Quotes and writing

[fishwrapper]

"Quotes are overrated."

 

[Breakyoself]

i write the story in my head after interview on drive back to work or when sitting down and seeting up shop. then add in quotes that i liked from coaches or players. usually lead is based off something that happened in the game or meaning of a win, and quotes reflect that ****.

 

[fishwrapper]

i write the story in my head after interview on drive back to work or when sitting down and seeting up shop. then add in quotes that i liked from coaches or players. usually lead is based off something that happened in the game or meaning of a win, and quotes reflect that ****.

Anyone else use this formula? I've never seen it done this way.

 

[Breakyoself]

what is weird? i eventually type it out, but i go through how i want the story to sound in my head as I get ready to do so. i would think we should all be thinking of the story during a game or right after an interview.

 

[fishwrapper]

usually lead is based off something that happened in the game or meaning of a win, and quotes reflect that ****.

So, let me get this straight...
Your lede is about something that happened in the game?
And you use quotes to reflect or support your lede?

 

[Breakyoself]

ah, my bad. you were mocking me. nicely played.

 

[fishwrapper]

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

 

[Breakyoself]

it's cool. i didn't even think twice because of people above stating how they formulate their stories after interviews. not until i reread it did i notice.

 

[dooley_womack1]

I've seen many versions of this debate on here. Three observations:

1. Quotes are way overused in sports stories. I have a general rule: No more than one for every four grafs of writing.

2. If you can write it better, and 95 percent of the time you can, say it yourself. Quotes slow the reader down, and the fewer quotes you use, the more the quotes you use will stand out.

3. I almost never base my lead off a quote (you're my hero, Shockey, but we disagree here). If a quote can hammer home a lead, great, but I'm not circling the wagons around a quote. Those kind of leads seem fake, to me.

So the story is about you and not the participants. Gotcha.

 

[expendable]

I've seen many versions of this debate on here. Three observations:

1. Quotes are way overused in sports stories. I have a general rule: No more than one for every four grafs of writing.

2. If you can write it better, and 95 percent of the time you can, say it yourself. Quotes slow the reader down, and the fewer quotes you use, the more the quotes you use will stand out.

3. I almost never base my lead off a quote (you're my hero, Shockey, but we disagree here). If a quote can hammer home a lead, great, but I'm not circling the wagons around a quote. Those kind of leads seem fake, to me.

Hmmm. I've always been told to hang them with their own words.