Diana Gabaldon's best-selling novel Outlander almost never hit the shelves as she thought of the book as a practise exercise.
The American writer didn't start working on her first book until she was 35 after having lifelong dreams of being a novelist. When she first set out writing her now award-winning book, her intention was to keep the story as a 'straight historical novel' but after introducing the character of Claire, things didn't stay that way.
She explained the process on her website, writing: “Dougal asked her who she was, and without my stopping to think who she should be, she drew herself up, stared belligerently at him and said ‘Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp. And who the hell are you?’ She promptly took over the story and began telling it herself, making smart-ass modern remarks about everything."
