What the Phillies can teach us about writing
Steven M. Falk, The Philadelphia Inquirer
By Dorothy Pomerantz | Fitch Ink Managing Editor
Lately, I’ve been watching a lot of baseball. I’m a Phillies fan by birth but it’s only been this year that I’ve committed to watching as many games as I can — which means a game almost every afternoon.
If you know anything about the Phillies, you know they’re scrappy. They never give up. Even when the Phillies are down, I keep watching because I know there’s a chance I’m about to see a great comeback.
Now, I realize turning to sports for inspiration is a well-trod path. But hear me out. As I recently watched the Phillies come back to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-9, after being behind by 5 runs in the first inning, I reflected on what had been a frustrating day.
A client had sent back a story for yet more edits. And a different story I was working on with a freelancer just wasn’t gelling. I felt like throwing in the towel.
Chances are pretty good you’ve felt this way too. Writing is hard no matter what. But I’ve found writing for clients can be especially tricky. Not only do I want the writing to be as good as possible, but I need to make sure I capture the client’s voice and messaging (subtly). I usually need to incorporate feedback from a flock of corporate reviewers. And I’m often working with freelancers who, though brilliant writers, might need extra handholding (in the form of heavy edits) to fully incorporate the client’s needs.
The way to get through these situations is to not give up. Here are some tips for persevering just like my favorite comeback baseball team:
Throw the ball to a teammate. Sometimes it helps to bring in another set of eyes. Asking someone else to read the story can often shed light on what’s missing.
Take a seventh inning stretch. I’ve written about this before, but sometimes the solution to a frustrating writing situation is to take a break. Working on the same thing over and over can give you a case of the yips.
Go pitch by pitch. Sometimes, the way to get through a frustrating writing situation is to just boil it down to one sentence, even one word at a time, and not dwell on what came before. Tackling small sections can help you create a better whole.
Don’t go for the home run every time. Know that a story is a process. Chip away at it, base by base — er, draft by draft — until you score.
Baseball doesn’t last year-round (sadly) but hopefully these tips can help you no matter what you’re writing.
And if writing really isn’t your game? Work with our team of expert editors and writers at Fitch Ink who can help you shine in telling your story.
