With every word written, every idea tackled, the writer makes choices that impact the writing: from having an enormous impact on the whole piece, as with the choice of evidence to present in an argument, to having impact on a single sentence or phrase, as with a word choice.
These choices can involves large issues, such as whether to write nonfiction or fiction, the genre to write in, and the length preferred.
And those choices can involve small issues, such as how to start a sentence and the right word to use to create a specific image or impression.
With every stroke on the keyboard, the writer makes myriad decisions (as with my choice to use the word 'myriad').
Writers also must decide whether to write at all or leave it for another day.
Do you allow life's big and little distractions to keep you from your writing? They do provide valid and sometimes strong excuses to avoid writing.
Or do you arrange your life to minimize the distractions as much as possible? Do you wait until you are "in the mood" to write, waiting for that flash of inspiration and excitement? Or do you write because you want the piece written, whether you feel like it or not? The latter is the sign of professional; the former that of an amateur.
(Sorry for the harshness, but that is the reality).
Do you set deadlines for yourself and stick to them? If you do, you are valuing your resolve to write, thus valuing yourself and your talent.
Another choice is to decide if the writing is "finished.
" I put finished in quotes because the writer is never finished with a piece of writing.
She just lets it go, either filing it away in a private filing cabinet or sending it out into the world, to stand on its own strong (or weak) legs.
The writer must decide the ways in which the writing is to be seen by the world, that is, the publishing route.
Should it be a printed book, an e-book, or something shorter, such as an article, a blog post? This decision involves the writer's marketing skills, usually not a chosen skill set for most writers but one that is essential these days.
Every moment a writer is writing -- and not "writing" -- is filled with choices on all levels.
That is part of the fun of being a writer -- making all those choices.