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What to do with a lot of sports writing experience that's NOT sports writing.

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by bl67550, May 11, 2010.

  1. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    If I were you, I would hit the job sites looking for jobs in communications, media relations, PR, etc. Also try technical writing.

    Not a lot of these jobs out there, by the way.
     
  2. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    Craigslist has a lot of ads for Web work. A lot of TV stations use Craigslist to post web editor openings, at least from what I've noticed recently.
     
  3. stix

    stix Well-Known Member

    Get a regular joe-schmoe job that doesn't require you to think but that you can make money off of.

    In your free-time, blog about sports. Write on message boards, start your own blog, talk to yourself about sports in the shower, whatever it takes to write/talk about sports as much as possible.

    Sure, you won't make any money off it. But look at the bright side: You could write about shitty sports for 70 hours a week and not make much more than you will writing about sports as a hobby. And on the bright side, you'll have time for a job that actually pays a decent wage and a family.

    That's my cynical, hardened advice. But good luck. For the record, I'm covering a bowling tournament for 50 bucks tomorrow night, right after I get done cashiering for 6 hours. Living the dream!
     
  4. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    It's not easy to get into sports PR. You either work your way up from an unpaid intern, or you work for a paper or TV station for low pay, and make the move.
     
  5. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    As noted, there are a lot of jobs with various agencies (sports and otherwise) that utilize many of the same skills that newspaper reporters do. It's relatively simple to transition back and forth over the years.

    Obviously the broader you cast your net -- both geographically as well as in types of occupations --- the greater the likelihood of landing something. Many of us have faced the decision to leave home, family and friends behind to pursue a certain opportunity. Others have decided it wasn't worth it. That's a decision only the individual can make. Good luck.
     
  6. Mystery Meat II

    Mystery Meat II Well-Known Member

    I know a little about your area, having family in Morganton. I know the News-Herald has had openings in the recent past, and there's a lot of turnover there. It's a tiny paper, so not having experience works in your favor because you're cheaper.

    There's also a couple of openings your way from ncpress.com, if you haven't been there yet:

    Hickory always has desk openings because they just went the regional hub route, so they're doing copy editing/designing for all the Media General papers in North Carolina, and I believe Florence, S.C. as well.

    Never heard of Tryon as anything other than a street in Charlotte, but it's apparently a tiny town on the NC/SC border. Looks like haven't had anyone doing sports for them lately: http://www.tryondailybulletin.com/
     
  7. It would be a dream job for me to work at the paper in Hamer, S.C., where I imagine I'd spend my days covering the strange goings-on in all the South of the Border junk shops.

    So if you see that job, don't apply for, but instead send me a PM.
     
  8. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    Blog in your mother's basement or get as far away from this business as you can.

    On a serious note, if you haven't already made the rounds of internships and freelance writing for local papers, you're going to be behind the eight ball when you start looking for full-time work.

    It's sad to say this, but even if you've taken every conceivable internship AND you have a boatload of clips from local papers, you might still have a hard time getting in. And that's no jaded, sarcasm-laced rant.

    I'd recommend getting a job -- any job -- even if it has nothing to do with journalism. Try to freelance on the side and save as much money as you can.
     
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