Sports Autobiographies & Memoirs | Co-Writing & Ghostwriting

Sport remains an enduring focus for both literature and film. This is because so many of the most compelling elements of storytelling – triumph, disaster, devotion, adversity, luck (or lack of it), the confrontation of internal and external critics, focus, dedication, a fierce desire for self-expression – are all self-evident when viewed through its prism.

Under the floodlights, on the court, the track, the pitch or in the ring, universally understood concepts like ‘winning’ and ‘losing’ are uniquely, and often brutally defined.

Sport is also a field in which individuals, acting purely in the moment, produce what can best be described as spontaneous art. Who can forget the aesthetic of Muhammad Ali knocking out George Foreman in Zaire, one hand cocked over his toppling foe, or Maradona dribbling through the entire English team, or a limping, weeping Derek Redmond helped over the Olympic finishing line by his father? As powerful as anything conjured by Hollywood, these images are burned in our collective memories because of the raw emotion they evoke.

Whether telling an underdog story or that of an elite professional, our experienced ghostwriters understand how to draw on the innate drama of sport to create addictive, engrossing life stories which are then rendered in the author’s authentic voice.

Receive in-depth sports analysis and compelling narratives from industry experts. Click to enquire.

The Ghostwriting Process

1. The first step is to fill out our enquiry form to provide a basic outline. Following this, we will request further content. What each person provides at this stage will vary. Some people work purely from memory. Others may have kept journals or diaries.

2. We will begin to discuss what kind of story is being told. What is the arc? Is it confessional? Observational? Analytical? Does the author have a new angle on already well-known events, or reflections on his sport as a whole? Do they want to inspire or inform or elucidate?

3. As interviews continue we’ll write a sample chapter. Once a style and a chapter breakdown is finally agreed your ghost will need time to create a full first draft and build all of the key items – manuscript, proposal, cover letter and we will start sharing the documents throughout the company to gather feedback.

4. When the first draft is complete, you will then need to invest your time in the process of review as we gather team feedback before we start any official editorials. Due to how we operate at LGC, this is not as long as it can be with a traditional publishing house (which often lasts between six and eighteen months). Having established strong foundations at the start of the writing with all of the interviews and behind the scenes workshops, the fundamentals will all be very strong but editorials can take two months.

5. We then spend time refining the writing into a final polish. At this stage, we strengthen the proposal and start shortlisting agents and publishers to submit to.

6. We will submit the final polished book to you along with all other items and begin the submissions. During this period, minor changes can still be made.

7. Once you have your items, you will want to take advantage of our contacts in the literary, publishing and UK film industries. Our contacts are your contacts and we will help you in any way that we can to move the project forward into the market. We also submit to the agents shortlisted and wait 12 weeks for all responses. We help you negotiate any offers or run a 2nd round of submissions. In certain circumstances and with certain projects, self-publishing options can be considered but mostly, our goal will be to secure you a strong publishing contract with a publishing company via an agent.

Of course, the above process is quite general and no project will ever follow this exact method. The creative process can be quite complex, even chaotic. Our job is to keep the order, streamline the process, manage the development process and leverage opportunities when they present themselves. We are development experts with experience managing a lot of moving parts that come up during the publishing process, and hiring the right ghostwriter is the start of it all.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

I have an idea for a sports book. Do I need to write a proposal?

Yes. In common with most other genres of non-fiction, sports books are generally sold via a package which will include sample chapters, a proposal document and an ‘about the author’ section. At LGC we will work with you to help create an attractive package for submissions.

How do I sell a sports book? Will I need an agent?

Most of the big publishers have sports imprints or departments and approaching them will require representation by an agent. If that is appropriate for your project, LGC can assist in this process as there are many well connected UK agents who specialise in sports titles. However, there are also several medium-sized and small sports publishers who are happy to consider unagented submissions. In some cases, this may present a more direct route to publication.

I have an idea for a sports book, but I am not a retired or current professional athlete. Does that scupper my chances?

Not at all. While it is true that many leading sports titles are autobiographies of famous competitors, plenty do not fit this category. Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch, for example, approached football from the perspective of a fan. Donald McRae’s Dark Trade, examined boxing through his own eyes, as a journalist and observer. Similarly, Anna Krien’s Night Games provides an investigation into sexism and female exploitation in sport. All three of these won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year, which is considered the world’s most prestigious sports writing award, without the involvement of a famous name. Your concept and perspective are the important thing, not your identity.

My idea is about a niche sport, not football, cricket, rugby etc. Does that mean it won’t work?

Conversely, this can actually be a selling point. There are still many titles published about the major, commonly televised sports each year, but the industry has grown more and more interested in new and unusual angles. Books about surfing, ultra-distance running, and mountain climbing have been internationally popular in recent years. As with any subject, the concept and execution are the most important elements. LGC will help you to hone these, bringing out your project’s innate strengths.

I want to develop my sports idea into a movie. Can you write it as a screenplay?

Potentially yes, although this will depend on the project. Sport is an extremely popular subject in Hollywood and other parts of the film world. However, most sports movies which get made are adapted from books. Spec scripts are notoriously hard to sell, so it may well be the case that even if a movie is your ultimate goal, it is better to have it written in book form, in the first instance. All of this can be discussed when you first consult with LGC.