A Life of Its Own

Today I did something I don't often do: I started and finished a short story. I start a lot of projects at once, just like I read a lot of books at once (six at last count).

I love the feeling of having finished a piece, though. There's really nothing quite like it. You work hard to create and it's always a nice feeling to not have it hanging over your head afterwards. There's always editing and rewriting, of course, but if the work is considered complete before entering this stage, this seems to flow easier.

One of the things that fascinates me about the writing process is how a story can take on a life of its own. I ended up finishing the story in a different place than I had planned on. I don't understand how this happens. It's enjoyable for a writer, I think, because a lot of writing involves pursuing a pre-planned route. Some of the most powerful literature I've read was well planned by the author. Another style of literature is more event-driven. The author changes where the story goes based on his discovery of the characters as he fleshes them out.

I don't mind when a story starts to take on a life of its own. I'd like a little warning before it happens, though :-)