Sometimes you write a story to try and get closure on a difficult situation in your life. Sometimes you write a story to imagine what might have happened if you’d made a different choice at a certain point in time: if you’d confronted the guy who stole your parking spot, or tried to make small-talk with your surly dentist. And then there are the times when you write a story just to distract yourself from whatever lousy situation you’re in at that moment.
