1 answer
Antonio
Student
Branford, Connecticut
1
Question
Asked
986 views
What day to day requirements are there to be a sports writer ?
What day to day requirements are there to be a sports writer?
Login to comment
1 answer
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1853
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
GAME OVER
You've probably never given this any thought, that a sports writer’s job is to file your story within a minutes after the clock ends the game. You talk about pressure, the newspaper or website needs the full game account NOW. The pressure is on, you then have to race down to the locker rooms, interview the players and coaches for maybe 15 minutes, and then file your story 15 minutes later with comments from the key players.
GAME ON
The trick is you have to start writing during the game. Then, in the last few minutes of the game, you TOP the story, including the score, who won, how the points were put up, the records of the teams and any other relevant details. Then you have to blend this “top” with your running copy to make a seamless transition. Basically you have to write during stoppages in play because if you have your head down typing out the story, you will surely miss a key play, and then will have to try to catch the replay on the monitor above you. Again, you have to condense and edit as you write, or you’ll be way over editors maximum 600 word count. If there is late scores or lead changes, you get frantic as you try to get those details down, so by the final whistle, you have the full story.
TIME OUT
You don't have to do all of this again until tomorrow.
You've probably never given this any thought, that a sports writer’s job is to file your story within a minutes after the clock ends the game. You talk about pressure, the newspaper or website needs the full game account NOW. The pressure is on, you then have to race down to the locker rooms, interview the players and coaches for maybe 15 minutes, and then file your story 15 minutes later with comments from the key players.
GAME ON
The trick is you have to start writing during the game. Then, in the last few minutes of the game, you TOP the story, including the score, who won, how the points were put up, the records of the teams and any other relevant details. Then you have to blend this “top” with your running copy to make a seamless transition. Basically you have to write during stoppages in play because if you have your head down typing out the story, you will surely miss a key play, and then will have to try to catch the replay on the monitor above you. Again, you have to condense and edit as you write, or you’ll be way over editors maximum 600 word count. If there is late scores or lead changes, you get frantic as you try to get those details down, so by the final whistle, you have the full story.
TIME OUT
You don't have to do all of this again until tomorrow.
Thank You Michelle. We are all MAD here – Making A Difference. 😊
Doc Frick