I’ve been reading a lot lately as part of my major summer writing project—namely, to get my novel submission package in order and start sending it out. This involves a lot of market research, which means reading a lot of novels.
As enjoyable a job as this can be, it also gives me food for thought.
In two different love stories I read recently, the protagonists were manipulated into contact with each other. This was done with their knowledge, and against their wishes.
At the same time, out in the real world, I was being forced by circumstances to alter my behavior to fit someone else’s model of how life should look.
Submission, you may imagine, is not my strong suit. And it occurred to me that what happens to those characters in those two novels—falling head over heels in 50,000 words with someone they were forced into relationship with against their will—is highly unlikely. I mean, sheer bullheadedneess makes me resist being redirected to the contrary of my own wishes. It’s not that someone else’s vision of the way things ought to be is necessarily better or worse than my own—it’s just being forced to subdue my own will. It’s an exercise in humility.
Which, no doubt, is good for me.
Kathleen M. Basi 
Boy…I think we’re alike in many ways, Kate…:)
I had the opposite problem in dating Josh. Before we’d even officially started dating it seemed so obvious (and inevitable) how things would go. I had previously mocked friends for trying to set us up, saying that they lacked creativity and were simply going for the obvious based on so many similarities. So part of me wanted to rebel against how natural (and not requiring submission, at least in this way) it was.
I think exercises in humility are always available, even in getting our own way!
I would call you strong-willed! 🙂
I’m stopping by through Steady Mom’s 30 Minute Challenge. I hope you’ll do the same! You can find me @ http://sofiasideas.com/