Soccer is such a fun game to play—you get to kick things, wear cool uniforms, and the best part, snacks! Nothing tastes better after you’ve been sweating for an hour than an awesome snack. But what exactly does writing have in common with soccer? Is it the snacks??
As a longtime writer, I can definitely assure you that there is a lot of snacking involved. That is not, however, the BIG thing they both have in common. Well, I’m not just going to make it easy and tell you right away. That would make for a short post and wouldn’t be any fun for me.
Let’s take a closer look at playing soccer. Most people start out around the same level and have to learn the same skills like passing, trapping, shooting, and so on. There is usually practice once or more each week and a game on the weekend. Then there is often some sort of big game at the end of the season like a tournament or championship.
Now let’s think about writing stories. Are there common skills that people need to learn? Definitely. Kids (and adults) learn about character, setting, plot, and language, and how to use those tools to make a good story. That’s another thing they have in common.
But it’s not the BIG thing.
Is it the part about tournaments? While a big writing tournament sounds like a great time to me, there isn’t really a writing season, and so there isn’t really a big championship at the end.
Have you figured it out yet?
If you think the answer has to do with practice, you’re right! Every single week players practice soccer so they can get better, and the more practice they do, the better they will be. The same thing is true about writing. The more often you practice, the better you will become.
You also need to be patient with yourself while you’re learning. You wouldn’t expect someone who’s never played soccer before to know how to do a perfect corner kick. The same is true for writing. Someone who is just learning may not be able to make their plot totally perfect, but they will get better with each story they write.
So that’s the important thing—to write! And to write often. Practice, practice, practice.
That’s all for now. All this snack talk has been making me hungry. I’m going to go get a…well, you know.
By Arielle Haughee
Previously an elementary teacher, Arielle Haughee (Hoy) is a five-time RPLA-winning author and the owner of Orange Blossom Publishing. She is an editor, speaker, and coach. She is the author of The Complete Revision Workbook for Writers, the children’s books Grumbler, Joyride, Pling’s Party, and Sixth Sunday, the editor of the How I Met My Other anthology series, and the creator of the Focus Journal line of journals. She was also honored with the President’s Award from the Florida Writers Association in 2020.
She has a serious reading addiction, fantasy romance her absolute favorite, and loves nothing more than good conversation paired with a good wine. She is surrounded by males at home—a husband, two sons, and an energetic dog—and tries to integrate as much purple and flowers in the house as possible.
0 Comments