The Matterhorn: truth in fiction
The Matterhorn with Dr. Kathleen Waller
Sports in Fiction | Episode 48
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Sports in Fiction | Episode 48

How to layer stories with athletic pursuits and competitive team culture
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Today’s podcast is part of a series to accompany my current serialized novel, An Interpreter in Vienna, as we investigate the truth in fiction. You can also listen to the podcast via Apple or Spotify or in the Substack app. As always, feel free to share any of your work related to the conversation.

I’m in Istria for two weeks with very spotty wifi, so apologies for not getting back to your comments sooner. I’ll get there eventually!

Thank you!

people watching baseball game during daytime
Fenway Park, Boston, Photo by Taylor Rooney on Unsplash
A full AI-created transcript can be accessed on the desktop version.

Keywords:

  • Sport as part of Everyday Life

    • Both as action, something we do or your character does

    • And as culture: supporting teams, iconic athletes, Olympics & nationalism, sport subcultures, songs, designs, pastimes & social activities

  • Or the story itself may be about a professional or iconic athlete

  • Theatrics of sport / spectacle

  • America: baseball

  • Austria: skiing

  • Sports in literature

Considerations for your work:

  • What are the dominant sports of the culture of the setting of your story? In what ways do they weave themselves into everyday life? What kinds of stories do they tell?

  • Can you include sport as metaphor or symbol for something your character is going through? How might the discussion of or observation of a sport make this clearer for the reader and allow for individual interpretation?

  • Why might an athlete-character benefit your story? Consider an everyday athlete or a more professional or iconic one.

Feel free to share your related work or recommendations in the comments.

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The Matterhorn: truth in fiction
The Matterhorn with Dr. Kathleen Waller
The Matterhorn is for writers and curious minds from author and academic Dr. Kathleen Waller.
Each week in this new season, Kathleen shares a chapter of her serialized novels - A Hong Kong Story & An Interpreter in Vienna - and uses it as a catalyst to discuss the layers of literature and how you can use these in your own writing.
The Matterhorn mission is to bring books and texts to life through an interdisciplinary and international approach as well as help writers take risks and create from knowledge.
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https://thematterhorn.substack.com/