Nobody who knows me will be surprised that today I am relating writing to sport.
Today my beloved West Ham United (bless me, no one can accuse me of being a glory fan!!) are playing for the chance to be in the play off final in the Championship. Basically what this means is we were not good enough to be promoted automatically and so have to play off for the final place in the Premier League.
So in my analogy the Premier League is published author status--everyone else wants to be up there with the big boys and girls. Those who have already been promoted have done their revisions and had their manuscript bought (like the very wonderful Maya Minx). Those in the play offs, like West Ham, are doing their revisions (like the incredibly talented Sally Minx, Romy Minx and Sri Minx) and the best thing about the publishing business is rather than there being only one spot to be filled in published paradise there's as many as needed!
Those who fail in the play offs will have their revised manuscript rejected, those who didn't reach the play offs have rejections. However, there will be another season/another manuscript and so another chance to reach the Premier League. Some of those authors currently up there in published paradise may stop writing or concentrate on other things so there are always opportunities for those who want it badly enough.
It's a season long campaign, it's not all about one game/one story, it's about improving week on week. It's about finding new players/plots when the ones you have are not working out. It's about writing cracking dialogue/having players regularly scoring goals. It's about being brave enough to delete the stuff that isn't working/letting players go. But most of all it's about having that one story that hits the right editor's desk at the right time all wrapped up in sparkling writing. It's about having a Robin van Persie right there in your word document ... kinda!!
Now feel free to comment and tell me I am mad (I already know this!) or tell me what you relate writing to in order to make it all make sense :-)
3 comments:
I have friends at work who're buzzing about West Ham's win last night, Jo! Bet you're still celebrating too :)
Brilliant post, lovely Minx :)
I like this! Yes, just like sports, it requires practice and teamwork (thru crits and support).
Yes, Maya! I was jumping up and down everywhere. Kids all thought I was mad. And they are right ;-)
Yes, Jennifer, definitely. Lots of practice and lots of different levels of ability/talent etc.. There are not too many things I don't try to link to sports analogies ;-)
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