How Writing is Like the Olympics

I love the Olympics. It isn’t just watching the greatest of each sport do what they do (though that’s definitely fun too) – it’s seeing the athletes who don’t necessarily expect to come home with the gold (or even the bronze, or even necessarily make it to the finals) put everything they have into an effort for a personal best.

Personal best.

I’ve been thinking about those words a lot since the opening ceremonies and they keep reminding me of the ways that being an elite athlete can be like b...