Image courtesy of Loimere
Anyone who knows me is aware of my love of professional hockey, especially the Detroit Red Wings, who are struggling to stay alive in the conference semi-finals (boo, hiss San Jose). I recently quoted the great Wayne Gretzky to Mary (more on that later) and realized there are many parallels between hockey and writing.
- Go for the gold. Whether Olympic gold metals or Lord Stanley’s cup, a hockey player’s eye is always on the ultimate prize. The eighty-two regular games are nothing more than a warm-up for the sixteen needed to win the cup. So it should be with your writing. If it isn’t your hobby (why in hell are you sacrificing and spending so much time and money on it if it isn’t a hobby?) then you need to intently go after the goal of publication.
Wayne Gretzky – “We’ve got a long way to go, let’s be honest. We know we’ve got an uphill battle, but nobody’s going to quit.”
- You’re not in it alone. Hockey players spend less than a minute at a time on the ice. Lines (three offense or forwards and two defense or line men) are constantly on and off the ice. Players are shuffled. Teamwork is essential in this fast-paced game. Writing may seem like a solitary occupation, but you’ll never improve and grow if you don’t socialize with other writers. Whether it’s a critique partner or group, a writing group (like our Grand Rapids Region Writers Group), seminars, conferences, Twitter or Facebook, it’s vitally important to connect, learn, laugh and improve.
Wayne Gretzky - “It was a hard fought game, our guys played a tough game. They’re a team that plays really had and our guys really came to work tonight.”
- The set up is important. Hockey is a mental game as much as it is a physical one. A goal starts many plays before the puck hits the net. The set up for your story’s big black moment – the crisis – should start from page one. Don’t link events together in a “string of pearls”- random events that don’t escalate the tension. Every scene should up the tension and plunge your characters into deeper water.
Dave Hakstol – “It was an awfully tight hockey game going into the third period. But the guys continued to do the little things and eventually they were rewarded for it.”
- Sometimes, you take the hit. Hockey is best know for its physical play. It can be brutal. So can your writing career. The emotional anguish of rejections and reviews will take its toll on you. Hockey players keep playing when hurt. Do the same.
Rodney Dangerfield - “I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out.”
- Reinvent yourself. This was the original quote I showed Mary by Wayne Gretzky – “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.” This is counter-intuitive to “don’t write for the market”, but if you know you write well, and you’re not selling, it’s time to step back and find out where you can direct your strengths.
Mary and I are in the process of playing where the puck is going to be. The publishing industry is going through the greatest change in its history. Opportunity comes with change. As the industry reinvents itself, we’re looking for a way to stay on the crest of the wave. We’ll have more to share soon.
In the meantime, take a few lessons from the players of the National Hockey League.
Leave the octopus at home.
Go Red Wings!
Cheryl
