Once a week a friend and I meet up at our local cinema for a chat and the chance to watch the latest film. Last week we were both enthralled while watching the film ‘Eddie the Eagle’, about the British Olympic ski-jumper Michael ‘Eddie’ Edwards.
Eddie had wanted to be an Olympian ever since childhood. He had a dream, and could not be deterred. As a small boy one of his legs was in a brace due to knee problems, and his parents tried to dissuade him from his goal, probably to avoid future disappointment. His father wants him to get a proper job and be a plasterer like himself, and when Eddie leaves school, his father arranges for him to start work on a building site.
Eddie is a awesomely bad plasterer, because has other ideas. He visits the Olympic headquarters in London and asks to join the British ski team. He is laughed out of the building and told there isn’t one. Still undeterred, he learns to ski-jump because with this sport he doesn’t have to compete as part of a team. His spectacular crashes and injuries bring him to the attention of Bronson Peary, an ex championship ski-jumper who is now an alcoholic snow-plough driver on the ski jump where Eddie practises. Bronson eventually agrees to coach Eddie, but tells him he should have started jumping at the age of 5 or 6. Eddie is 22.
Eddie eventually stops crashing and masters the 70 metre jump, jumping the required distance to qualify for the 1988 Olympic games in Calgary. However, the Olympic team see Eddie as a bit of a joke, and raise the qualifying distance. Everything is stacked against him, but Eddie, determined to succeed, ‘borrows’ his dad’s van and together with Bronson they travel to Germany where he then sets out on the task of qualifying all over again.
I won’t tell you any more of the story, apart from the fact that the audience loved this film. I was impressed that Eddie never let anything get in the way of his dream, and thought to myself that this is the amount of determination I need to succeed as a writer. If Eddie could do it with everything stacked against him, then maybe I might have a chance to achieve my dream too. Us would-be-writers have to get up again after being knocked down with rejections, and come back determined to carry on and learn from our mistakes. We must never give up!
A few days ago I learned that an excerpt from my latest book ‘Repent at Leisure’ has made the shortlist of the Escalator Writing Contest (results announced 20th April). Ten winners will benefit from a year’s worth of mentoring from professional writers and a chance to meet literary agents and to take part in developmental workshops. You never know, this might just be my own Bronson Peary…….
http://www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk/escalator2016.aspx
joanneeddy said:
Thanks so much, Stevie, for this encouraging post…I needed it. This querying agents is very wearing and discouraging. Congratulations on moving forward in the contest and good luck for a positive outcome! jo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Jo. Keep going!
LikeLiked by 1 person
mariaholm said:
What an inspiring post. I would like to see this movie. You are so right we should not stop doing the things we love or think we can do. Congratulations on your writing contest
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for your comment. You will definitely like the film!
LikeLike
piratepatty said:
Congratulations!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Juli Hoffman said:
Fingers crossed!!!!! Congrats!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stevie Turner said:
Thanks!
LikeLike
robjodiefilogomo said:
How exciting—congrats to you!!
We always love movies like that—beating the odds and continued perseverance! It’s on our list to go see!! jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stevie Turner said:
Thanks. It’s a great film.
LikeLike
Bernadette said:
I remember Eddie. I think he was one of those people who used his awkwardness to his advantage. Your success is well deserved. Here is to more!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Bernadette.
LikeLike
franklparker said:
I remember how he became the media’s laughing stock back then. I saw him recently on a TV show promoting the film and he came across as a genuine human being. Apparently even the making of the movie was fraught with set backs.(Or, maybe, that was part of the marketing hype!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
malcolmarchibald said:
I will guarantee that you are a better writer than Eddie was a ski-jumper!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stevie Turner said:
Ha ha, but he never gave up and lived his dream. You just have to admire the bloke…..
LikeLike