Hello FIGHTWRITER!
If you made it to this page, it’s highly possible that you bought my book. Thank you for that.
Here’s a little story I didn’t put in the book. It was a turning point for me as a writer, that’s for certain.
I went to my very first book conference, ACFW, back in, oh glory, 2010ish. If you have never been to a conference in person, I highly suggest it. Quite often you are able to make appointments with agents and editors. I did just that.
I was pitching a dystopian YA. I had my little one-sheet that told all about the book. I also had a one-sheet for a self published work. Y’all, I don’t know if the editor was just having a bad day or what and I don’t even remember what I said that brought he and I to this place, but we sure as heck got there. He pushed my one-sheets back to me and said, “No one will ever read your work.”
Yes, he did.
So help me, the world went into slow motion like it does in movies when there’s a car accident and you see the view inside the car – a tempest of arms and random stuff, tumbling in slow motion. In that moment, that very surreal moment, I had to make a choice:
I could stop writing even if I knew that agent could be wrong or keep writing even if I knew for a fact that he was right.
I kept the agent’s card for years. The day I signed the contract with Writer’s Digest for my first Fight Write book, I sent that agent an email. I reminded him of our slow-motion-car-wreck moment and then I thanked him. He had made me take a stand for my work and had fueled me not ever to give up. And, I know that sort of email could come across as snide. You know, kind of back-handed, like, “You turned me down and look at me now you turd burger!” I made sure he understood that was not my intention. I didn’t think so any way…maybe it was. If that’s the case, shame on me.
Regardless, I sent the email. And back it came. That editor was no longer with that agency. I truly hope wherever he is that he is successful.
Looking back, I see that editor was meant to be my “opposing force.” Master Kirk McCune talks about oppositional force in chapters 18 & 19 of Fight Write, Round Two. That force is vital to a warrior/fighter. It’s a concept that divides those who think they know how to fight from those who actually do.
In fight training/martial arts, you learn techniques and practice and drill them until your muscles know them as well as your brain. Then, you apply those to techniques to an unwilling opponent. In other words, you attempt to accomplish the technique goal against someone who is not only actively fighting against it but can use your movement against you. Oppositional force is why fighters spar. Hey, I can arm bar anyone who lets me! But the moment someone thwarts my best efforts to secure the position and apply the submission (goal of the technique), that’s when I know how well I really know that technique. And, I might know it well and still not accomplish it!
That brings me to another aspect of oppositional force. It also accomplishes another goal which most aren’t aware of, at least not right off the bat. An opposing force shows a fighter how much they need to improve and whether or not they are willing to do the work it takes to do so. It also shows them how hard they are willing to fight on when they do everything right and everything still goes wrong. I have done several martial arts but the one that has taken hold of me the most is Brazilian jiujitsu/grappling. The greatest lesson I have learned from the art/sport is that of resilience.
During the course of a 5 or 6 minute round of sparring, you might be submitted once or more every minute, especially when you are new. A submission is when you are put in a position from which you have to conceded defeat or you will get hurt or go unconscious from a choke. Every single time you are submitted, you have to decide if you are going to walk out of the gym. Then every time you leave class you have to decide if you will go back. You have to adopt resiliency or you won’t survive past a lower belt. Heck, you won’t survive more than one class.
The key to resiliency in BJJ is the same as it is to writing: you have to love doing it more than whatever about it that is hard. Yes, your work might be rejected. Love writing more than that rejection. Yes, you will be criticized by readers. Love writing more than that criticism. Yes, you might feel like a failure at times. Love writing more. Yes, you will have days when the words just won’t come out. Love writing more.
Don’t give up writer. Every single fighter has been knocked down. That’s a given and simply a part of being a fighter. What matters is that they get back up.
Keep going. The tough parts of writing aren’t tough because you are bad at it. They are tough because writing is HARD! And it never will be easy because the better you write the more you will raise your standard of what you deem good. Let me tell ya, go back and read some of my posts from eight years ago. I have improved. Yes, I misspled alot of wordds. Trust me, I get emails telling me about my poor speeling. I leave those word be and keep going.
In a perfect world I would now give you some meaningful token for you to put on your desk. You would see it and be reminded to just keep writing. But, this world ain’t perfect. So, these little motivational downloadables are all I got for now. Btw, feel free to send me motivational stuff through the contact form. I just might post it and give you credit!
Have a great day, writer. Keep loving this crazy gift you have. And keep writing. There may be times when you have to step away. That’s ok, you’re still a writer. You don’t have to be working on a writing project to be a writer. A bird that isn’t in the process of flight is still a bird. Hey, some birds can’t fly but they are still birds, dang it. You are a writer because that is how you’re wired. And that’s a wonderful thing.
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