THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion

I recently wrote a piece on the difference between fighting MMA and writing novels. I know this group is mainly for discussing reading, not writing, but I've also seen a bunch of threads about all of the authors that are here too, so I thought somebody might find inspiration and comfort in what I had to say about sticking with your dreams. If you read it, let me know what you think.
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Fighting and Writing
by Chris Dietzel

I’ve fought inside a cage, and I’ve written a novel. I’m here to tell you that winning in mixed martial arts (MMA) is easy compared to gaining an audience when you’re an unknown author.

After graduating college in 2000, I immediately started training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) with the intent of fighting in sanctioned cage fights. I had always been a goofy kid, the class clown, but as soon as I saw tapes of MMA fights in college, I knew I needed to give it a shot. As someone who never took anything seriously, even the dreams I held most dear, the cage fights were a test of the most basic fight-or-flight variety, a challenge that would teach me what type of person I really was.

The goal became an obsession. I saw the people in my gym who trained more often and more ferociously than everyone else, and I wanted to train even harder than they did. Along the way, the confidence that BJJ gave me in myself, changing me from the court jester to someone who understood the importance of goals and personal victories, allowed me to think about my other dream, even more secretive and dear to me than fighting, as something other than a fool-hardy delusion. I wanted to write the Great American novel.

In college, I had so little confidence in achieving my goals that I didn’t even bother taking a creative writing class. But only a few years later, thanks to BJJ, I began to think of this fantasy as something I could achieve if I truly dedicated myself to it. It was still a secret from my friends and family, something they might think of as an unrealistic pipedream. But to me it was no longer a foolish goal to be laughed away.

Starting in 2004, when I wasn’t working at my 9-5 job or training in BJJ or MMA, I was writing. Instead of going out with friends on Friday and Saturday nights, I wrote. Instead of going to Happy Hour, I went home and wrote. I had two goals: fighting and writing. Absolutely all of my time was devoted toward these two ends.

In 2006, I earned my brown belt in BJJ and had my first MMA fight, which I won. A couple months later, I had my second fight and my record improved to 2-0. What I noticed was that both fights were easier than the training I went through in preparation for them. I practiced with the goal that if I trained harder, trained more often, and trained smarter than my opponent, I would win. The result was completely up to me. And that theory held up.

During this entire time, I was honing my craft as a writer, developing my voice, understanding my strengths and weaknesses, and generally improving my craft.


The rest can be found at: http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.c...

That's a solid blog entry, Chris. I Tweeted it out there. Hope a few more readers catch your words.

Thanks Steve, I appreciate the support. And I just added you as someone I follow on Twitter!

Interesting stuff, Chris. And right on the mark in terms of how some of the lessons from training can be used as you hone your craft as a writer.

Thanks, John. I'm glad you liked it. I definitely wouldn't have the confidence to believe I can achieve my dreams if it hadn't been for MMA and BJJ.