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Advice on writing a game story

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Bob Smith, Oct 20, 2013.

  1. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Excellent point. One young reporter I worked with felt he had to include at least one quote from every person he had talked to.
     
  2. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    yeah. Unless it is really good back-and-forth banter between two people, or a really good descriptive quote, I try to break it up.

    A few years ago, I was going to do a profile on a new college football head coach. Guy was so eloquent and articulate with his quotes that when I sat down to write the thing, I found that his quotes basically told the whole story and my transitions were just getting in the way. So I turned it into a question and answer piece instead and it worked really well that way.
     
  3. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    I'll second this. I've seen too many young writers try to emulate what they see on the WWL rather than develop their own voice. That and they're not experienced enough to make observations ala King or Clayton.

    Also, if possible and/or appropriate, maybe a quick lesson in statkeeping? Covered one all-star softball game this summer where a student from Local State was stringing for a weekly in our chain and looked panicked since no one was keeping stats for him like at Local State. I wandered over a few innings later and he was keeping everything in longhand.
     
  4. jr/shotglass

    jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

    That's a big obstacle for young sportswriters today, to be sure -- understanding where the line is drawn for something you write in a game story and something you write in a column.

    And I remain horrified that a sportswriter would not know how to keep a baseball scorebook. That floors me.
     
  5. boxingnut4324

    boxingnut4324 Member

    Emphasize that you can't be soft if the team you're covering loses. When I was sports editor at my school paper one my writers once wrote, verbatim, "State U made a great comeback in the second half, cutting the deficit from 17 to 14 before Tech made a late run."

    I pulled her aside and told her that her job wasn't to be nice. If she wanted to soften her writing go write for the school's website, and she was better at reporting the news, good or bad, much better after. I think with the softening of kids they want to soften what they write. Can't happen.
     
  6. deskslave

    deskslave Active Member

    As a counterpoint to that last item, I'd say don't forget to mention the game. Yes, you want to put things in the proper context, but make sure you tell me what happened in the game, too.

    That being said, there's a difference between a 41-38 game and a 63-7 game. If Powerhouse High routs Sisters of the Poor and Johnny Superstar has his seventh straight 100-yard game on eight carries, you probably don't need a ton of recap, and you probably don't need to key on young Johnny.
     
  7. Flip Wilson

    Flip Wilson Well-Known Member

    I have no idea how to keep a baseball scorebook. In those rare times I freelance a baseball or softball game, I keep stats on a legal pad and doublecheck with the official book (usually the home team) after the game. If I'm way off on something, I'll check the other book as well.
     
  8. JayFarrar

    JayFarrar Well-Known Member

    I have not a clue on how to keep a scorebook. I suspect lots of others would say the same thing.
     
  9. Justin_Rice

    Justin_Rice Well-Known Member

    Inverted Mother-Fucking Pyramid.

    For the love of pete.
     
  10. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    True. I was going to add another point to the end of my post, but it was around 3 a.m. and my brain suddenly decided it wanted the rest of the night off :D

    I generally follow a simple, yet effective pattern with my game stories. It's essentially what AP does.
    First 3-4 paragraphs should be able to stand as their own story. Capsulize the game. Maybe a brief lede on top, or even an anecdotal lede if the writer is comfortable enough and it works, but cram in the score, who did what, the most important stats, plays or trends, and a quote.
    With the next 2-3 paragraphs, hit why the game had meaning or a secondary lede. What it does in mean in terms of the season, or were there any key injuries that deserve mentioning. This part should mesh with the rest of the story, but can also be a step removed from it.
    The rest of the story, get into what happened. You can put play-by-play here if it's relevant or, in the case of a blowout, quickly sum up when the game got out of hand and what the reasons behind it were (for example, State U. rushed for 250 yards, with three running backs gaining 70 apiece. Follow that with a quote from one of the backs, a lineman or a coach).
    Finally, find a good stopping point and a good wrap-up quote, and bring it home.

    It's a bit paint-by-numbers, but it works. For a young sports writer, especially, it's not a bad template to follow.
     
  11. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    I don't mind editorializing just a little in a gamer. Come on, have some fun, live a little.
     
  12. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Sadly, I've found that's what a surprising number of people (readers as well as supervisors) prefer. Something like "Despite a determined effort from a fired-up and injury-depleted team, Podunk High dropped its homecoming game 63-0 on Friday night, falling to 0-6 on the season. The good news is the crosstown matchup against Podunk North, who is 1-5 this season, is just three weeks away. Coach Bloodnguts says spirits are high and the team will keep fighting."
     
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