Time, the future, cause and effect query

[Stukov]

So I have this issue I'm trying to sort out. Let's say for simplistic sake that you often write stories that often come true or in some way that are eerily predictive. What I am trying to figure out is a method to determine that you are writing the future because you are aware of it, or the future is coming true because you wrote about it. Basically predicting the future vs creating reality. How to differentiate between the two?

[Clockwork Ghost]

How about not writing about the future? If you dont write down what you were going to write and it still comes true then the act of creating the writing isnt creating the future.

[dodaive]

There are different levels of forecasting and prophecying, weatherman get it right a good percentage of the time, there are books that say we will soon go into an ice age. Why, because research on greenland's icepack cores, shows indications that the Earth has gone into an ice age once every 100,000 years with bizarre accuracy, and the fact that our last ice ace was about 100,000 years ago. Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, I don't have any opinions on it, beyond my ability to conceptualize. Did John the apostle have access to the ancient world's history, when he wrote Revelation. More questions then answers [gz]

[Stukov]

How about not writing about the future? If you dont write down what you were going to write and it still comes true then the act of creating the writing isnt creating the future.

It isn't just stuff that has been written down, its also dreams, thoughts, so on and so forth. I'm not really burdened by it, just would like to figure out a way to know which it is.

[Nahemah]

History is littered with Visionaries,those who could see or otherwise percieve future events,often with varying degrees of credibility,dependant on how 'holy ' or 'heretical' these persons were.Most if not al lof these visionaries were only able to observe,not to interact.
That might be the big difference,may help you discern which is which?
For me St.Alphonsus of Liguri is a prime example and also Joan of Arc,one was celebrated for his visions,the other was burned as a witch [though later exonerated,granted.]

The writing or creating of future events,is much more Pagan/Shamanistic in design and orientation,I think.Though,I 'd lay a side bet on the Medieval Masters of the Grimoires,also dancing a little with the hourglass,lol.I keep thinking of weaving analogies here,weaving the threads of the wyrd,into the web of life...a very Northern perspective,but might be pertinent to your situation too?

The telling of tales is weaving words and words have power.

Time being a dimension and all,in it's own right,it all depends on how you personally view the timescape,in the end,I think.

What if you wrote something ,then rewrote it just after it occurs,changing the outcome or extrapolating from it in a particular fashion,See if you can interact,or if you are an observer?

[Stukov]

History is littered with Visionaries,those who could see or otherwise percieve future events,often with varying degrees of credibility,dependant on how 'holy ' or 'heretical' these persons were.Most if not al lof these visionaries were only able to observe,not to interact.
That might be the big difference,may help you discern which is which?
For me St.Alphonsus of Liguri is a prime example and also Joan of Arc,one was celebrated for his visions,the other was burned as a witch [though later exonerated,granted.]

The writing or creating of future events,is much more Pagan/Shamanistic in design and orientation,I think.Though,I 'd lay a side bet on the Medieval Masters of the Grimoires,also dancing a little with the hourglass,lol.I keep thinking of weaving analogies here,weaving the threads of the wyrd,into the web of life...a very Northern perspective,but might be pertinent to your situation too?

The telling of tales is weaving words and words have power.

Time being a dimension and all,in it's own right,it all depends on how you personally view the timescape,in the end,I think.

What if you wrote something ,then rewrote it just after it occurs,changing the outcome or extrapolating from it in a particular fashion,See if you can interact,or if you are an observer?

I'm not sure exactly what you are saying in your suggestion but the whole "weaving of threads" is exactly something I've written to explain to another character what my character is doing in one of my stories, so that rings synchronicity to me. As one thing I can say is I can't just write or think "there is a purple elephant dancing around ponies eating ice cream" and suddenly it comes true, its something I know isn't true, when I do do it, its something I feel is "authentic", like pieces to a puzzle that fit, yet I can change the puzzle based on the pieces I have. I suppose I always have contended with the simple axiom that I know is true which is "knowledge transcends time", which has offered me insights of wisdom that I had yet to experience to have. I rather thought the idea of me "weaving" such events to be ridiculous (after being accused of it a while ago and having someone demand I write a better future), but now it seems I can't tell the difference between the two.

Your post has given me some food for thought though, as soon said weaving thread it reminded me of my story and how it could work together where it is a puzzle that has a certain number of combinations and permutations - and if I do have some measure of control over it I may be simply rearranging the pieces to the puzzle, but not (without violating quite a few rules) changing the pieces entirely. This answer makes sense to the feeling of "authentic", as I must stay within the bounds of the weave/puzzle, no purple elephants.

I used to have a good friend that was good at predicting world events, he used to always say "the future changes every time you look at it; because you looked at it", the quote seems to lend to the idea that the future changes because you can affect the outcome of the present with the knowledge of what can happen. However, perhaps for some (as you and others have mentioned) it isn't just a double sided mirror with the observer looking forward, but a window (if not a door) where when you look forward and see, while the other part of you is looking back and seeing. Just within the bubble of time anyways. Rambling now that sleeping pill kicking in.

I suppose while I am rambling, as I said before the "knowledge transcending time", I've often seen things in dreams like a day or hours prior to seeing it in real life, for example a set of symbols I've never seen before (or feel like I know in the dream but know I havent seen them as a human) or a name of someone, then go spend time scouring the internet to find it. What the conundrum is that I know I can know about it because I eventually know about it (the knowledge transcending), but what tickles my noodle is whether I would have ever found it in the first place if I never had a dream about it. Chick and egg.