I think with one exception I've never changed an opening sentence after a book was completed.
But what is more to the point is my belief that the habit of writing thus for my own eye only is good practice. It loosens the ligaments. Never mind the misses and the stumbles.
Everything I write, I've written the first draft in Austria.
My first five novels were written longhand. So were hosts of short stories.
I read my books aloud before they were published.
I kind of like to write fast. It keeps the pacing up. And it keeps me off the streets.
I always write a story in one sitting.
I never work on a computer. I can't write on a computer. It's just not possible for me to do that.
I change my keyboard between every book. I usually shop around. I'm very passionate about the physical feel of pressing the keys. It's got to have the right springiness. I tend to find the built-in keys very unsatisfying, the keys are low-profile and don't really do anything - I want it to feel like I'm typing.
I write slowly.
I don't normally do pure historical work.
I am infamous for writing fight scenes beat for beat, punch for punch. I can't help it!
I tend to read more nonfiction, really, because when I'm writing I don't like to read other fiction.
The thing that I prefer, when I'm working on a book, is to do a seven-day week, because it's easy to lose some of the details of what you're doing along the way.
