Each stage of writing a novel for me brings with it a range of different emotions. These range from excitement and frustration, to relief, doubt and fear, plus a whole lot in between.

I'm currently working on the tenth in the DI Andy Horton series and the theme is developing nicely.Eager to begin writing I don't wait until I have a complete outline. I don't even wait until I have conducted all my research and I certainly have no idea at this stage who the killer is and why. All I know…

I'm often asked how I go about planning a novel.When starting a fresh crime novel (as I am now, having recently finished writing the ninth in the DI Andy Horton series) I have the basic idea in mind. I will start to flesh this out using spider grams and time lines to work up the basic plot lines and character outlines, working in pencil on recycled pieces of A4 paper.

Often I will create some characters who won’t appear in the novel at all because by the time I start to write the…