"I tend to follow what I think of as the Story Current. Once I’ve met the characters and understand what the problem is, I more or less follow where they lead. And more than once, they’ve led me to a dead end, I’m afraid. But I find if I outline the story in too much detail, I become bored as I’m writing it, and have a hard time finishing the story. So I always know where the story will start and where it will end and a few key points in between. It does feel to me as if Story is some sort of arcane force that directs where the tale will go. I think I do best when I trust it and follow it."
— Robin Hobb, on her website
