Fit for Any Battle – An Interview with Author Richard Bagdonas

I have always been fascinated by the art of writing. I am in awe of those that write well and who effortlessly transform their thoughts into words.

When I found out that Twitter-friend Richard Bagdonas @richardbagdonas just released his first book –  Fit for Any Battle, I reached out to find out more. I wanted to know what inspired him to write his book, how he found the time to do it, and what challenges he encountered getting it completed.

I’ve only read the first few pages, but I’m already feeling like Richard’s book is going to be a valuable reference as I try to shed my COVID weight and get back to a healthier state of being.

Here is a summary of our conversation…and thank you to Bob Blount @RBlount for the suggestion that Richard and I get together to talk about the book.

What inspired you to write your book?

Sharing stories has been in my DNA for a very long time. I realized that I had an opportunity to make a difference for others by documenting what things helped my body survive and thrive through cancer treatment.

At what point did you realize that you had information/knowledge that you wanted to share with the world?

It was back in 2018 as I was going to the gym five days per week and had systematized my workout methodology. It started out as a Google document I would send to people going through similar challenges. Those friends, colleagues, and fellow patients responded with encouraging messages about turning the document into a book. That was the aha moment. People said they wanted more.

What is something you discovered about yourself during the writing of the book?

There were days where I wondered if it was good enough to be in book form. It was a humbling experience. I discovered my fear of exposing myself to others and having them turn up their noses. I set the writing aside for a few months as I contemplated this issue, eventually meditating myself into the realization that I was good enough and the information would help others. That is what pushed me over the finish line.

How did you find the time or carve out time in your busy day to write your book?

Initially the writing was compelled by those that wanted the information. As people who received the first few bits of information responded asking for more, I would write more. Then as the publisher came into play, I knew I needed to treat this like going to school. Writing was my homework. I would goto the gym after my wife Tina and our two boys went to bed. Then I would come home and write about what I needed to focus on based on what I experienced at the gym.

What book writing techniques did you find effective?

Coming up with a table of contents was super critical to my process. Once I had fleshed out the table of contents, it was just filling in the pages based on what portion of the book needed words. Being alone at night while writing helped me be alone with my thoughts and without the pressure of responding to people’s emails, texts, and calls. That serenity of the night is where I found my flow.

What other challenges did you overcome while writing your book? (ie: writer’s block, finding an editor/publisher)

There were times when I wrote and rewrote the same chapter multiple times because I didn’t like the voice with which it was being presented. What I found was that when the book was 80% done, I only had 80% left to go because I went through several rounds of edits before working with the publisher’s editor. By the time I met with them, I was certain of the voice, the style, and the outcome I wanted for the book. The challenge was finding my constitution for the book. I was the one who had to make the decisions because this is a work of art. It is not programmatic and most certainly quite different from writing healthcare software. I didn’t have a standard to follow like HL7, DICOM, or FHIR.

What advice would you give to anyone who is considering writing a book?

Each one of us has the content for a book in our head. It is all about turning on the faucet to let it out while at the same time keeping it from morphing into something it is not. I was worried that my personal stories would get in the way of the content, but learned through the initial readers that it helped personalize the story. My advice is simple. Find your story and start putting it on paper. Start with Chapter 7 and then go in both directions to fill in the details. When you have about 35,000 words, you have a book.

Where can people get your book?

Most of the world seems to get their books from Amazon (Check out this Preview) and this one is no different. Fit for Any Battle is being showcased on several online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Discover Books, and wherever fine books are sold. 😉  The website for Fit for Any Battle is fitforanybattle.com which will continue to blossom with additional content, places to get the book, and links to the companion mobile app which will manage all of the aspects of the reader’s journey into the gym.