Michael Calvin: How to write a sports book
Journalist Michael Calvin has written some of the most important and influential British sports books of the last decade.
He has taken a deep-dive into areas such as scouting, leadership, youth development, and the business of football, winning a host of awards along the way. Michael has also co-written deeply personal biographies with the likes of Gareth Thomas, Sir Alastair Cook and Joey Barton.
In this podcast, Michael takes us through his process, from choosing the topics and forming the questions to self-publishing and marketing the book. We also talk about the modern media landscape, the gravitas that books still retain and the many important issues his work as highlighted.
Michael Calvin
TOPICS
Why did he choose to move into authorship?
How has he chosen the subjects for solo projects?
How did the fly-on-the-wall book about Millwall develop?
Becoming part of the team and understanding their problems and insecurities - “It had to be warts-n-all”
Having faith in yourself and self-publishing
The modern battle between the written word and video - “Access is just another product to be commercialised”
Why TV is ‘fast food’ but writing a book is a ‘four-course meal’
How the book about scouting began
Why the title is key? - “You can sell a book on a title”
The importance of questions - having them at the start of the process and do they evolve
What his book on managers taught him
Emphasising the humanity of the individual
The writing process - when to interview, when to write
Selling the book yourself - “don’t underestimate the power of mateship”
Journalists are now brands in their own right
Quality journalism v modern churnalism
The exploitation of young players in No Hunger in Paradise
Has the growth of sports business made the game inhumane?
The Americanisation and corporatisation of football
How the Accrington Stanley management team know 400 supporters by their first name
“Because my dad does” is the essence of football
The purity of non-League football
The tipping point for arrogant clubs who disregard the customer
The art v science debate raging at football clubs
Co-writing books with famous athletes - the honest and pain
Why he had to sleep in Gareth Thomas’ bed when writing his book
The key question about his sexuality and the place he had picked for his suicide
Examples of the power of that book
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