E.A. Brady

If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time, you will surely have noticed my love of combat sports. (I know, very strange for a middle-aged mom and romance writer, but it is what it is, and I make no apologies for the things that bring me joy! 🥊😁)

Anyhow, you may also have noticed that I love to draw comparisons between the life of a writer and the training I do in the gym. Recently, my coach called me out on some of my less awesome tendencies; specifically, my tendency to only train the things I’m good at.

Let’s be honest, who wants to work on the things you suck at? (👀 left uppercuts!)

As much as I hated hearing it, he wasn’t wrong.

It’s really fun to train the things I’m good at. It’s fun to see a bad kick become a good kick become a badass kick. It’s much less fun watching a crappy uppercut stay a crappy uppercut. And don’t even get me started on the monstrosity that is the speed bag. (Masterclass in being uncoordinated, anyone??)

The same principles of training hold true for writing. I’ve been told through feedback from readers that they enjoy my dialogue and that my character interactions are fun to read. Sweet! Guess what I like to do as a writer? Dialogue and character interactions!

I’ve also been told that my pacing can feel rushed and that my settings can be underdeveloped. And, guess what I tend to ignore while I write? You guessed it… pacing and settings.

Those are difficult things for me as a writer. I love writing dialogue and crafting fun (and antagonistic) relationships between characters. I don’t love having to work on pacing and setting the scene – even though those are as integral to the stories I write as the ability to throw an uppercut is to my fighting!

It’s time to face the truth – I’ve got to start adding some more writing skill practice as well as Muay Thai skill drills into my routine. I know they’re good for me. I know they’ll make me a more well-rounded athlete and writer. And as take both of those things seriously, I owe it to myself and to my readers to be as good at them as I possibly can be.

What things do you know you should work harder at, but just don’t want to do it? Don’t leave me hanging. I know I’m not alone here!