Nicole over at Write Me A World has been coordinating this amazing way to harness our inspiration and motivation towards the Olympics and although I am fan. it's actually my wife who is glued to the TV for every segment she can find.
What I think about during the two weeks the Olympics are being held, what we hear in interview after interview or spotlight segments during the coverage, is the amount of preparation and hard work all of these athletes put themselves through, all for the chance of representing their country and grabbing one of those elusive medals. It doesn't matter what the event is, Summer or Winter, they all lay it on the line and sacrifice so much for their shot.
As writers we take part in our own type of training camps, working hard and forgoing the little things, all for that chance to sign on the dotted and grab our own version of a medal. What's important to remember and a lesson taught to us by the Olympics, is that although only one person gets to stand atop of that podium, everyone who takes part is a world class athlete and on any given day their chance may come.
Thank you Nicole for hosting this for us!
Writing is a different type of competition!
ReplyDeleteAnd even when we lose, we keep going until we win. We have to.
ReplyDeleteFTW!
ReplyDeleteI don't need a medal from anyone else but me! (So I keep telling myself.)
Heather
I guess it's technically a competition. We are all competing to get published. But it feels like a win when I come up with a great idea, write a chapter, and finish a manuscript and a second, third, or twentieth draft.
ReplyDeleteUgh. I just realized I missed Write Club voting this week. Will be there next week.
Clarissa's right; we do keep plodding on even after 'losing.' Luckily we get do-overs. We can improve upon our losses, revise what got rejected and hopefully make it shine enough to catch someone's eye. Those Olympic athletes just get that one chance and if they lose they get to go home with nothing. Now THAT would be discouraging. I'm glad my window of opportunity is always open.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for joining the relay, DL! I know it's not like you have anything else going on. :) Great post. There's a quote I love from my swimming days: "The most valuable gold and silver are paid for in sweat." I think that applies to our successes in writing too...they all start with a little sweat and sacrifice.
ReplyDeleteI'm with your wife on this one! We have 4 channels coordinating coverage plus I can tap into 2 different US stations so I'm constantly channel flipping and watching these incredible athletes - it's awesome!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Don! I totally agree. Writing is a competition, but much of it is a competition with ourselves- to write just a little better every time we put words on the page
ReplyDeleteOur writing process drops medals in our laps with every flash of accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteSo true! And just because it's not your time right now, that doesn't mean it won't be next time if you keep working at it.
ReplyDeleteSo true and getting my publishing deal really was a dream come true. I haven't been paying to much attention to the Olympics but every time I hear about someone winning I just think yay, another person just got there dream come true.
ReplyDeleteLove this post. I've been drawing a ton of correlations between the Olympics and writing this past week. I'm afraid the Olympics are taking a bite out of my writing time. Thank goodness they are only two weeks long.
ReplyDeleteIf only the world powers would resolve political issues in this manner - only not with world class athletes, but the politicians themselves combating for supremacy.
ReplyDeleteI admire the Olympic athletes for all the training and sacrifice they endure to represent their countries. As a developing writer, I am humbled by their journey, and hope to be able to emulate just a fraction of their dedication to craft.
.......dhole
I love it when competing athletes congratulate the winner, and you can tell they mean it. It's like the support the writing community has for each other. :D
ReplyDeleteYou're so right. Just to make it to that level of competition takes tremendous dedication. It's too bad only the few medalists get recognition because everyone there even the last place deserves applause.
ReplyDeleteI love the comparison between writing and the Olympics. :)
I have taken that message from the Olympics too! I wish I had 10 percent of their discipline! :)
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