I just read the news that White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle pitched the 18th perfect game in MLB history.
Like many things, it got me thinking about writing.
I have never played baseball at a competitive level but I have to believe retiring 27 batters in a row is akin to attending the premiere of a movie you wrote, or finding your book on the shelf of your local bookstore… joy, accomplishment and exhaustion all rolled into one.
How many games did Mark pitch before he reached perfection? How many scripts have you written that have yet to be produced?
What did he learn from every other game that prepared him for this one? What have you learned from past scenes and characters you have developed?
Like Mark, was there a time in your career when you had a no-hitter but just missed out on the perfect game?
It seems to me there are certain parallels between ballplayers and writers. Each new story (or game) is a battle and a journey, but if your craft is sound you always have a chance to get the win.
Just pray they don’t call in a reliever at the last minute 😉