Monday, April 25, 2011

Soccer Writing


On Saturday I went to a soccer game. For four-year-olds. It was a lot of fun watching some of them follow the ball like it was a magnet, and others getting distracted by the grass, the other kids, or the nearby playground.

In contrast, I also went to a competitive soccer game for older boys (What can I say? We're a soccer family). The older boys played position and strategized. Sometimes, particularly after a goal, you could retrace the movement that led up to the score.

With writing, I used to be a lot like the four-year-old soccer game. Chasing after ideas, getting excited by the shiny swing, and not spending enough time strategizing and working to see the outcome. I'm now almost finished with the first edit of my first completed novel. I just have to say that it's really rewarding to retrace my writing and see plot points fulfilled, characters developed, and promises delivered.

Now I'm not anywhere near a professional soccer player...or a professional writer (I can't keep my metaphors straight), but whether you play magnet ball, or full fledged position soccer, you can't get worse at something you do every day (thank you for the continued use of that quote, Howard Tayler!).

What kind of writer are you, and where are you in your project(s)?

2 comments:

  1. I'm the ADD kid that the coaches hate and eventually give up on. I'm that kid that you send out with your strong players. You know the rest of the team will make up for the kid that lays down in the grass and then runs and talks to mom on the sideline, then runs into the group of kids with the ball and ruins the whole game. Yup that's me. (I've coached a few of those kids--taxing is the kindest word I can think of)

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  2. Sadly behind and definitely not working on my craft everyday. That's where I am. But, you're right. It is good to see the improvement when looking back. Congratulations on getting through the editing process!

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