Two Things I Am Learning from Chess [2020 Discussion Challenge - #8]

Two Things I Am Learning from Chess

Image by PIRO4D from Pixabay

(NOTE: This is an exploratory post, where I share undeveloped thoughts and ideas.)

My 11-year old loves chess. In fact, he is quite good. Having won a trophy for his performance in two championships (the only ones he has entered), his love for the game is infectious.

As a young black girl growing up in Baltimore City, chess wasn’t “a thing”. The community was more focused on sports, math, and science. So, having a penchant for science and math, I followed the pre-designed path. But, my interest in the ancient game never waned. Sure, I had to tuck it away.

Enter my son. My interest in learning the game has come alive!

Last week, he won 2nd place in a local chess tournament. It was his first rated tournament. I was so happy that I forgot to post on Sunday! But, I explored how chess can not only encourage me to leave the house (and actually be social), but it can also help me become better in so many ways. One particular area that I want to improve is my book blogging game.

My initial thoughts:

1. Playing chess is not just for the young. It is for everyone. How does this relate to book blogging? Well…it is for everyone. Regardless of the genre, number of followers, or number of posts! I don’t have to be like anyone else.
• I don’t have a niche. I read a little of everything! I am ok with this. Sure, some popular book bloggers read only crime fiction or YA. But, that doesn't equate to a formula for success. In my eyes, success = being yourself!
• I have roughly 1230 consistent readers. I’m cool with that!
• I don’t post frequently, regardless of what I plan on my editorial calendar. Some book bloggers post daily. Man….I don’t have time for all that. But, I have a few hacks/strategies that work when I work them.
2. To become a strong chess player, practice and study is necessary. How does this relate to book blogging? Well…if I want to become a more frequent and proficient reviewer, I must perfect the art of reviewing. This means reading reviews of books that either I have read or want to read. Why? To learn from the structure. I struggle with spoilers! I like spoilers. I need to know how a book ends so that I can enjoy the character arcs and overall story structure. But…most (probably 98% of readers) don’t like spoilers and I end up stuck when writing a review because I inevitably reveal something.

See..peeking into my mind as I process something can be a little scary. It is amazing how often I relate everything back to blogging and reading. 

YOUR TURN: What is a game that you play? Can you find a correlation between the game and blogging?