For those who are new, last September my indoor soccer team got promoted to the top division in Classsics division (which means we're over 35). We had a hard season. Lost most of our games (all but 2) and got scored on a lot. Even though we didn't finish last, I thought for sure the league would put us down a division for the 2010-2011 season, but they didn't.
So faced with another abysmal season, our team started brainstorming our options. We could face another hard season and this time finish last, we could request to go in the bottom open division, or we could quit. I'm glad to say that no one wanted to quit, but the prospect of another hard season didn't sit well with us. So me and my co-manager of the team wrote the board a letter stating their own rules and how they didn't follow them. I must say it was one of my best letters. My husband even said it was well written and that's something coming from him.
We waited a week before I finally got a call saying they were putting us back down a division. Jubilation ensued.
Part of me wonders if we should have tried more to rise to the challenge of competing in that division. Did we sell ourselves short?
Do you ever feel like that with writing? You finish a scene. You think it's good. Maybe it could be better, but you don't know how, so you leave it. Are we selling ourselves short, when we should be trying harder to reach a higher level of writing?
What do you think?
So faced with another abysmal season, our team started brainstorming our options. We could face another hard season and this time finish last, we could request to go in the bottom open division, or we could quit. I'm glad to say that no one wanted to quit, but the prospect of another hard season didn't sit well with us. So me and my co-manager of the team wrote the board a letter stating their own rules and how they didn't follow them. I must say it was one of my best letters. My husband even said it was well written and that's something coming from him.
We waited a week before I finally got a call saying they were putting us back down a division. Jubilation ensued.
Part of me wonders if we should have tried more to rise to the challenge of competing in that division. Did we sell ourselves short?
Do you ever feel like that with writing? You finish a scene. You think it's good. Maybe it could be better, but you don't know how, so you leave it. Are we selling ourselves short, when we should be trying harder to reach a higher level of writing?
What do you think?
14 comments:
I know I've sold myself short with my writing at times. Many times I've left a so-so scene because I couldn't or didn't want to take the time to make it better.
That's what revisions are for. Unfortunately you don't get do-overs in soccer.
Your team believes its skill-level is better suited for another division, and you are in it for fun. Why not?
Sometimes I think about revising a scene and walk away. It's too hard.
I've done this in writing too many times to count or admit to. But now that I'm rewriting I understand that this only prolongs the process. I need to get in there and make it shine:)
I've decided that I need to write, let it sit, rewrite, let it sit, have crit group look at it, let it sit, do final revisions. It's a lot of work and time, but well worth it.
I think what you did by writing the board was wonderful! Way to go Patti! =)
I agree with Piedmont Writer when she says that's what revision is for. In the revision process is when we find our weak spots and beef them up or ax them altogether.
And as far as your soccer goes...I am beyond impressed with you!!!
Oh, Patti, you could have pulled this post out of my head! I have been having these feelings A LOT lately. I don't have any answers, but I have been insecure about it.
I know I probably do. Except that's what revision is for. I'm in the process of my umpteenth revision on a WiP. It's far enough along that everything that needs to be there is there. So now I'm literally examining every single sentence/word to make sure it's just right. Sometimes I discover I did all right the first time. Most often I find there's a lot I can do to improve it.
That's the beauty of writing. We can always revisit it when we're ready (again) to give our best.
Sometimes I'm too quick thinking a novel is ready, but fortunately I have readers who hold me back and tell me the truth. Over time I've become better at polishing my manuscript and giving it extra time to stew.
I can be that way sometimes. I'm working to overcome it in my writing. Since it's something I'm trying to do professionally, I think it's important to make it the best I can.
We can't always continue, to always have it better. Sometimes we need to say "enough is enough". If that's always the case, obviously we're on a bad track, but sometimes - yes, it's important to breathe a little...
Thanks for following my blog, by the way, and thanks for commenting on my TV post. Have a beautiful day!
Kristine
I don't know, but it's a great question, Patti. Is it selling ourselves short? Or realizing we're trying too much too soon, and that we're only stunting our growth? Sometimes it takes removing oneself from a situation to really grow and flourish from the other side. You know?
Sigh.
Patti, I ALWAYS feel like that.
I'm on my third (hopefully final) edit of Secrets before the galley proofs.
It just needs SO MUCH work.
Is enough ever enough?
Patti
I don't think this was a matter of not rising to the challenge as much as knowing your limits and where you are best suited.
My take on the comparison is that when you're talking about writing a scene, you're really talking about a play within the game - not what league you're playing in. You always want to make that the best it can be with the skills you have.
As far as the league - that's like saying you want to write crime novels instead of picture books. I definitely discovered that YA and MG books are not where I play well. :)
I hope this season - both in writing and in soccer - is filled with success for you. I think you made a good choice!
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