Writing a good sports scene can be a difficult task for a writer. You want a balance between action, conversation, internal monologue, and emotions. In this writer's reveal, I'll tell you how I construct a good hockey scene for my stories.

Hockey has played a prominent role in my life. My family lives and breathes it, and hockey always somehow makes it into the conversation whenever we get together. When I first started writing action-packed hockey scenes, I had a serious case of imposter syndrome that stemmed from the idea that hockey is a men's sport. When you peek into the hockey world, it is a very male-dominated, white sport: the majority of the players white and identify as male, the commentators are male, the refs are male. Plus, men are paid way more than women, which, like Brenna Harrison, is something that makes me grind my teeth. I'll say it here and until the day I take my last breath: men are not better at hockey than women. We deserve just as much pay.

You're probably asking, "How does this relate to constructing a hockey scene?" Common issues, such as inequality, are often a fuel for passions. One of my passions is highlighting the issues within the world of hockey, while also enjoying the game. Although frustration is seen as a negative emotion, there are ways to convert that negative emotion into something that can be productive (in no way am I saying everyone does this, this is from my personal experience, so I am only speaking for myself here).

Below, I have seven basic components that will help you build a hockey scene!

1. Watch a game! In North America, during the fall/winter/spring, there is at least one hockey game a night. If you live in the North American region, open the NHL website or app, look at the schedule, and choose a game to watch (I would recommend the Vancouver Canucks, and to avoid the Boston Bruins at all costs—yes, I'm still sour about 2011). When watching your first game, I would suggest just watching it. Don't take notes or look anything up because I find it takes away from the experience. Simply just immerse yourself in the game to see if you like it. If you don't, then maybe writing a hockey romance story isn't for you, which is perfectly fine! If you do like the sport by the end of the game, then watch another one. This time, I suggest taking notes and looking up the rules. Maybe even the roster of the team to get a feel of the structure. Take notes on what the ice looks like, what skills certain hockey players have, what the commentators' language sounds like, etc. You can never have too much knowledge, and the more you know about a game you want to write about, the better!

2. Choose your player/character. A character's personality traits are often reflected in the way they play the game. Is your player aggressive on the ice? Do they like to instigate fights? Some types of personalities are better for the captaincy role. When I wrote my character, Luke Madden, from "The One You Fight For," I knew I had to make him passionate about the sport. Some of his main attributes include loyalty, compassion, determination, and perseverance. These traits don't necessarily comply with someone who would instigate fights or jump into a conflict to fight for his teammates. Shea Smith, from Bending the Rules, on the other hand, has the traits to be a fighter on the ice.

3. Decide what POV you want to write from. There are many ways to portray a hockey game. When it comes from the player's POV, you need to make sure the reader feels the action. Hockey is a very physical sport, so make sure there is a lot of physical action (i.e., your main character being checked into the boards—do they prepare themselves for the impact or is the impact sudden? Does the plexiglass shake?). If you decide to tell the story from the POV of someone who who is watching the game, make sure there is a lot of descriptive writing, but also pair it with some internal thoughts. Sometimes, viewers don't agree with a penalty that the ref has called or maybe they think a penalty should've been called. Perhaps your character is the referee. This is an interesting position to write from because a lot of people, both the players and fans, think the ref is the enemy. Whatever you choose to write, remember that each perception of the game is different. A viewer in the stands won't be able to feel the impact of being smashed into the boards, but they will cringe and think "Ouch, that's gotta hurt."

4. Dialogue! You have to add dialogue! Hockey isn't hockey without the classic chirps and snappy comments. It's best to make this happen between the protagonist and antagonist (if both are hockey players) because it emphasizes how much they dislike each other. Brenna and Shea threw lots of chirps back and forth while they were playing against each other, especially in the beginning when they really disliked each other.

5. Include the fans. Although there is plexiglass separating the fans from the ice, the fans are just as involved in the game as the players. When the ref makes a bad call, the crowd will unanimously groan. When they want to taunt the opposing goalie, they will start chanting his name in a condescending manner. And when that goalhorn goes off, they will cheer. They will scream and stand in their seats with their hands in the air. Popcorn will fly, people will chug their beers, and everyone will watch the players who were on the ice at the time of the goal hug and celebrate.

6. Short sentences. When writing an action scene, especially in hockey, short sentences almost add a heartbeat to the scene. I'm not saying everything should be written in short sentences—diversity in sentence structure is good! Something like:

"The puck richoets off of the post, deflecting into the corner. KJ and Brenna race for the puck. The blades of their skates scrape across the ice. Both players fight to win the race, but KJ nudges past Brenna. With possession of the puck, KJ slides is across the ice. Shea winds up for a slap-shot. His hockey stick collides with the puck, and the crowd holds their breath as it whizzes passed the goalie. Then the goal horn blares. Shea throws his hands up in the air as the crowd cheers, drowning out the goal song playing in the background."

This example has a mix of short and medium sentences that allows tension to seep into the scene. You can tell that something is building up before Shea scores the goal. Using short sentences as a majority creates a much-needed form of anticipation.

7. Ignore the rude comments. I will admit, I sometimes respond to comments that I find offensive. It never goes well. There is nothing wrong with constructive criticism. If you get something wrong regarding the rules of hockey, then it's really nice when someone tells you what went wrong. But if they're bashing your work, don't respond. You have the ability to delete the comments if you don't like them. If they continue to devalue your work, you can also mute them. Remember, there is a big difference between rude comments and constructive comments. Every writer starts off crappy. When I first started writing, my hockey scenes weren't balanced. I would either have too much descriptive work or too much dialogue. The more comfortable you are with the game, the better your writing will become.

Hockey is a phenomenal sport to watch and play. While writing it can be tricky, there are plenty of ways to remedy that. Personally, I think the best way to learn about the game is to watch it. Trust me, you will not regret it! Just please don't support the Boston Bruins—it'll hurt my withered Canucks heart (I'm joking around. Cheer for whomever you please, but just know that I really hate the Bruins!).

As per many writers, I've saved the best piece of advice for last. And that one is to HAVE FUN! As a fellow writer, I know writing can sometimes be anything but fun. But when you're writing something you're passionate about, I find it to be much easier. As much as I love writing about broody hockey players, the game is the real reason I write a lot of hockey romance stories here on Wattpad. It's filled with passion and action, and the more you practice, the better you become at writing them.

So, for my last piece of advice, all I can say is: Find a good, upbeat song, picture a hockey arena and get to work. I hope this advice has helped you or maybe even inspired you to pick up a pen or grap your laptop and start writing hockey!