Stranger than Fiction

If you haven't seen the movie yet, you should. A fun, charming movie. Loved it. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808723400/details

Thing is, as a writer, I find I have the opposite problem. Rather than finding out that the characters are living their lives through the words I write, I find my characters take me into directions I never even thought of. Yes, that's right, my characters demand that I tell their story in their own way. Frequently I find myself staying up late typing just so I can find out what happens next. Stephen King said a similar thing once. It's true.

I never used to like writing--I avoided English and creative writing classes like the plague. Instead I took only what was required. I'd watched movies about writers (Throw Momma From the Train comes to mind) and think, who'd ever want to be a writer?

Until I was possessed by a story that wouldn't let go. Characters telling me their story over and over for years. I then discovered that writers don't necessarily want to write, but they have to. Something deep within compels us.

So go and enjoy the movie. We writers aren't as crazy as portrayed. We're crazier.