Blogging Hall of Fame?

Note: This blog post involves two of my favorite things: Movies and baseball.

So this weekend, I was in Toronto for the Film Festival and a Black List screenwriter’s mini-lab workshop. Amazing experience all around.

While there, I was talking with some writers, longtime fans of the blog, who had a hard time believing I had posted something every day since the launch of the site on May 16, 2008. I assured them I had, telling them — jokingly — I was going after the record for consecutive games played by baseball great Cal Ripken Jr.

That night as a lark, I checked online.

OOPS!

Turns out this humble little blog has already bypassed Ripken:

The record of playing in 2,632 consecutive games over more than 16 years is held by Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles. Ripken surpassed Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees, whose record of 2,130 consecutive games had stood for 56 years. Before Gehrig, the record was held by Everett Scott (1,307 consecutive games), a shortstop with the Red Sox and Yankees whose streak ended in 1925, less than a month before Gehrig’s began. Everett broke the previous record which was established by George Pinkney (577 consecutive games) from 1885–1890.

As of today, GITS has posted 2,680 consecutive days.

While I was too busy to pay attention, I smashed Ripken’s record.

Why is this important?

Beyond my own obsessive personality, the takeaway for writers is this:

Do it everyday.

Every. Day.

Talent is great. Voice is wonderful. But persistence… consistency… commitment… those are essential parts of a writer’s arsenal. Showing up at your desk… day after day after day… to do the work…

This is where you prove yourself worthy of hire. The suits will figure you not only have talent, they know you will do the work.

They need to believe you will be there when it counts.

How to demonstrate that?

By doing the work each and every day.

So whenever you don’t feel like writing, just think of this number…

2,680.

If I can sit my ass down and write blog posts for 2,680 consecutive days, no matter my mood, my health, my insane schedule…

You. Can. Too.

Do the work. Every day.

FYI my next goal: 3,000.

See you in about a year to celebrate that achievement.

And hey, Cal Ripken, Jr.? If you ever feel like writing a screenplay and need an online resource…

You know where to look!

Onward!

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