Aspiring Sports Writers

[GiantsFanatic]

Haterade.

[heykid]

you better believe! I hate that S.O.B.

[General]

Calm your tits, heykid.

[heykid]

My tits are perfectly calm. *Breath, Breath, Breath* Yeah they are good.

[redsrbetter]

Yeah I got your PM heykid. I have been busy so hopefully I will have an answer for you tonight.

Sounds like you two have abit of a hashing out going on. Well, I just don't want this thread to be ruined by this negative behavior. So Dry and heykid, thanks for the suggestions so far and please go to PMs if you want to hash this out further. Thanks fellas.

[redsrbetter]

Email replied to me from the sports writer in Wyoming.

David,

Sorry I haven’t responded to you sooner, I was out of the office Wednesday through Friday of last week. I will try to answer your questions as clearly as possible, and if you need more information, just let me know.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in communications at the University of Connecticut, with two minors in business and political science. Most of my classes were geared towards public relations, marketing, advertising and writing. I have no background in Broad cast Journalism, so I can’t really speak to that.

The hardest thing about getting a job as a sports writer or in public relations is finding a job available, especially in this region of the country. I moved out to Colorado in October 2005, and did not find this job until April 2006. Finding a job, sending out resumes, going on interviews is not fun, no matter what anyone tells you. You hear ‘no’ a lot more times than ‘yes,’ especially if you are young and just starting out like I was.

The application process for this job was a bit lengthy, and it would vary depending on the needs of an employer. First there was an application (resume, cover letter, summary of how experience is relevant to position). A few weeks passed before someone called me to ask me to submit writing samples. After reviewing those, I was called in for an interview. That went well and I was asked to come in the next week to do a writing test. Basically this involved writing a story based on one of the coaches and proofing some pieces that others had written. A week later I was asked to come in to interview the athletic director and a theatre instructor, who in turn interviewed me. Thankfully I was given the position – which has been fantastic!

Coming from the East coast, I knew no one at the college, though it may have helped. I did find out that some of the people I was up against did have connections here, and still weren’t called in to interview. When it comes down to it, people look for the most qualified and not someone who just knows the right people.

The most important advice that I can give you is to keep improving your writing skills. They can never be perfect. Study the Associated Press Stylebook (they can usually be picked up at a book store for under $20 brand new), as that is the style that the media follows. We always keep a copy at our desks, and we are constantly utilizing it. Read accomplished writers and distinguished newspapers. In college we had to read the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. It not only keeps you up to date with current affairs, but gives you examples of good writing.

In my job, people skills are just as important as writing. While I have a sense of what the media might pick up, people always think that their story is newsworthy. You have to have patience and the ability to work with all kinds of people.

Other than writing, I would suggest just getting involved as much as you can, taking internships or volunteering in public relations or public affairs.


Please let me know if you have any other questions.

[redsrbetter]

If any of you have been utilizing the steps filled out on the opening page, let me know and I will update the page to show where you are at.

[heykid]

Props for all the effort you are putting forward! I am gonna talk to the Commish and see if he'll put together your site, you can just use the same quotes the papers use for now, but when you get hired by a paper or pay-position blog (very easy to do, I have some connections that'll help ya in that path) they can take the steps necessary to move you out to Cincy, or have someone collect the quotes for you, and have them immediatley sent your way.

There are many ways you can get the crucial/exclusive quotes without being in the clubhouse.

I wanna get you this site so you have a good base to start from.

[HollywoodLeo]

Just got out of a public chatroom session with Nick Cenapa, sportswriter for the San Diego Union Tribune.

Asked him about it he pretty much said stuff already mentioned in here. Told me he majored in journalism, got a job at the local paper as a "copy kid", "got lucky", and worked his way up. Told me to write a lot because you need a body of work.

[Dry1313]

Heykid on TNBAF (if he's 18 he's a really old junior which makes me doubt his intelligence):

I'm starting my Junior year in HS on tues. What year are you?

The "Shit It's Almost Time for College" Thread - The NBA Forums

Read that whole thread, he's a lying little *****.

[ATLien]

Ouch.

[heykid]

Heykid on TNBAF (if he's 18 he's a really old junior which makes me doubt his intelligence):

The "Shit It's Almost Time for College" Thread - The NBA Forums

Read that whole thread, he's a lying little *****.

Not 18 yet... in June. I don't know if you have ever heard of your parents starting you late....

Now, redsrbetter asked us to keep this shit outta this thread, so stop Dry.

[Dry1313]

Dude, you're full of lies man.

Easiest to call you out so he doesn't heed your uneducated advice.

[HollywoodLeo]

Can we please keep the personal bickering out of this thread?

[GiantsFanatic]

I swear man, this is just getting out of hand.