Lean Into Chaos

When writing, it's natural for us to want to control the story–after all, it's our world, our characters, and our point of view we desperately want to express. 

But the truth is that our audience can tell when characters are controlled by their author. The magic of literature arrives when characters step out of their bounds, seemingly freed from their puppet strings, and act erratically, creating chaos in the rest of the story. 

So the next time your character needs to make a big decision, let them decide for you. Take your hands off the wheel and let them learn to drive the narrative.

Recognize what you want the character to do, understand that's what we probably want the character to do, and be purposeful with that information. 

50% of the time, do the bold thing: lean into chaos!