Its always been my dream

First, there's no possible way you can be a high school senior AND have tons of experience. More important, go to the best school you can get into because the instruction will be better, the contacts will be better and you'll have a better chance of landing a quality internship or first job with a quality school on your resume.

 

I came into the business somewhat circuitously, but I had no idea I loved to write when I started. Just wanted to do something sports-related and found out I enjoyed writing more than I actually liked sports. When you're younger than I was getting into the business, I think you can afford a year or two in school to figure that out.

One thing that should be pointed out, though, is that if you really think you love sports and want to keep loving it, being a sports writer might not be the best thing for you. If you love sausage, you may not want to know how it's made. I still like sports, but my attitude toward them is dramatically different than it was 10 years ago.

 

Well perhaps not tons of experience according to some on this board, because some have worked in this business longer than I've been alive, but I'd stack my experience against any other high school senior in the country and probably against a good portion of college students. I should correct myself and say I have tons of experience relative to my age.

 

Get on anywhere you can. Work at your school paper -- do whatever you need to do. I knew a ton of people that were too lazy to write for my college paper. That crappy job led me to a pretty good stringer gig, which led to a pretty good internship which led to ... this craphole. But now they either don't work in the field or work at even crappier crap holes, so I guess it paid off some.

Just get exerience, and remember: you don't know it all. You don't now. You won't after your first story, or your first beat or you first job. You'll think you do every time, but stay humble.

And hit on the high school chicks. They like that. It helps them open up and makes for better interviews.

 

I appreciate all of the advice already. Here is one question: Knowing what you know about the journalism schools, which one would you say is the absolute best?

Secondly, how tough is it to get into the business if you don't have a Journalism or Communications degree?

 

I went to a big BCS school, but not one of the huge journalism schools, so maybe I'm a little biased here, but to me, it's all about experience. Get out and get writing. Get good on deadline, and good on AP style and I don't think it matters where you're from or what your major is. The ideal canidate is probably a 4.0 GPA Mizzou grad with 3 internships and two majors (including print) but all of that goes out the window if that person can't write.

 

Here, here.

 

The first thing I ever did was write a "gamer" after USC beat the shit out of Oklahoma in Norman in 1986 or 1987 (whenever Holloway was QB) and sent it to the age-old columnist at the local paper, asking him to read it and evaluate it. To my astonishment I got it back in the mail within a week, marked with a red pen 7 ways till Sunday. I was depressed about that part, but impressed he went out of his way to help me out. Go to your local paper and ask to string stories. Your work might get shredded by editors, but you'll learn a lot.

 

Some things I've picked up:

• Don't do this if you want to get rich.
• Don't do this if you want your nights and weekends off.
• Don't do this if your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/husband has a day job.
• Don't do this if you expect to be covering the NFL six months out of college.
• Don't do this if you have thin skin and can't take criticism
• Don't do this if you watch PTI every night and think, "Man, that could be me."

As for advice:

• Read everything you can get your hands on. Then read it again.
• Learn the AP Stylebook BEFORE you get too involved in college classes. It will put you ahead.
• When you get your first job, ask your editor to read your stuff in front of you. Ask questions about why he did what he did to your story.
• If your editor isn't a good editor, start looking for a new job ASAP.
• Learn that you'll get farther by writing clean copy that's on time rather than occasionally outstanding stuff that needs work.
• Remember, every person you meet in this business is a potential co-worker or boss, so act accordingly.
• I can't believe I have to say this: Never, ever, under any circumstances, should you wear your favorite team's shirt/sweatshirt/jacket/hat to a game. In addition to acting professionally, dress professionally.
• And above all else...When you do get that NFL/MLB/NHL/Division I/NBA beat, act as if you belong there, even if you don't.

 

tarleton state!

 

Awesome post, for a (well, not so) newbie.

I'll only do this once :

 

I've gotten a fat lip or two over a fat tire or two, but I'll take it. Cheers.