More than fifteen years ago I got into coaching because I had an idea for a novel where the main character was a college basketball coach. I hoped I might get some insights into the character by living the life for a year. I really was only planning on doing it for a single season. When it got warm again, I would get started on the novel and by next winter be on to my next project.
Ten years or so later, I had been to countless practices and games, met a lot of great people, traveled all over the country, but somehow never wrote a word. Realizing my new son was a pretty important development in my life and that I wasn't going anywhere as a basketball coach, I hung up my whistle.
In the next few years, I still never found time to write anything about that coach character that had seemed so important to me back in the early 90s. It took the wrenching jolt of realization that my marriage was dead to get me to pick up my pen again. I started by working through some old writing workshop exercises, designed to get the words flowing again. Then, as it always seems to, real life took over again and I left the project again to put my life back together. I distracted myself with my children, building a new relationship, taking pictures and traveling while changing jobs and enjoying life.
Recently, as crazy as life has been, I have been feeling the need to start doing some real writing again. I started this website two years ago to force me to do some kind of writing every day, and it's done that. An old high school friend (and recent Facebook friend) described the Another Delco Guy site as 'eclectic,' which I recognize as a kind way to say, 'jesus man, you're all over the place here.'
So the other day I dusted off a few of those short pieces that I did three years ago. I'm planning to spend the next week or so cleaning up the spelling and typos and post them here one by one. Maybe you'll see something you like. Maybe you'll hate it all. One way or another, drop me a line and let me know what you think
Looking forward to reading them.
Posted by: John | March 10, 2009 at 02:59 PM