Sports Books Update

When I was at a sports mag some years ago, we had four staffers publish books in the same month. Still can't get over that.

 

I read somewhere--I think the NYT--that the Powers That Be view books as communal experiences now. They think people want to talk about the same thing at a cocktail party, or some crap. Hence, famous people landing huge deals. Which, you know, really sucks for the rest of us who aren't writing books intended to get barely literate people patting each other on the back at a cocktail party.

Another huge risk: The lead time for most of these books puts the "author" at risk of falling to the Z list between signing and publication. Which, of course, further sinks the industry.

 

Blame Oprah.

 

I gave my agent two proposals last week - one non-sports, one sports. I'll let you know what the temperature of the water is out there.

 

Full proposals??

 

Pretty much. Looking for comments back, so I expect to change them somewhat, but they're 95% done.

 

Wow, that's a lot of work to. Although I guess you could still do one now, one later. It's not like you have to retire the other idea, depending on the timeliness, forever.

 

I'm hoping - actually planning - to do them simultaneously.- I've been under multiple book contracts for years, totally different kinds of projects - am accustomed to that and have a track record of being able to do it. No different from writing for a paper while doing books, really.

 

Great story about an old self-published book, ONCE A RUNNER, by John L. Parker Jr, a cult classic in the 70s about running, now being reissued by Scribner. Sold over 100,000 copies back when people thought runners were psychopaths.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6637142.html?nid=2286&source=title&rid=

 

Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales to write a book about the rise and impact of ESPN, with James Andrew Miller, for Little Brown.

http://www.millershalesespnbook.com/

Also, LPGA golfer Kris Tschetter writing a memoir about her friendship with Ben Hogan, BEN HOGAN AND ME, for Gotham.

 

The sports book may be finding some warm water. Not sure on the other one yet.

Things aren't totally dead.

 

No new deals to report, but just read the lousy news that Borders is closing the biggest store in the chain, Chicago's massive Michigan Avenue flagship.

The downside of Amazon and Kindle and all the other technology that makes it easier for people to get books without ever going into a bookstore.