Exploring a territory...

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“The word invent 

(or even making up) 

has always seemed a little too 

intentional and deliberate 

for what I do, 

which feels more like 

finding things, 

coming upon them — 

places, people, patterns. 

[...]

Exploration 

is a very good word 

for what one does 

when thinking about a story 

before writing and 

while writing it. 

You are exploring a territory, 

finding out what happens there.

 Only you do it with 

thoughts, images, words, 

instead of with your body.” 

~ Ursula K. Le Guin, 

in The Wand in the Word: 

Conversations with Writers of Fantasy

I agree with Ms. Le Guin -- when I write, it really does seem more like I'm exploring a territory and finding the various parts of my story, rather than inventing it out of thin air. I gather all of the pieces I can find and then put them together with my words.

Do you ever feel this way when you are writing?