What the Seahawks win in Super Bowl 48 can teach writers.

There are 7 things writers can learn from the Seahawks Super Bowl win! (And there are likely many more)! The question was posed at the Northwest Christian Writers Association meeting in Kirkland. What can we as writers learn from the Seahawks win? I submit the following 7 lessons:

1. Have a plan. The Seahawks had a plan to take on Denver, and executed it to perfection. They knew the Broncos hadn’t faced a defense like theirs all season long, and Seattle players took it to the Broncos from Kam Chancellor’s first ‘statement’ hit. Writers, too, need to have a plan to keep themselves accountable to themselves. Too often, procrastination steps in. But if you have a plan, and follow it consistently, you will see your book to completion.

2. Be focused. Have you ever seen a team be more focused on a goal from the outset? At the beginning of the pre-season, winning the Super Bowl was not only the goal, it became the expectation for the young Seahawks team AND their fans. Their focus was complete. As a writer, focus is vital. Know what your message is, and your purpose in writing. Focus on your audience and what you can deliver to them. Keep to your plan (see number 1).

3. Build an expert team around you. Look at the Seahawks! Coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider have rebuilt this team from the ground up. And not only have they brought in talented players that others overlooked, the Seahawks front office works like a well-oiled machine. Give owner Paul Allen ‘props’ for bringing in good people and then letting them do their jobs. A writer, too, needs an expert team around them. Whether that’s a talented editor, a writing coach, a publicist, graphic designer and more, you want to have a team to help with the aspects of authorship in which you are not an expert.

4. Create a definite brand. No one does this better than the Hawks! Just ask the Legion of Boom. They’re known as a gritty, quick, tenacious defensive team first. What about your brand as an author? What would people say about you? Develop your brand in your area of expertise, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction. What is the defining characteristic about you and your books?

5. A quality product. No doubt here, the Seahawks are world champs! They put a quality product on the field. You want to do the same. Your book should be the best you can make it. Make sure it’s top quality, and have the expert team around you to get it done. (See number 3).

6. Seahawks know how to get the buzz going around their team. Just ask Richard Sherman. His post-game rant after the San Francisco game launched a national media firestorm – on the air and in social media. Sherman is a Stanford grad with a degree in Communication. While he may not have anticipated the degree to which his interview would be discussed, you can bet he knew what he was doing. You also need to know how to get the buzz going around your book. Put a PR plan into place, whether it’s a launch on social media, a book launch party, or reaching out to journalists and reviewers in your genre to help you spread the word.

7. Engage your community. The Seahawks have a name for their community: the 12th man! And the 12th man has rallied like never before. From setting noise records at the stadium, to setting off earthquakes, to joining in a huge parade to celebrate their team, the Seahawks have engaged their community in a huge way. Authors can build a community and engage with them as they are writing their books. Engage on social media, have discussions, give readers an inside peek into your writing process, hold book signings. All these efforts can help create a community and develop your author brand.

Follow the lead of the Seahawks with these 7 steps, and you are well on your way to writing success!

Margo Myers, Principal, Margo Myers Communications

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