The Story I Don’t Want to Write

Writing is not for control freaks.

It may appear that an author is complete control. After all, a writer—especially an unpublished one—has complete freedom to build the world he wants, create people of any type, and dictate what happens to them.

But I assure you, that’s a complete illusion.

Writers have, in truth, very little control. Characters are stubborn and strong-willed. They insist on doing things their way or not all and prefer to go where you don’t want them to go. And if you try to force them into a different path, characters often will sit down in the middle of the road and won’t budge until you agree to do it their way.

Nor is this stubbornness limited to a current work in progress.

There are characters who thrust their way into your mind and immediately take over center stage. Oh, you may protest and complain and try to force them aside, but ultimately such resistance is futile. Some stories must be written, no matter how much a writer might not want to write it.

Of course, that doesn’t stop me from trying.