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While recently reading Poe's The Philosophy of Composition, I was stricken with this note:

Charles Dickens,...alluding to an examination [of] the mechanism of Barnaby Rudge, says--“By the way, are you aware that Godwin wrote his ‘Caleb Williams’ backwards? He first involved his hero in a web of difficulties, forming the second volume, and then, for the first, cast about him for some mode of accounting for what had been done.”

To me, that seems to be a very scientific way of putting a book together. It would certainly require dedication to the evolution of plot and to the development of its characters.

I'm wondering if anyone has an opinion.

I don't think a writer needs to write from end to beginning, but I think he/she should know how the book will end--or at least have a general idea. It's difficult to create a character arc and show the protagonist's changes if the writer doesn't know where the character will end up. Having a general outline helps create a coherent story.

Carrie R wrote:I don't think a writer needs to write from end to beginning, but I think he/she should know how the book will end--or at least have a general idea. It's difficult to create a character arc and show the protagonist's changes if the writer doesn't know where the character will end up. Having a general outline helps create a coherent story.

I'm sure you're right. If I ever wrote a book, I would hope so.

It may have simply been an experiment by Godwin to expand himself or get out of a rut.

I don't think it matters where you start. You just have to decide where to plant the seed, you can't determine how it will grow.

I agree, it doesn't matter where you start, as long as the end result is at least exists.

I am so confused by where to start my story that i usually construct the storyline from the end. This way it is more logical and feels more realistic.

I used to have a tendency to write the end first, but i would always go back to the beginning from there. I always manage to have random scenes pop into my head and need writing before they actually come up as well.

I think this is a good technique because a writer knows the fate his characters and the author can enjoy the creative process of leading his characters to the end of the story.

i think that a lot of the book should be planned in an outline before writing the story. if you do that, you can arrange the major events into a skeleton and then you are left with only the fun part left to do :]

Outlining provides the end of the story before the beginning is written. Which is a very logical way to approach it; if only my mind worked that way! I have to get the story started, and see what characters and issues I'm dealing with, in order to be able to tell what the resolution can be. Once I've figured that out, then I can write to the end.

I believe it is good to have the end in mind and then work toward that goal.

I never outline it stresses me out too much. But I always have a vague idea where I want it to end.