, so I know all the of the broad events and some of the finer details before I begin writing the book.

I've been at writing long enough now to know that every three or four books, I have to start a new direction.