Edward Schmit: ‘Sports romances have built-in stakes that make for a really compelling story’
BY Maya Fernandes
4th Jun 2026
In this interview Edward Schmit, author of the debut sports romance The Open Era, shares his advice for building authentic chemistry between two characters.
'I felt a responsibility to get it right, to show how messy mental health journeys can be, while also making one thing perfectly clear: recovery is possible.'
We caught up with Edward to discuss his time studying with us, his writing routine and the rise of sports romances.
The Open Era balances a slow-burn romance with a very honest look at anxiety and mental health. How did you approach weaving Austin’s internal struggles into the development of his relationship with Diego without one overpowering the other?
The Open Era follows 20-year-old Austin Hardy, the first openly gay male tennis player to compete in a Grand Slam, as he battles his mental health, media attention, and a handsome new rival during an electric two weeks at the US Open.
There are three major pieces to the story: the romance, Austin’s mental health journey, and the high-stakes tennis tournament. Each piece directly informs the other, and I think that leads to a comfortable balance. Austin does quite a bit of spiraling about his new crush, Diego, and it unfortunately affects his game. It also becomes a big conversation topic in therapy and reveals other issues he needs to address. On the other hand, a successful date leads to a great performance on the court.
Austin is under huge pressure as the first openly gay man competing in a Grand Slam tournament. What was the most challenging part of developing his character, and what did you enjoy most about writing him?
Austin needs media training. He slips up many times in press conferences because he says exactly what’s on his mind and he can’t help but be authentically himself. That part was extremely fun to write.
Austin is also struggling with his mental health. His anxiety is likely the worst it’s ever been, and many of his symptoms are similar to my own. Writing that piece of him presented a different challenge. I felt a responsibility to get it right, to show how messy mental health journeys can be, while also making one thing perfectly clear: recovery is possible. Not overnight. But small steps in the right direction can amount to big wins.
Many aspiring romance writers struggle to create believable chemistry between their characters. How did you build the connection between Austin and Diego and make sure their relationship developed naturally on the page?
Above all else, I wanted their relationship to feel realistic, and build naturally. They start as friends, and evolve to something much more in only a two week span of time. They’re also quite busy trying to win the US Open, so I had to make the most of each time they hang out. They are both pro athletes and can relate to each other in many ways because of that, but often their “dates” are extremely competitive, which helped me develop both character and their complicated feelings towards each other – while highlighting what stands directly in their way.
What does your writing routine look like?
I write best in the mornings. Very early mornings. My alarm goes off at 5:45 AM and I try to get in about two hours of writing before my day job. On good days, I get about 400-500 words-ish. On others, I get -7 because I do that thing you’re not supposed to do where I go back and edit what I wrote the day before.
We’ve seen a big rise in sports romances recently, from Challengers to Carrie Soto Is Back. What do you think makes sport such a compelling backdrop for romance?
I was a theatre kid growing up and I really didn’t care about sports. But I fell in love with tennis a few years ago when I was looking for an outlet to work on my mental health. Tennis became my entire personality. Understanding tennis can teach you a lot about life, and many authors smarter than me have written wonderful books about the parallels. I love The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey.
As for sports romances, they have built-in stakes that make for a really compelling story. If you’re in love with your rival, only one of you can win, and the other has to come to terms with that. It can definitely affect a relationship.
You studied with us on our Writing YA & Children’s Fiction – Three Months course. How did your time with us shape your approach to writing?
The idea for The Open Era felt like lightning in a bottle, and I really wanted to get it right. I had written plays and screenplays before, but this was my first novel, and I knew I had a lot to learn.
My teacher for the course, Catherine Johnson, is a brilliant author. She gave me just the right amount of confidence and butt-kicking that I needed. She had issues with where I was starting the story and wasn’t afraid to say it. The story now starts with a flashforward which she liked a lot better. And if it’s good enough for Catherine, it’s good enough for me.
Many of our students find lifelong writing friends on our courses. Are you still in touch with anyone you met on the course?
We have a WhatsApp group chat and I’m close with a few students from my course. It’s been great to keep in touch and celebrate everyone’s progress.
I also want to shout out Ashley Chalmers, a CBC alumni who recommended the course to me. She set me on this publishing path, and if it wasn’t for her, The Open Era might only exist in my head. Ashley just sold her debut novel All This Could Be Yours in a two-book deal to Penguin Random House!
And finally, what’s next for your writing journey?
My second book is coming out next year, also with Penguin Random House. It has nothing to do with tennis, but it’s another queer romance and another exciting summer adventure. It’s been a brand new experience writing this one outside of the CBC class. I’m pretty much solo for my first draft. Maybe I should reach out to Catherine for some notes.
Get your hands on a copy of The Open Era, out now from Berkley (Penguin Random House).
Edward was a student on our Writing YA & Children’s Fiction – Three Months course in 2023.
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