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Wednesday, June 11, 2025

What Makes Good Writing? It's not Unique to Basketball

 

"Hey, nobody is above being coached." Written work matters. Everyone can write better, just as we can coach better. Good writers are informed and inform readers. 

Coaches are teachers. Teachers change behavior. Teach good writing as part of teaching communication.  

Sharing our writing is thinking out loud. Sometimes it works...not always.

Capture the reader's attention. The average reader devotes 36 seconds to a column. Author Matt Haig writes, "every story is about someone searching for something." What is your reader searching for? 

Add value. Bob Woodward provides a minimum of six pieces of information that he wants readers to know. Readers should leave saying, "I didn't know that" or "I hadn't considered that," and want to learn more. 

"Don't be boring." Shave syllables. "Brevity is the soul of wit." In The Friction Project, Sutton and Rao emphasize reducing friction including red tape and unnecessary meetings. 

Accuracy matters. As President Ronald Reagan quipped, "Trust but verify." Write for a local paper and misspell a Biddy Basketball player's name and there is hell to pay. 

Revise. Few columns, game plans, or 'campaigns' are winners out of the box. General Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, "Every battle is won before it is fought." Author and humorist Anne Lamott says to get it down, "shi**y first drafts."

If unable to avoid jargon, explain the basketball terminology. 

Provide supporting evidence such as quotes, data, and images where applicable. "Bring the receipts." These sometimes include analogies. How often an athlete will describe their 'organizational DNA'. After Game 4 against the Knicks, Pascal Siakam said, "we have to stay on an even keel," a nautical analogy. Mike Breen described Siakam as an "unappreciated" superstar, part of the 2019 Raptors title team. 

Be impactful. Drop knowledge that readers can use to change their belief, practice, or management. A recent column shared a Mike Neighbors quote, "Practice chaos equals game calmness." 

Use influence tools. Learn and apply Cialdini's six "Principles of Persuasion." Start with these:

1) Authority - Knowledgable? Act like it. 

2) Liking - Be likable, the author worth sharing a coffee with. 

3) Social Proof - "Lots of people read this person." Maybe there's something there.


Your readers deserve excellence. Deliver. 

Summary:
  • Help readers find the story. 
  • Share information within your piece. 
  • Don't be boring. Shave syllables. 
  • Be accurate. Bring receipts. 
  • Don't hesitate to produce a "****** first draft."
  • Use proven influence tools. 

Lagniappe. Many young players are not "shot ready." One told me, "But I'll look funny." 

Lagniappe 2. Need a three. Use this "screen gem."  

Lagniappe 3. Musical (no chairs) free throws? Try this. 

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