The Thing About Choices

So I've been working on the new book for a long time now. I've got pages and pages of outlines and notes but it's time to write it. So I sent three versions of the first chapter to my publisher and had a conference call to talk through the pros and cons of each "voice." We all agreed that one was better than the other two so that's good news. Sometimes your mind can get a little Jekyl and Hydeish and you feel like you're dealing with multiple personalities. It's all about choices. Because we're a ridiculous dualistic society (don't study the roots of dualism because it will mess up your theology for a year or more) and we start thinking there's a right choice and a wrong choice, or because we didn't get something we wanted there's "nothing" else out there. It's ridiculous.

Basically, there are just paths. Or maybe there's just woods, and you have to cut your way through the woods.

One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies is from Wonderboys, when Katie Holmes character reminds Professor Tripp that "writers have to make decisions." What she meant was a book only starts taking shape when a writer decides to go somewhere and then takes action in that direction.

Kinda like life, I think. Just decide and move. Just write the thing. Just move.

 

The Thing About Choices is a post from: Donald Miller's Blog