How I Write Dean Koontz: 120 novels published. 500 million copies sold. | How I Write
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May 7, 2025 
In a fascinating chat, Dean Koontz, best-selling author of over 100 novels, shares his journey through writing and creativity. He reveals his shift from outlining to letting characters guide the story, emphasizing character depth for suspense. Dean discusses how personal challenges shape characters and enhance narratives, intertwining themes of love and doubt. He reflects on the influence of aesthetics on creativity and the metaphysical aspects that inspire his work, all while celebrating the beauty of language.
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Stop Strict Outlining
- Stop rigidly outlining novels to let creativity flow freely.
- Trust characters to develop independently for richer stories.
Characters Have Free Will
- Characters gain free will when treated as real people.
- Letting characters surprise you improves your novel.
Revise Page by Page
- Perfect each page with multiple revisions before moving on.
- Revising carefully page by page builds strong momentum and quality.