Blogger: Rachelle Gardner
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty excited that the Olympics start this Friday. I’ll be focused on gymnastics, diving, swimming, and track. What are your favorite Olympic sports?
I was trying to come up with a scintillating and insightful way to use the Olympics as a metaphor for the writing/publishing journey. But frankly, I’m too excited about the Games.
So it’s up to you!
How is being a writer like training for an Olympic sport?
How is getting published like going to the Olympics?
Can’t wait to read your answers!
Kelly
I too love the Olympics both winter and summer games, I was especially happy when they decided to split them up so they weren’t in the same year. It is much nicer only having to wait 2 years between Olympic events. Being a writer is like training for the Olympics in that you are constantly trying to improve your skill, seeking out the best coaching possible, and in this modern age of technology, trying to engage supports on social media. It doesn’t stop, it is a every waking hour process. As I am not yet published, for me it is the dream of going to the Olympics one day, and doing all within my power to get there.
Kelly Ditmars
I forgot to say my favourite sports. Summer is definitely Athletics, Swimming, Fencing (but they rarely broadcast it), and this year Women’s Rugby. Go Canada! In the winter, Curling, Downhill Skiing, hockey.
Shirlee Abbott
1 part talent + 2 parts hard work + 1 part God’s timing (or good luck, depending on your level of faith), stirred together with good coaching and baked in community support
Lara Hosselton
Set your eye on the prize (whatever yours may be) and keep writing. Even if you stumble, fall or just need to slow down, the finish line will still be there. Just because you aren’t first, doesn’t’ mean you haven’t won.
Peggy Booher
Lara,
Thanks for your words of wisdom and encouragement.
Heidi Kortman
My favorite summer Olympic sports: BMX, Sailing, Equestrian events, cycling, and gymnastics.
Writing, and getting published, are like making an Olympic team because they involve mastering increasingly complex skills, and consistent daily practice. Both pursuits need mentorship and coaching for eventual success, and no one accomplishes them in isolation.
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Might be useful to use the Iditarod as a metaphor, from a self-dog’s perspective. Unless you’re lead dog, the scenery never changes.
* Seriously, you do pose an interesting question, Rachelle. I’d have to say that I look at it from the perspective of the also-rans, those who trained hard and had local and regional success, but did not attain their ultimate goal of making the Olympic team.
* For them, the question always has to be, Was It Worth It? Were the hours and experiences sacrificed, the pain endured. worth the results? So too for authors, because there are degrees of ‘getting published’ (not talking about SP here), and some books just don’t do well. The Olympics might be likened to a contract with the Big Five; the medals as starred reviews in Publisher’s Weekly or a place on the NYT bestseller list. Or being invited to chat with Oprah.
* I think that regardless of the outcome those who are happy find their happiness in the training, and their fulfillment in what they can endure, daily, by choice.
Linda Elliott Long
Thank you for the words that encouraged me today!
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Linda, I’m truly honoured.
Peggy Booher
Andrew,
I agree, especially with your last paragraph. Not every writer is going to be on the bestseller list, or be on tv, so a person needs to take whatever happiness and joy possible in the doing and learning.
My father used to say, “Anybody can write.” (I’m not sure if he was trying to discourage me or trying to get me to be “realistic”.) My thought is that yes, anybody can write, but not everybody chooses to write. The fact that I choose to do so, is something that is worth-while to me.
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Amen, Peggy. If you don’t enjoy the process and the discipline, it’s a terribly empty profession, and I suspect success would make it more so, because it would be hard to walk away.
Carol Ashby
My favorite event, if they still had it, would be the four-horse chariot races. It was a very popular event from 680 BC until the Olympic Games were banned in AD 393. Tiberius Caesar, the future Roman emperor, won the 4-horse race as a young man. Twenty years later, his son won it, too.
*Can you tell I’m about to bring my Roman history author site up? I should have it running in less than three weeks. It’s fun to write the historical articles, but I’d rather be writing on my novels.
*How is writing like training for the Olympics? You need to derive the joy from the preparation for the contest (improving craft, creating your fictitious world, caring about the people you create, polishing your manuscript until you can’t find a single place for improvement), not just winning the gold. My kids ran track in high school and my son medaled several times at State, but there was true joy in beating their own PR (personal record) whether they won or not.
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Go to any dirt track in the country that runs sprint cars, and you’ll see stuff that will make a charioteer swallow his Adam’s apple. Nothing in the world like a bunch of 800hp lawn tractors trying to get around the same turn.
* If my health had held up, I would have run a Camaro in Street Stock. I was building up a car but it became obvious that I would never run it. Ah, well.
Peggy Booher
Andrew,
I live a few miles away from a well-known dirt track. When the wind is just right, I can hear the announcer give the drivers’ names. I’m not enthused about the racing, but a lot of people are. When the track has 3 and 4 day events, campers pull in a couple days ahead and fill the parking lots. People come from all around, and some drive down from Canada.
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Peggy, it’s a sport that attracts some really great people, and it’s a lot more sophisticated than at first glance. The combination of engine and chassis setup and driver technique (allowing for varying track conditions) is just the beginning.
Chris Bridges
Love gymnastics, I had a sister who was an Olympic hopeful until she got pregnant with my nephew but I loved to practice with her.
Shelli Littleton
I love the gymnastics. My daughter has her wisdom teeth removed Friday, no better time to be stuck inside and glued to the TV. Amen? Writing … just keep trying, trying, trying. 🙂
Sarah Bennett
I always look forward to gymnastics for summer and curling for winter.
*As for writing and the Olympics, I will leave that analogy to Michael Jordan: “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Keli Gwyn
I’m actually more excited about the 2016 Paralympics taking place after the Olympics. A local friend made the Paralympic cycling team. Jamie Whitmore fought a battle with cancer that left her with a case of drop foot. She’d been a world champion Xterra winner before the diagnosis. Her doctors told her she’d probably never be able to ride anything but a stationary bike after that. She proved them wrong! She made the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Cycling Team and is heading into the Paralympics as the time trial reigning world champion. I’ll be cheering Jaime on and look forward to a celebration when she returns to town with a medal.
Kelly Ditmars
What an amazing connection and very inspirational. I will watch and cheer her on as well.
Kathy Cassel
Wow. I’m feeling old if that’s our gymnastics team. Looks like a middle school picture to me!