When opportunity comes...

As writers, we pull inspiration from wherever we can find it. That includes the wide world of sports and those figures who achieve the ultimate in their field. That's our goal, too, to achieve the ultimate by writing well enough, marketing well enough, that we'll be published regularly.

"When opportunity comes, it's too late to prepare," John Wooden said. Why should that statement inspire? Because what he accomplished does the talking. Just as we'll listen to Stephen King, Bob Bly, and other writing moguls who've scored big, we should listen to Coach Wooden, who has done what no one else has done: He was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame twice--first as a player for Purdue University, next as coach of UCLA's Bruins.

Like Stephen King and Bob Bly, the Coach did the hard stuff every workday. He positioned himself to be ready for the Big O, Opportunity. He had a plan, a playbook, indispensable tools we writers need, too.

Need more inspiration? Take a mini-break and watch "Miracle," Disney's movie about the 1980 Olympics. Herb Brooks, legendary coach, mercilessly, some would say, prepped his team of college---not pro---hockey players who walked away with the Gold Medal. Herbie positioned his team to win, and win they did!

What should be in our playbook? The plan to work our writing muscles every day, and write, write, write. Without that prep, we'll never be ready to meet the Big O.