Learn How to Write from an Award-Winning Columnist

LA times’ Bill Plaschke reveals his secrets during book research for a football team, city devasted by a fire

My brother Scot Butwell, his son Dominic and I were walking up the steps exiting the Memoir panel discussion at the LA Times Book Festival when I glanced up and saw someone who looked familiar.

Was that Bill Plaschke? Los Angeles Times eight-time National sports columnist of the year.

Six-time author Bill Plaschke, who recently wrote a book entitled Paradise Found about a fire in the mountain community of Paradise, California that ravished the city, killing 86 people.

Bill Plaschke, whose columns I read daily and take notes on and often model my writing around.

Bill Plaschke, who I would watch in awe when I was a cub reporter for the Valley Press and getting to fill in at Dodger games. In Awe of the former Dodger beat reporter as I was legendary announcer Vince Scully.

TV personality Bill Plaschke on the ESPN sports talk show “Around the Horn.”

Bill Plaschke. My writing mentor.

Meeting my mentor

I was so in shock to see him.

I simply said, “Bill Plaschke.”

He answered, “Yes.”

I introduced myself and told him I enjoyed his columns and particularly the one on his mother to who he dedicated his Paradise Found book, but passed away just days before it was published.

“Our daily phone calls would usually last around 30 minutes, and I know she valued the company so much she wanted to talk for hours. But sometimes she was so intent on inspiring me that she would hang up after five minutes, saying, ‘That’s it. You’re procrastinating by talking to me. Go write that book.’ ” — Bill Plaschke, “The Unopened Gift for Marvelous Mary on My First Christmas without Her” The Los Angeles Times.

Remembering a mutual friend

He asked me if I knew how former Valley Press columnist Brian Golden was doing or what it was up to. Unfortunately, I hadn’t.

“He’s a wonderful person. He loved people. Very talented. I miss seeing BG,” he said.

Unfortunately, it had been years since my reporting days and I lost track of Brian.

The last time I saw Bill was thirty years ago covering a Dodger game.

Same old Bill

He spoke slower, but his caring, warm heart — that same one he displayed in both his writing about his mother and the fire in Paradise shone through.

It was apparent, he, too, genuinely loved people

“Go Bills Mafia,” he said, perking up when he noticed my Buffalo Bills shirt.

He also loves to write.

How do you know?

Panelist host Los Angeles Times writer Bill Shaikin asked Plaschke how he knew when he had a book and not just a story.

“It’s when you know there is so much more there. More than can be told at a campfire or over a glass of wine. It’s when you have a story that needs to be told for the good of mankind. You know it’s more than one newspaper story,” — Bill Plaschke.

Plaschke continued.

“It’s when the themes run deeper. It’s a story that wants to be told and needs to be told.”

I think sportswriters for the new publication The Press Box can learn much from Bill’s quotes.

Straight from the heart

We shouldn’t be writing stories just to write, or because we’re a fan of a team, athlete, sport, or event. It should be something that comes deep within our hearts.

It could be a distant memory, a recent event in sports that brought out a certain emotion, or how you felt at your first sporting event.

Another interesting thing I took away from Bill’s sharing was his interview skills when he made his frequent visits to Paradise.

“You can’t be pushy. You can’t just go up there and shove a recorder in their face. You have to get to know these people, and ask things like ‘how are you doing?’ When I just eased up, they poured out stories of fear and tragedy. They all had stories to tell about escaping the fires and thinking they were going to die, and I was that stranger they felt comfortable opening up to” — Bill Plaschke.

Opening your eyes

He stressed how you don’t just write with your pen and paper either.

“You write with your eyes, your nose, and ears. Jot down everything you see. I had so many details that didn’t make it in my column but made it in the book. The coach sighed, dogs barking. I had a whole chapter devoted to the sounds I heard.” — Bill Plaschke.

Plaschke told how the team was in borrowed clothes and living on couches when the Paradise players returned for their first impromptu practice after the fire in a vacant dirt lot. Coach Rick Prinz asked if anyone had a football. No one did.

Emotions in motion

Plaschke said the players used football as an outlet for their emotions when they finally played their first game.

“They just kept carrying other players off the field. They were so angry and frustrated. They had nowhere to put their anger, so they took it out on the other team. It was like thwack! Smack! Bam! The intensity of the sounds was incredible.” — Bill Plaschke.

Another takeaway about sports in general while at the panel discussion had to be the emotions athletics stir up.

People are passionate about sports. Very passionate.

Plaschke defends pulling Kershaw from a perfect game

Plaschke wrote this in his Los Angeles Times’ April 14th column entitled “The decision to pull Clayton Kershaw out of a perfect game? It was perfect:”

Clayton Kershaw was removed from the game after seven innings despite having not allowed a baserunner.

Perfect

Dave Roberts pulled his pitcher even though he was two innings from achieving a baseball feat matched by only 23 pitchers in major league history.

Plaschke’s point was the Dodgers are “playing for October not April.” He said it if was 20 years ago, then it would be important to play for a no-hitter. However, the Dodgers have played in nine straight postseasons and only one World Series ring. It is far more important to win a World Series than Kershaw’s name be added to the record books.

Pissed people

And this had the audience livid, not only debating the prominent award-winning columnist but also moving the discussion from the classroom to the men’s bathroom.

People were pissed at the Dodgers and at Plaschke’s defending the unusual decision as they were, well, pissing.

“How can they not play for the record books?”

“Nolan Ryan used to throw 150 pitches in a game.”

“Just keep him in. He was only at 80 pitches. What’re 10–12 more pitches?”

My two cents

My opinion? Can’t the Dodgers play for both the no-hitter and a World Series, too? After last year, whose to say, they blow Kershaw’s chance in April and then some Atlanta Brave-like team gets ice hot and captures the World Series.

Lose. Lose.

Sorry, Bill. I, too, disagree with you.

But, that’s what’s so great about sports. People are so passionate and opinionated it brings out great discussions and disagreements. And often with no black or white answer. And that’s okay. It makes it more fun that way.

Takeaways

So aspiring sports writers, let’s listen to the advice of LA Times award-winning columnist Bill Plaschke and, “find that story that wants to be told and needs to be told. Open your eyes, ears, and nose, and look for those small details” and tell your heartfelt story loaded with an extra heavy dose of passion and emotion.

Thanks for reading my story.

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