I picked up a copy of Jeremy Schaap’s Cinderella Man recently, the bestselling book about boxer James J. Braddock and his amazing upset of Max Baer to win the heavyweight title during the Great Depression. Cinderella Man was also made into a motion picture, directed by Ron Howard and starring Russell Crowe.
In the acknowledgements section, Schaap recalls a conversation with a colleague, friend and mentor who advised the author on the subject matter and the process of writing a book.
“He called it a forced march,” Schaap wrote. “Like most everything Ralph told me in the fifteen years we knew each other, his description was on the mark ….”
I, like Schaap, can appreciate that description as I work on various aspects of my first book and other writing projects. As much as I enjoy being a writer, producing words can truly feel like a forced march, especially on a Monday.
I’m encouraged when I recognize that it’s a challenging process for others as well. Thanks, Jeremy Schaap.
Neil Sagebiel 