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Column: Mightier than the Sword: Notes on Writing: Something New



On January 4, 2020, the Buffalo Bills held a 16-0 third quarter lead against the Houston Texans in the first round of the AFC playoffs. At this point in the game, according to ESPN, they had a 96.7 percent probability of winning. I think everyone in Buffalo remembers how this one turned out. But we’re not here to bring back bad memories. We’re here to talk about what happened in the months following the game. We’re here to talk about trying new things. 

It’s now January 2022, a new year, a time for new beginnings. It’s also time for playoff football, and it’s hard to talk about football without talking about the Buffalo Bills, and it’s hard to talk about the Buffalo Bills without talking about Josh Allen. And since this is supposed to be a column about writing, let’s see if we can tie the two together. 

Following the 2019 season, Josh Allen seemed to have everything going for him. In only his second year in the league, he led the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs, something very few analysts, if any, predicted before the season began, a feat Jim Kelly didn’t even accomplish (it took him three years). In 2019, Allen led the NFL in fourth quarter comebacks and game-winning drives. And in that playoff game against Houston, he became just the third player since 1975 to have 250+ pass yards, 40+ rush yards and 15+ receiving yards in a single game. It would have been extremely easy for Josh to remain content with his athletic performance, to enjoy the offseason, to return to an upgraded Bills roster with a chance to make the playoffs once again. But he didn’t remain content. Josh Allen opted for change. Josh Allen decided to try something new.

I think it’s important for humans to try new things. I think this is especially true for writers. It’s easy to become comfortable with a specific routine, or genre, or style, to buy into the old proverb: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But just because something isn’t broke, doesn’t mean you can’t make it better. When it comes to most things in life, there is no such thing as perfect. Even the best writers in the world can be better. Maybe that means tweaking your style. If you always write in first-person present-tense, consider giving third-person past-tense a try. Or maybe it means switching genres. If you only write short fiction, maybe try non-fiction, or a novella or even some poetry. Or maybe sometimes trying something new can be as simple as altering your routine. If you usually write at night, try the morning. If you only write on a computer in your office, try pen and paper on a bench in the park. If you only write in complete silence, try getting some work done while watching a Bills game. Speaking of which…

After that devastating loss in Houston and before the start of the 2020 season, Josh Allen made a change. He tried something new. That offseason, Allen adjusted his throwing motion. He didn’t have to. After all, it’s not like he was at risk of losing his job. But Allen understood that, to improve his game, he would have to try something new. The results were staggering. After never having thrown for more than 300 yards in a single game, Josh began his 2020 campaign by accomplishing that feat three times in a row. He went from dead last in completion percentage his first two seasons in the NFL to top five in the league. He had the second most votes for NFL MVP and led the Bills to their first AFC Championship Game since 1994. All because he decided to try something new.

I know this might not be the best analogy, but when you have a monthly column about writing but can’t stop thinking about football, you find creative ways to incorporate both topics. You try something new. As a writer, will your results be similar to Josh Allen’s? Probably not. Will changing your style, genre or routine result in a Pulitzer Prize? Highly doubtful. But it could result in better work, something we should all be striving for. If it doesn’t, you can always go back to what was working before. But you’ll never know if you don’t try. So try. Try something new.

(Author’s Note: I wrote and submitted this article before the Bills playoff game against the New England Patriots, but it will not be published until afterward. I hope you are reading it with the thrill of victory in your heart and not the agony of defeat. Either way, and always, Go Bills!)

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Mightier than the Sword: Notes on Writing is a column by Jon Penfold, an Iroquois Central graduate. He is the author of three books: “The Road and the River,” “The Last Indians,” and “A Long Walk on the Beach.” For information on ordering, or to see more of his work, please visit jonpenfold.com.

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