Editors, Coaches, and the Analogies of Sports

Writing Tip of the Day: March 30, 2008

Treat your editors like the coach from any sports team

because the editor knows their audience and only rejects writing

with a good reason--even if you never learn the specifics.

.

Awlrighty then! Guess I'd better decide which wall to paper with those pending rejections. What I'd rather do, though, is not waste anyone's time.

.

What I take from this tip is, try as I may I simply won't satisfy every editor, er-- coach. And at very least, I need to know the market, er-- fans I target and give him or her the least amount of reason to sack me. Especially if I'm likely to never know why my dunk didn't slam.

.

This goes back to research, OK-- studying the playbook and doing what's required to complete a hard-won pass. No. That doesn't mean I'm not going to earn my fair share of penalties, or not have a foul called against me. I'm sure there's still a lesson or three for me to learn the hard way. But! I can work to keep near upsets at a minimum or a flag from even being thrown. Because the referee doesn't have to change his mind based on the instant replay. If he even decides to review it.

.

Since those 4th quarter Hail Marys are risky, I'd prefer to stay ahead of the game and remain a heavy favorite. So, I'd best get busy. I've got a full court press to maneuver, the clock is ticking and it's minutes to the buzzer, er-- deadline.

.

Oh yeah! I can do sports analogies. But, it took a bit of research.