It's All About Control As a group, authors write for a number of reasons. Expression, income, venting, glamor, satisfaction, hobby, fill in the blank. For myself, I suppose all of the above come to bear at some point, but there is another beyond those.
When I write, I am in control of something larger than myself, perhaps like a pilot does at the controls of an airplane. I can create people and places and things limited only by my imagination and willingness to work. When I write, I am not at the mercy of leaky faucets or annoying people or endless chores in need of attending to. There is only a story to be built as I want, conversation that I can construct in my mind, comings and goings directed by me. Maybe that sounds a bit arrogant, and maybe it is. I don't consider myself to be an arrogant person but perhaps writing something you want strangers to like and relate to requires arrogance. And if so, then so be it.
No doubt, writing can be and is a grind. Searching for the elusive right word, expression, character, name, setting, place, dialog can be borderline maddening. Well, writers do have a choice. They can quit. But do they?
