Writing - You decide

 If you are beginning to write for the first time you decide what is going on the page. An over-simplification perhaps because you need to consider who you want to read your work - is that really so? The advice is to write from where you're at; or, write about the familiar; or, write what you know. Add these trite statements together and you should get the perfect advice or perhaps just more confusion.

When I began the first Steele novel I just wanted to write. I had the rough outline of a lead character, a site of action that turned out to be a home base, and, a handful of additional characters. As my writing progressed the above three situations didn't change much but the lead character is dynamic and he drove some differences. The stories developed to the point where Patrick A Steele was leading me rather than vice versa.

I remember talking to a group of people about the writing process and trying to explain what this meant. I think they left the discussion thinking that I'd lost the plot and it bruised my confidence somewhat until I heard other writers saying the same thing. It shouldn't be that surprising because you have spawned a new being and blessed it with behaviours, thinking skills and personality traits. When you set them off on any given path they will make decisions according to how you created them. 

Of course, you can stop and change direction, style or content because you decide, however, if you use the same characters beware they will take control again. 

There is one warning that is a little controversial. I would say that you should write what you want to write without influence from outside sources. It does depend on what your writing aim is meant to be. If you are working towards pure commercialism then you need to aim at an audience and take on board the restrictions that puts on you as a writer. 

God Bless