I am wanting to know if anyone here is a sports writer and if so how does one go about getting in the business. I am starting grad school and still have pretty much no idea what I want to do but I may want to give this a try.
Is anyone here a sportswriter?
- Thread starter The Sizzla
- Start date
Sportswriter here......
I was a Journalism major at Indiana University. So was Agger100.....and now he is a sportswriter also.
You might want to stop by a local newspaper and tell them that you would like to cover some high school or small college sports for free. Newspapers love free correspondents! Offer to do assignments!!Tell them that you just want to help out and get some "clips" to start your career in the business. Then, you need to send these clippings that have been published to newspapers all over the place.
Put together a portfolio of your best work.
But here's the big question.....Can you write? Are you good?
I suggest you watch an NBA game or college footbll game at home on t.v. and keep stats. Then, get on our computer and type a "game story", complete with a catchy lead. Plug in some fake quotes of what both coaches and a player or two from each team might say after the game.
Print it out.
Go back and make corretions.
Try to have it done within two hours after the game's conclusion...give yourself a deadline.
Then ask yourself....."Would a person who did not attend this game, or see this game on t.v., or listen to it on the radio know exactly how the flow of the game went?"
Alo, were the stakes high? Was it an exciting game? Was there a defining moment that sealed the game for one team? How did the players and coaches feel (emotions) about the outcome and how the game was played?
Practice on you own. And then practice some more.
And remember........."The essence of writing is rewriting."
Good Luck!
Stag
I was a Journalism major at Indiana University. So was Agger100.....and now he is a sportswriter also.
You might want to stop by a local newspaper and tell them that you would like to cover some high school or small college sports for free. Newspapers love free correspondents! Offer to do assignments!!Tell them that you just want to help out and get some "clips" to start your career in the business. Then, you need to send these clippings that have been published to newspapers all over the place.
Put together a portfolio of your best work.
But here's the big question.....Can you write? Are you good?
I suggest you watch an NBA game or college footbll game at home on t.v. and keep stats. Then, get on our computer and type a "game story", complete with a catchy lead. Plug in some fake quotes of what both coaches and a player or two from each team might say after the game.
Print it out.
Go back and make corretions.
Try to have it done within two hours after the game's conclusion...give yourself a deadline.
Then ask yourself....."Would a person who did not attend this game, or see this game on t.v., or listen to it on the radio know exactly how the flow of the game went?"
Alo, were the stakes high? Was it an exciting game? Was there a defining moment that sealed the game for one team? How did the players and coaches feel (emotions) about the outcome and how the game was played?
Practice on you own. And then practice some more.
And remember........."The essence of writing is rewriting."
Good Luck!
Stag
Great advice Stag; also something to consider as a correspondent is photography. Get some good practice with the camera and take plenty of photos (the newspaper will supply you with free film). A picture pays more sometimes. But exactly what Stag said. Good Luck
