Making up your own sport.

Right now, I’ve written about 35,000 words that I believe have the potential of being published. I was at around 145 before, but I’ve scrapped a lot of that and decided to do another rewrite. I do rewrites like I change my underwear, honestly. (Frequently, in case you were wondering.)
One of my biggest challenges has been describing a sport I made up. Sometimes, I sit back and think about J.K. Rowling and her ingenious invention of Quidditch. Similar is Final Fantasy X and their Blitz Ball creation. You literally have to make a little rule book for yourself in order for it to be genuine. You can’t just toss your characters out there and hope for the best because even you won't know what in the blazes you're talking about.

My ardor for sports has helped me. I’ve always been fascinated with watching athletes so inventing my own sport has been a way for me to channel this bizarre energy I have for my favorites like Tim Lincecum, Tom Brady, Apolo Anton Ohno and Ray Allen. But it’s a challenge. It makes me appreciate the many creative terminologies Al Michaels finds of describing a catch. I mean seriously. How many freaking ways are there for me to narrate a series of actions to you when you can't see what I see?
I’ve had to weave in conflict between my descriptions of the sport, as I’m sure J.K. did with good ol’ Harry in his first match when they think Snape is bewitching the broom. (Snape is so the best character, by the way. The best right hand man ever, second maybe to Doc Holiday and that’s it.)

See, J.K. and the Japanese definitely based the passion for their respective athletic companies on the thing every country except America goes crazy for: soccer. (Football) The Quidditch Tournament in the fourth book is so the World Cup and we all know it. I'm sure J.K. herself is a fan and maybe even wears her colors and everything.

It's fantastic how much we use what we know in our stuff. I'm a black belt in kung fu, so you can bet that my "sport" is a fighting one.

I have the encouragement of my critique group, Bonnie Hearn Hill and my two fellow bloggers to thank for pushing me forward with this project and inspiring me to put a lot more energy in to my made-up sport. I can’t tell you what it is. You’ll have to wait for the book!
Happy writing.