The Olympics are a metaphor-waiting-to-happen, yeah?
I’ve seen some really cool blog posts about what we can learn from Olympians, how writers or other professionals can apply Olympic-like determination in their pursuits, etc.
As for this girl, I can’t help comparing the variety of Olympic events to the stages of a writer’s life. Pull on your athletic gear of choice (although I think I’ll avoid the leotard, thank you very much) and join the fun…
Stage One: The Dive
You’re standing on the proverbial diving board. Instead of a cap that smashes your hair down, you’re in pajama pants (my personal wardrobe staple) and your lucky tee. You look down at the crystal blue water that is your book-to-be. Hands over your head…um, keyboard…and you dive in.
Stage Two: The Sprint
You may not be brave enough to wear Spandex like those Olympic runners, but by George, you know how to book it. You run run run write write write…
Stage Three: Marathon
You’ve settled in, slowed down, but you’re still moving. Maybe in spurts and gasps and pulled mental muscles, but you’re moving…
Stage Four: Balance Beam
You’re deep in the thick of your story, but there’s all of life still to be lived! How are you supposed to balance it all? What happens if you slip? (You’re in for a painful straddle, that’s what!)
Stage Five: The Butterfly Stroke
Otherwise known as the oddest-looking swim stroke! Your story gets all jumbled up and you hit a wall and are forced into a crazy turnaround move. You start again.
Stage Six: Weight lifting
You’re feeling it, the weight. Your emotions are pulled taut. But you keep lifting/writing. Because that’s what weight lifters/writers do. You also eat lots of protein chocolate.
Stage Seven: Long jump
You realize the end is near! You pick up those feet and run…run…run…jump…and land in the sand as you type the words “The End.”
Stage Eight: Tennis
Revisions feel like a tennis match. You hit the ball over the net when you fix one scene, but it comes flying right back at you when you realize the next scene needs just as much work.
Stage Nine: Relay
You know it’d be crazy to do this whole thing alone. So you have wonderful craft and critique partners who help carry the baton and offer their expertise.
Stage Ten: Pole Vault
Submission time. You launch that baby into the air! But…well…sometimes what goes up must come down…in the form of a rejection. Other times…
Stage Eleven: Floor Exercise
Other times you’re dancing your heart out because…you’ve been contracted! Your story is going to be published. Life…is…beautiful!!!!!
Stage Twelve: Medal Ceremony
You’re on the platform. Smiling. Your book is in the hands of readers. It’s an incredible moment…but soon it’s time to step down. Put that medal up on the shelf. Hit that diving board again. Another story is waiting…
What stages and/or Olympic events did I miss?
Comments 24
I can really relate to stage eight, though I struggle with McEnroe tendencies during the volley.
Hehe, Beth! Oh those pesky revisions… 🙂
Stage five is a lot like dominoes. Change one thing and it has a ripple effect…like knocking over the first domino. lol And I always change something in the first chapter.
Oh yeah! I’m pretty sure I change my first chapter a good hundred times or so. 🙂
I love this (& your graphics). The writing life can be lots of important disciplined training for the relatively short actual event time where everything is decided–but faithful preparation wins the day, and love those medal ceremonies…
Very true! Lots of preparation that can take sooo long and then boom, you’re off. 🙂
Somewhere between stages 8 & 10 there is cycling. You feel like you’re spinning your wheels. You go through your manuscript over and over and over and over again. Sometimes you feel like you’re going up hill, fighting against all those words, themes and character arcs you created, but other times you’re coasting down a long, beautiful road, reading your words, amazed at how far you’ve come.
I loved this post, Melissa!!
Oooh, good one, Gabrielle. Cycling, for sure!
LOVE your creativity, Mel!! And I loved this…”you know how to book it.” Hehe, love the play on words.
And I think you described these all perfectly. Right now, I’m playing relay tennis…yep, I made that up. Thank goodness I have such an AMAZING CP to help me out. It’s almost like playing doubles. 😉
Yes! Yay for AMAZING CPs!! I think I have one of the best. 😉
Love this, Melissa! I’m sort of in 8, 9, and 10 and focusing on the gold!!
Yay! Your focus is in the right place. 🙂
What a fun post, Melissa. 🙂 Right now, I’m on the balance beam, trying to balance real life and writing life. Not doing so well at the moment. 🙂
I’ve always thought the butterfly stroke is a beautiful stroke, but it takes maximum effort to do it well. I guess when we put our all into the craft of writing, the message/story is fluid and beautiful. 🙂
Love your post today, and I’m with Dee. Your graphics rock. 🙂
Thanks, Jeanne! I can’t actually take credit for the graphics–I got them from Stock Xchange–royalty-free stock images. Woohoo! 🙂
You know, I’m tempted to think that balance beam dilemma follows us through all the stages. It’s definitely a challenge!
So true! Balance beam is my absolute worst sport–no medaling there:) I’ll keep practicing that one, though…seeing as my children do need to eat once in a while.
Haha, so nice of you to feed your children. I’m sure they appreciate it. 🙂
What a great analogy! I can’t wait for the thrill of victory. I’m a little weary of the agony on defeat! You just have to keep sprinting in this crazy business. I know how hard it is to get discouraged. So many of the new attendees at my writers conference come with no knowledge of how much “training” they will need to finish the race.
Great post!
Blessings
Jan
I’m sorry you’re weary, Jan. The sprint can get exhausting. But my friend Lindsay Harrel (she has a comment above) had an awesome blog post today with verses that encourage her in her writing–and one was Phil. 1:6 about how God is faithful to complete what he started. And I believe that about our writing. He’s with us in the sprint and he can see the happy end even when we can’t!
Thanks for stopping by!
Woah…that was AWESOME! You are soooo creative, girl! I love it!
Hehe, thanks, Sherrinda. I had fun with it. It wouldn’t have felt right NOT to blog about the Olympics…even though I still haven’t had a minute to watch any of them!
Great post. Made me smile the whole time reading it.
I’m tired of Stage 8: tennis. But at least I feel like I’ve been playing a few games of doubles, lately. Got a great crit partner, which counts for a lot. I’m so happy the Olympics are on. I just love watching them…seeing the unity that we so often otherwise lack.
I actually really love revisions, but there’s always a point at which I wish I could just feel…done. 🙂 I’m glad you’ve got a great crit partner. Doesn’t that make all the difference?! 🙂
I’m hoping to catch my first chance at Olympics-watching tonight. 🙂
Great images! I’m diving in…
Diving in is an exciting place to be, Tina! 🙂