Writers On Writing /Drafting a novel with Ashley Kalagian Blunt
‘With few exceptions, writers don’t figure out their plots on the first attempt, whether they’re sitting down and plotting it out in advance or figuring it out as they draft. Plotting is a skill that requires an understanding of the mechanics of story, and that will develop as you apply yourself to the task of writing and rewriting.’
Writers on Writing is our regular conversation with a writer or industry professional about the writing craft, industry insights, and their own practice. This week, we spoke to Ashley Kalagian Blunt about crucial elements of writing novels, including getting started, the creative process, plot twists and making the most of feedback.
Your psychological thriller, Dark Mode, and your new novel, Cold Truth, are both laced with the dangers of the dark web. How do you generate ideas for writing from the real, modern world?
It’s a combination of curiosity and anxiety. With the global cost of cyber crime projected to reach $10.5 trillion in 2025, I’m anxious about cyber security and digital privacy. (Seriously, if cyber crime were a nation, it would be the world’s third largest economy.) My anxiety pushes me to be better informed, especially after my driver’s licence details ended up for sale on the dark web. My curiosity also drives a lot of research that gets woven into my plots. This led me to learn more about the kind of crime happening on the dark web and how to access it, which led to a major aspect of Dark Mode‘s plot.
What is your creative process before you start writing a new novel? Do you fully plot your entire novel before beginning, or does the story unfold as you write?
I start from an idea. With both Dark Mode and Cold Truth, that initial idea was the main twist. With my forthcoming Audible Original, Like, Follow, Die, it was a vision for the scenario that became the third act. Next, I ask myself what kind of story I could build around those starting places. With Dark Mode, I began by asking what story components I would need to make the twist happen. How could I bring the reader to the point where that twist will land? From there, a lot of story specifics unfold as I write. With Dark Mode, I threw myself in, writing 40,000 words. By that time, I’d discovered enough about the plot to realise that most of that initial half-draft wouldn’t work – but I needed to invest that time to create the story. I threw most of it out, wrote a one-page outline of my new understanding of the story, and then wrote an 80,000-word draft that would be recognisable as Dark Mode, though of course it went through several more comprehensive drafts.
The key takeaway from this is to approach plotting as an experiment, and understand from the start that it’s an iterative process. With few exceptions, writers don’t figure out their plots on the first attempt, whether they’re sitting down and plotting it out in advance or figuring it out as they draft. Plotting is a skill that requires an understanding of the mechanics of story, and that will develop as you apply yourself to the task of writing and rewriting.
Dark Mode and Cold Truth are full of twists and turns. What is your secret to writing a great plot twist?
I read a lot of books with plot twists, and I pay attention when readers talk about twists that they love in other authors’ work. Part of the challenge is coming up with twists that hopefully have a fresh element or spin. The other part is the chapter by chapter buildup that makes the twist work. And remember, twists can work in many types of stories, not just crime novels. Literary author Donna Tartt (The Secret History, The Goldfinch) crafts impressive plot twists, which is part of her enduring popularity.
Sharing and discussion is central to helping writers refine their drafts. What are some good questions to ask readers of our manuscripts to make the most of feedback?
One key element is seeking feedback from other writers. My mum has been driving all her life, but if I want to know whether that strange noise my car is making is a problem, I’m going to ask my dad, because he’s a mechanic. The same goes for stories: readers are like drivers. They can have insights into how stories work, but they’re not going to be able to pinpoint a novel’s weak points the way a writer – even an emerging writer – can. This is why courses like Year of the Novel are so beneficial. You meet other emerging writers and develop a shared understanding of how to improve your craft together. Now you’ve got people you can ask for feedback!
In terms of specific questions, I always recommend starting with what’s working well. We all work hard on our writing, and it’s encouraging to hear what aspects of it are engaging and surprising. Then, ask what could be improved. Drafting is all about continual improvement, so focusing on what areas of the story are less engaging from another person’s perspective can be invaluable. This feedback should be based on more objective analysis, such as the scene structure, rather than subjective opinions. If you’re thinking, ‘I’m not sure how to give feedback on scene structure, or how to use it to strengthen my own writing,’ Year of the Novel might be for you.
For writers who want to start writing a novel but are intimidated by the process, how would you recommend they get started?
First off, you can just start writing. Write what excites you. Write what matters most to you. Write what you’ve always been afraid to say. At the start, you don’t have to worry about plot or scene structure or even starting at the opening. If you have a vision for the climax, write the climax. If you want to try writing from different characters’ points of view, do that. Your ideas will evolve as you draft, as will your skills. There’s no ‘right’ way to draft a novel, and when you’re first learning, the process is going to be inefficient and indirect – that’s part of the learning process.
And that’s the key point. If you haven’t studied creative writing and storytelling, you likely need to learn those skills. Trust me, I’ve been an avid reader since childhood and took multiple creative writing courses in university, so I thought I knew how to write a novel. Yet my first four manuscripts remain unpublished (and unpublishable, at least in their current states) because I hadn’t yet developed the skills I needed. Those came once I started taking courses, reading books on writing, and giving and receiving regular feedback through my writers’ group. My journey was very indirect because I stubbornly thought I knew how to write. Once I realised I had a lot to learn, I was able to apply that to the writing I was already doing, so my skills developed quickly. It’s okay to be intimidated. Most writers felt that way when they started. Some still do, several books in. Just start doing it, and recognise the learning journey ahead of you.
Ashley Kalagian Blunt is the number one bestselling author of Dark Mode, which was released in multiple territories and languages and shortlisted for the 2024 Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Novel, the ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year and the Danger Award for Best Crime Debut. Her earlier books include How to Be Australian, a memoir, and My Name Is Revenge, collected fiction and essays, which was a finalist in the 2018 Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award.
Her writing appears in the Sydney Morning Herald, Overland, Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books, Australian Book Review, Kill Your Darlings and more. Ashley co-hosts James and Ashley Stay at Home, a podcast about writing, creativity and health with James McKenzie Watson, and teaches creative writing. Her latest thriller is Cold Truth.
