How I Write, Vol. 1 - Making Lists
Whenever I'm about to start a new novel, before I write a word of the story—in fact, often before I even know the story— I make lists.
Usually these are lists of scene locations. Every writer is inspired by different elements, but for me place is paramount. When I read, I like to be immersed in the writer's world, so when creating my own stories, it's really important to me to take the reader on a journey, to transport him to a different place, perhaps a place he's never been.
You see, I like to start with the place, and then I ask myself, "What if...?" about that place. In other words, I take the characters and put them in a situation in a certain place, and that's often how I get the plot.
That's my way, but as the freaky German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said, "This is my way. What is your way? The way doesn't exist."
So here's the list I've been working on. I'm not going to tell you anything about the plot that is beginning to develop; I'd like you to imagine your own stories around these locations:
1. The Marshall Chess Club on 10th Street
2. Tiffany's
3. Old Port in Portland, ME—the cobblestone streets, a cafe, fog
4. A rest stop on the Maine Turnpike (link is to webcams!)
5. Dushane Hill, Vinalhaven, ME
6. Rockland, ME—the ferry wharf
7. Svetlana's father's apartment, or his restaurant
8. The St. Regis Hotel
9. The English department at Columbia University, or on the steps of the library
10. Walden Pond in Concord, MA
11. The Mill Race restaurant on Vinalhaven, ME
12. Red's Eats in Wiscasset, ME
13. The NYPL Science, Industry & Business business library (SIBL)
14. A beachside bungalow in San Diego
15. St. George's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Lower Manhattan
16. The Today show courtyard in Rockefeller Plaza
17. Bergdorf-Goodman on 57th Street
18. Café Des Artists, especially the murals of the 20's nymphets (seen above)
19. A conference at the Hotel Pennsylvania, across from Penn Station/Madison Square Garden
20. Dakota & Svetlana's office
21. The Hudson Cafeteria in the Hudson Hotel on 58th Street
22. The Samoset Resort in Camden, ME
23. An apple orchard general store, eating donuts and cider
24. Lincoln Center, at night, with the fountains lit up
25. The Museum of Natural History, beneath the giant blue whale