Am Quote by Guy Gavriel Kay
“In general, the main themes emerge early for each book, even before the storyline and characters, as I research the time and place I want to draw upon. Having said that, every single book so far has offered me surprises en route, and these include motifs that come forward as I am writing.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Author interview, 2015, published in The Guardian
Early thematic planning shapes a book’s foundation, yet unexpected motifs still appear during writing.
In simple terms: Planning sets the base; surprises emerge while writing.
Key Takeaway
Embrace flexibility in your creative process.
Themes
creativity
planning
surprise
motifs
writing process
Mood
reflective
inspired
curious
Type
advice
inspirational
When to use this quote
- novel drafting
- world‑building
- character development
- story revisions
Key Concepts
Narrative structure
thematic development
creative discovery
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance pre‑planned themes with emerging ideas?
- What strategies help integrate surprise motifs?
A Different Perspective
Unexpected motifs may clash with initial plans, requiring revisions.
![“We've tried to use some visual motifs [in Beauty and the Beast]. As far as the cinematography and the lensing and all that, we are presenting a different view into that world. It's a little sleeker, but we're keeping the gothic feel underneath it.” quote by Brian Wayne Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/40a/brian-wayne-peterson-67998_beast_we-ve-tried-to-use-some-visual-motifs-in_464898.jpg)
![“[We let] the universality of fantasy, of once upon a time, allow escapist fiction to be more than just that - to also bring us home.” quote by Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dd1/guy-gavriel-kay-2769_escapist_we-let-the-universality-of-fantasy-of-on_299833.jpg)
