How to Write (a Bit) Like Me
Three quick tips
The recent acquisition of The Athletic by NYT is an inflection point for sports media. Post-merger events will likely illustrate the uneasy relationship between sports writing as a passion project and sports writing as a business.
In the meantime…
For hobby writers looking to get started and professional writers who may have to start over, here are a few tips that’ll help them build an authentic and sustainable personal platform.
Tip 1: Differentiate News from Non-News
My lifelong passion for writing started as an early love for reading.
At three year old I was gifted a two-volume set of classic children’s stories from across the world, 500 pages per volume, no illustrations. I tore through them within a year and a half, literally.
At five I likely became the youngest annual subscriber to Aerospace Knowledge and AutoFan, two popular Chinese magazines about planes and cars, respectively.
Then and now, I most love to read about old ideas - timeless stories, historical anecdotes and profiles of great people (or things).
In other words, non-news that stand the test of time.
Yet, when I worked as a digital writer for the Montreal Canadiens and, later, the ATP Tour, my job consisted of writing about news, things that happened today that won’t necessarily matter tomorrow. Those dream jobs soon became tedious, then painful.
You won’t find much news in this newsletter. Even when I write about timely events such as Vegas’ return to form or Seattle’s continued struggles, I’m essentially writing about non-news. In both cases, the second-order effects of certain deliberate tactical decisions.
Whether your passion is in news or in non-news, you need to know the difference and write accordingly.
Tip 2: Segment Your Readership
In the early 2000s, before the rise of YouTube, Tennis Magazine was the best source for instructional content.
I loved how columnists broke down a top pro’s mechanics and gave actionable advice on how to play better tennis. Every month I happily forked out $5 to $7 to get the latest issue, even as the magazine got thinner and thinner throughout the 2000s.
And then YouTube became a thing. Nowadays, former and even current touring professionals have their own channels, where they break down their swings in 4K HD for free.
But somehow, it’s just not the same.
“You get what you pay for.”
More importantly, you get more out of what you pay for.
On one hand, I’m happy to provide the majority of my content for free, as a way to build an audience and to teach casual fans about our sport.
On the other, I sell to hockey parents, developing players and industry professionals looking for return on investment. $25 for an ebook, $200 per year for a premium subscription, $200 per hour for one-on-one consulting.
It’s a lot of money, the kind of money that 95% of this newsletter’s readers are not willing to pay, and I’m 100% okay with that.
An NHL GM or drafted prospect can turn information I share into millions of dollars, but not everyone has that opportunity. If you don’t, then I don’t want you to pay.
Regardless of who you are, however, I want you to get value from what you invest here, with me. That’s the promise.
Tip 3: Understanding Elite Players
A rising star in hockey media calls for advice, some of which I have just shared with you.
His final question is the following:
“How can I do a better job writing about top NHL players?”
Here’s my reply:
“Most of the top NHLers do most things the same way, most of the time. The stars in the game play and think the game alike. Identify those similarities and you’ll be way ahead in your understanding.”
“But then, once you understand the similarities, you’ll start seeing some differences, too. The way that Mark Stone skates, or how Leon Draisaitl turns, or how Elias Pettersson uses his edges. Knowing the unique, personal wrinkles will allows you to describe the game on an even deeper level. And then you’ll find another level as a writer.”
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