Sunday, December 26, 2010

Create The Future

I had my traditional Christmas meal at the Chinese buffet with family and friends today.  My fortune cookie at the end was particularly notable.  "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

The intent, I'm sure, is that people need to make their own luck, put in the effort to get the results they want, and not rely on anything more.  But I could only read this as a writer.  It referred to what I say: When we write, we create a universe where those stories are the truth.

As such, it made me think.  Writers often say that when they start writing, the characters take over and start living their own lives; the writers are simply recording the action taking place in the universe they created.  But, should it be the case?  Should writers start creating the future?

It might make things easier.  You know where things start.  You know how they will end.  There would be no unfortunate surprises.

Maybe that's not the point, though.  Maybe, when you're writing, you shouldn't worry about predicting the future.  Maybe it should be more about riding the wave and seeing where it takes you.

Maybe life works the same way.

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