The Road Not Taken

Being a writer gives me many choices.  Like actually writing only when the mood strikes me.  Or what genre of story I will work on today.  And in some cases, even how I will publish my works in progress.  But beware.  While there many roads to chose from, sometimes it is the road NOT taken that offers the most promise.

Hansel and Gretel found out the hard way.  That road looked awfully inviting at first.  I mean, who wouldn't want to visit a house made out of candy?  But a closer look showed those two kids what looks pretty on the outside isn't necessarily the right choice.

Little Red Riding Hood found out the hard way, too.  At first the choice seemed easy enough.  A stroll through the woods and on to Granny's house.  But she didn't stop to think about the things lurking in the forest, lying in wait to pounce.  Maybe she should have considered all her options before blindly trusting the path she was on is the right one?

Writers can be blind about their writing.  Boldly going where no writer has gone before, not stopping to consider the consequences of the path they choose.  Maybe it's the get published quick route chosen and suddenly a new writer is in over their heads dealing with publishing, marketing, sales and all the other things that come with promoting your work all by yourself.  Maybe it's beginning a story with a bang and later finding out that your character took a wrong turn.  Now your story is lost somehow in the dark forest as you sit there trying to find your way back to the road you should have taken.

Margaret Atwood, author of Negotiating With The Dead: A Writer On Writing, says, "Don't sit down in the middle of the woods.  If you're lost in the plot or blocked, retrace your steps to where you went wrong.  Then take the other road."  

Writers need to stay true to their characters and their stories.  Stay true to their passion while venturing into the unknown.  But just watch out for that pesky fork in the road.