What Writers Can Learn by Watching Football

When I was younger, I used to watch football on TV every Sunday. We planned “the game” into our schedule like it was a holy ritual, with chips and soda our sacrament. When the season was over, we didn’t know what to do with that extra day in the week. It was like being released from a religious vow.

Recently I had the opportunity to watch the New England Patriots kick some football butt on TV. It was the first time in a long while since I’d done that, and it filled me with nostalgia, making me realize how much I miss the whole Sunday ritual.

However, it didn’t take long before I noticed some interesting parallels between a game of football and writing. 

1.  You get more than one try to reach your goal

The game starts with a kickoff. The ball sails through the air, and everyone watches breathlessly to see how far it will go before it’s caught. It would be amazing if it went right through the goal posts, but where’s the sport in that? It’s actually the start of the game, a long march to the goal line, and nobody expects that it’ll be reached on the first attempt. That’s why each team gets four downs, four chances to make progress towards the goal. 

The same with writing, and getting published. It’s rare for a bestseller to be written the first time out. It does happen, but it’s the exception, because that’s not how the game is designed. It’s slow, and steady, one foot in front of the other until the goal is reached. It may not be your first book that gets published, so you just keep writing, and writing, and writing, until you make it to the goal.

2.  Just when you think someone is down for the count, they’re not

I couldn’t believe how many times during that game a player was stopped, by someone bigger and heftier, and everyone just kind of let their breath out, saying, “Well, that was still pretty good.” And then all of a sudden, the runner took one or two steps and he was free, flying towards the goal again. Everyone had misjudged that situation. Everyone. The other team, the announcers, the fans. Everyone except the player. He was determined, and wasn’t ready to get knocked down. He actually ended up with the longest punt return in the team’s history when everyone else was positive he would get knocked on his ass the second he caught the ball.

A writer is going to hit situations like that all the time. But a determined writer keeps going when it looks like there is no hope. No one would blame the writer for saying, “Well, that was still pretty good”. A bad rejection, a cruel contest judge, or even the slimy tentacles of self-doubt can derail a writer, or they can strengthen the writer’s will to succeed. 

3.  If you can’t go through, go around

In the above example, the player could have just gotten knocked down, and said, “Hey, there’s plenty more downs”. And that would have been perfectly acceptable. But sometimes the answer is to try something different. If what you’re doing isn’t working the way it always has before, it’s time to fall back a couple paces and look to see what’s open somewhere else. Obstacles can stop you, or they can give you a chance to see things in a different way, maybe even show you possibilities you didn’t know existed.

4.  It’s not over when you reach the goal

I love all the celebrating and high-fiving and ass-slapping that goes on in a football game. Each small achievement is part of the bigger one, and they’re definitely worth acknowledging. However, as soon as the touchdown is on the scoreboard, and the dancing is done, everybody goes back to work. It’s time to go for another goal, and another one, until the game is won.

We should celebrate each achievement too, from hitting our word count goals to writing “The End”. You got a request for a full? High five. You finaled in a contest? Shake that booty. Everything we accomplish is worthy of our happiness and joy and strutting around with pride. But then it’s time to write another book. And another one after that. 

5.  There are people around to help you out

When the player is running his heart out, trying to get to the goal, he’s not doing it alone. He has teammates blocking those who are trying to keep him from moving forward. He has coaches helping him learn new skills to develop his natural talent. He has devoted fans who believe he can do anything.

Writers are in a similar situation. Their team can consist of an agent, editor, beta readers, crit partners, or devoted friends and family. Some of them are there to cheer and some of them are there to increase the skills and abilities. But they all have the same role: helping us become our best so we can attain our goals. 

Comments

[Quantum]

I don't know very much about American football, but understand and love the analogy.

I would add that after each book you should not be discouraged by sales figures. You need to identify your strengths and the ideas and features of your writing that resonate with readers.

In this way you can avoid a 'scatter gun' approach to writing and focus your efforts relentlessly so that each book sharpens that resonance further and homes in towards that target best seller.

Finally, as soccer and opera fans say 'It ain't never over till the fat lady sings' *smile*

[Donna Cummings]

Thanks, Q. And how did you know I was thinking about sales figures? LOL It's exciting to see the stats showing how many people look at my story, and even more thrilling to see it getting purchased.

The best, of course, is when you get a review from someone who has read it -- that way you know for certain what resonated with a reader, because they tell you specifically. :)

Fortunately I have a lot of stories to tell, some of them written, some of them waiting their turn. Hopefully readers will find them enjoyable too.

[Melissa]

Great analogy! I keep trying to pick my favorite point, but they all fit so well. I think I'm working on #3 right now, trying something different with the shorter story. It's kind of like a third down after two downs of ground battles got me closer to the goal. I might as well just go for it with an unexpected pass or just jump over the pack. :)

[Donna Cummings]

Melissa, I was kind of excited when I kept getting these analogy ideas in my head while watching the game. It was amazing how well they fit the writing journey. LOL

And I like the "ground battles" phrase. Might need to steal that one! Trying something different is always a good choice. It refreshes the brain, and ramps up the enthusiasm!