In Control Of My Characters

Is a writer a conductor or a conduit?

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Yesterday, I was talking to a writer friend of mine, and we got into a discussion about whether the author controls the events in a book, or whether the characters do, and the author is merely there to record the events.

She runs a writing group and had posed this very question to them, and encouraged a discussion.

UNDER THE CHARACTER’S CONTROL

One particular member of the group claimed that the characters did, in fact control the story and what happens in it, and that all she does is write down what they tell her. Others claimed to have complete control over the story and told their characters what to do, and made them do it, with varying consequences, all of which are controlled by the author.

I’M NOT FULLY IN CONTROL OF MY STORIES

This got me thinking. I’ve been writing since I learned how to hold a pen. I’ve always loved stories, and creating other worlds and tales. I fully believe that I was born to write, but when asked this question, I had to admit to myself that I am not always fully in control of what I write.

A SELF INDULGENT ATTITUDE

I don’t, personally, believe that my characters are autonomous, and that I am merely the conduit for putting their…