THE TWO halves of our brains have different abilities. Their strengths complement each other.

It’s easy for non-specialists to over-simplify the complex picture, but for most of us the left brain governs the vision and movement on our right sides while specialising in order, logic and analysis.

The right brain looks after our left sides and is better at spontaneous impulses, intuition and imagination.

It’s sometimes the other way round for left-handers.

So when we invent something — music, art, fiction — we lead with the right brain. Right?

No. Doing it well means bringing all of the toolkit to the problem.

The speaker at the October meeting of the Airedale Writers’ Circle was long-time circle member John Roberts, who’s just self-published his fourth novel, Prey, in which a senior MI5 officer tracks and attempts to forestall a terrorist plot.

As ever with John’s work the story is tense and important, but never at the expense of trying to understand the minds of the main characters.

John talked about how the idea developed, and read from the opening chapter — starting with a hijacking and a body dumped outside embassy gates.

He also talked about the process he follows while writing a novel, developing handwritten jottings into a finished (but not final) draft.

When it’s done, he uses this checklist of questions to review what he’s written. It’s a great example of how bringing our logical and analytical faculties into play can improve what’s been produced by the imagination.

What was the purpose of the scene (or chapter)?

Make sure there was a decisive, dominant event to give it a proper focus and sense of shape.

What were the main conflicts?

Remembering that these take place between characters who have opposing aims and beliefs, and also within individuals who might have to conquer their own doubts and dilemmas.

What season was it? What was the weather like?

Events don’t take place in an empty box: blazing sun or teeming rain will affect the mood of the scene, and might also influence the action.

It’s autumn now and the leaves are thick on the ground; to add realism, make your characters rustle through them (makes it harder to sneak up on the unsuspecting sentry, as well).

Have you engaged all the five senses?

Easy to describe what characters see and hear, and forget about the rest.

Was the burger soft and heavy in your character’s hand? How did it smell when he unwrapped it? How did it taste when he took a bite and the juice dripped down his chin?

Has the scene had the effect you wanted?

Hard to judge this on your own, sometimes, but try to decide if your character’s explosion of towering rage really was that, or came across as no more than a hissy-fit.

What happens now?

The events in this chapter need to have consequences that draw you into the next phase of your story.