Going for gold

Yesterday was the winningest day in the history of American achievements at the Winter Olympics with a total of six medals for the day. Compare it to the year the games were held in Calgary - six medals was the American total for the entire games. Three of yesterday's medals were gold - Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White and Shani Davis - all amazing to watch, all inspiring in their own way.

In fact, the games have been pretty inspiring in general. All the personal stories and small details that get revealed help to shape the way we see the athletes, not just as competitors, but as people. From the Chinese pairs skaters who've been together for eighteen years to the Canadian skier whose brother's cerebral palsy inspires him to train harder, the stories are what connect us to these athletes. We empathize and we root for them, even though they represent different countries.

For the writer, there's a lesson in that. That emotional connection is so important in our characters, whether they be the hero or the villain. We must create that connection so the reader cares. If the reader doesn't care, it's far too easy to put the book down. (Or to continue the Olympics theme, change the channel.)

Something to think about when you work on that WIP today.