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There's almost always a point in a book where something happens that triggers the rest of the plot.

When I decided to take writing seriously, I did a lot of reading and analyzing of the books I liked, and came up with what I thought were pretty sound plotting and structure basics.

In plotting a book, my goal is to raise the stakes for the characters and, in so doing, keep the reader mesmerized.

I've always figured the only way I could finish a book and get a plot was just to keep making it longer and longer until something happens - you know, until it finds its own plot - because you can't outline and then fit the thing into it. I suppose it's a slow way of working.

I usually start with an ending, then outline high points of things that happen, and kind of make up the rest as I go along. Occasionally, the characters surprise me, and I wonder how we got here. Other times, the characters are stubborn and won't do something I want them to in the story.

I never plot out my novels in terms of the tone of the book. Hopefully, once a story is begun it reveals itself.

I'm not really a plot writer - I'm more interested in the characters and sort of small events that propel the story forward.

I'm one of the lucky writers: plots come easily to me.