How to Become a Professional Sports Writer

If you are a sports enthusiast and like to write, consider a career as a professional sports writer. Professional sports writers work in a variety of contexts. Some writers work for local newspapers while others write columns that are nationally syndicated in various newspapers. Some sports writers are employed by a particular sports magazine while others work as freelance writers and shop their stories around. Some sports writers specialize in one sport while others are generalists who cover many types of sporting events,

Instructions

1. Focus on writing in high school and college. In addition to a genuine enthusiasm for sports, the only other prerequisite for becoming a professional sports writer is the ability to write well. Sports writing requires the ability to be both informative and entertaining. Colleges and universities typically do not offer degrees in sports writing. Your degree does not have to be a sports degree but it should be a degree--English, communications or journalism--that emphasizes writing. This will sharpen your writing skills and make you more attractive to prospective employers.

2. Develop a generalized and detailed knowledge about sports. Learn as much about sports as possible. This will provide you with depth and give you a wealth of resources to fall back on for your own writing. Read various books about the history of sports and about famous sports writers. A lot of sports writers make their writing entertaining by telling anecdotes about sports figures or historical events.

3. Gain experience as a sports writer. Seek out a position as a sports writer on your high school and college newspaper. Keep a journal carefully describing the sports events and activities you attend. Write the journal in the style of a newspaper column. Show the journal to friends and ask for their criticism and suggestions. Start your own sports blog and set a deadline when a blog entry is due. Practice meeting deadlines and write as much as possible.

4. Start with a job at the local newspaper. Most professional sports writers work their way up from the bottom. Working for a local newspaper is a good way to gain experience and build up your resume. If you are the only sports writer for the paper, you will be responsible for all types of sporting events.

References

• degreefinders: How to become a sports writer
• jobprofiles: Sports Writer
• Sportsjournalism National Sports Journalism Center