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Hemal Jhaveri - Top 10 tips for sports content writing

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Hemal Jhaveri
Hemal Jhaveri

The document provides 10 tips for writing an engaging sports section for a high school newspaper. The tips include doing thorough reporting before writing, focusing on a single story rather than multiple stories, using vivid descriptions and details to show rather than just tell, avoiding cliches and "jock talk", using storytelling techniques, finding unique stories beyond just game recaps, and reading examples of good sports writing. The overall aim is to make the sports section more meaningful by providing well-written stories beyond just game outcomes.

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Ten Top Tips forTen Top Tips for Tiptop Sports WritingTiptop Sports Writing How to make your sports section theHow to make your sports section the best-read, most-meaningful portion ofbest-read, most-meaningful portion of your high school newspaper.your high school newspaper. Hemal JhaveriHemal Jhaveri
Top 10 TipsTop 10 Tips for Tip-Top Sports Writingfor Tip-Top Sports Writing ? So, do you get theSo, do you get the experience that peopleexperience that people aren¡¯t studying youraren¡¯t studying your activities section? Is youractivities section? Is your activities protection takenactivities protection taken over by old activityover by old activity experiences and clich¨¦-experiences and clich¨¦- filled features?filled features? ? These 10 guidelines canThese 10 guidelines can go far to enhancing yourgo far to enhancing your activities protection ¨C andactivities protection ¨C and your audience of theyour audience of the whole paper.whole paper.
1.1. Reporting ComesReporting Comes Before WritingBefore Writing ? You MUST do the effortYou MUST do the effort of confirming before youof confirming before you sit down to create a storysit down to create a story ? Remember, activities isRemember, activities is one of the most statistics-one of the most statistics- and facts-heavy topics outand facts-heavy topics out there ¨C you have to havethere ¨C you have to have those on hand to createthose on hand to create excellent activitiesexcellent activities experiences. Thatexperiences. That indicates you have toindicates you have to discover out who hasdiscover out who has them, or keep a record ofthem, or keep a record of them yourself.them yourself.
2. Don¡¯t Try to Do Too Much2. Don¡¯t Try to Do Too Much ? Discover a SINGLEDiscover a SINGLE FOCUS and keep with it!FOCUS and keep with it! ? Don¡¯t try to tellDon¡¯t try to tell someone¡¯s lifestyle storysomeone¡¯s lifestyle story ? It¡¯s difficult to tell moreIt¡¯s difficult to tell more than one person¡¯s tale at athan one person¡¯s tale at a moment, so stay awaymoment, so stay away from the enticement to tellfrom the enticement to tell the tale of whole groups.the tale of whole groups. Choose a gamer or two,Choose a gamer or two, not the whole violation ornot the whole violation or protection.protection.
3. Show, Don¡¯t Tell3. Show, Don¡¯t Tell ? OK, so this isOK, so this is perhaps a bit of aperhaps a bit of a clich¨¦, but it¡¯sclich¨¦, but it¡¯s essential realizeessential realize what it indicates ¨Cwhat it indicates ¨C you have to putyou have to put visitors in the tale.visitors in the tale. ? Some examples:Some examples: ? UseUse DESCRIPTION andDESCRIPTION and get the DETAILS!get the DETAILS! ? How? DO YOURHow? DO YOUR REPORTING!REPORTING!
4. Don¡¯t Do Game Stories *4. Don¡¯t Do Game Stories * ? Most secondary schoolMost secondary school magazines spread roughlymagazines spread roughly every three or four severalevery three or four several weeks. Unless you spreadweeks. Unless you spread more often than once a 7more often than once a 7 days, keep the activitydays, keep the activity experiences to theexperiences to the everyday magazines.everyday magazines. ? Exceptions? When youExceptions? When you can get a big activity talecan get a big activity tale into your document lessinto your document less than a 7 days after thethan a 7 days after the activity is finished.activity is finished.
* Only do game stories for your* Only do game stories for your regularly updated ONLINEregularly updated ONLINE EDITIONSEDITIONS ? Get them up THEGet them up THE NIGHT/DAY theyNIGHT/DAY they happen!happen! ? Get the outcomes in theGet the outcomes in the initial grafs.initial grafs. ? Add at least a quotation orAdd at least a quotation or two.two. ? Team information (overallTeam information (overall and league) should be inand league) should be in the tale.the tale. ? Report some mathematicalReport some mathematical features.features.
5. Avoid Cliches Like the Plague5. Avoid Cliches Like the Plague ? If you¡¯ve observed itIf you¡¯ve observed it before, see how to say itbefore, see how to say it another way.another way. ? An example: He took it toAn example: He took it to the outlet in a gut-checkthe outlet in a gut-check activity. ¡°It¡¯s all about theactivity. ¡°It¡¯s all about the group,¡± Cruz said. ¡°Theregroup,¡± Cruz said. ¡°There isn¡¯t any ¡®I¡¯ in TEAM, soisn¡¯t any ¡®I¡¯ in TEAM, so I performed my ownI performed my own activity and took it up andactivity and took it up and down the ground at 110down the ground at 110 %, and then let the Ws and%, and then let the Ws and Ls deal with themselves.¡±Ls deal with themselves.¡±
Hemal Jhaveri - Top 10 tips for sports content writing
6. Avoid ¡®Jock Talk¡¯6. Avoid ¡®Jock Talk¡¯ ? With all-ESPN all theWith all-ESPN all the time, this is a pernicious,time, this is a pernicious, challenging problem tochallenging problem to prevent, but you must tryprevent, but you must try to only use brilliant,to only use brilliant, significant quotations.significant quotations. ? Suggestions ¨C 1. SomeSuggestions ¨C 1. Some trainers and sportsmentrainers and sportsmen will complete SILENCEwill complete SILENCE with more innovativewith more innovative comments, so figure outcomments, so figure out how to WAIT for betterhow to WAIT for better solutions. 2. Don¡¯t asksolutions. 2. Don¡¯t ask clich¨¦ concerns.clich¨¦ concerns.
7. Use Dramatic Story-Telling7. Use Dramatic Story-Telling Devices to Tell Your StoriesDevices to Tell Your Stories ? Use the dilemma ofUse the dilemma of activities to create moreactivities to create more impressive experiences.impressive experiences. ? Consider fictional gadgetsConsider fictional gadgets like foreshadowing, etc.like foreshadowing, etc. ? Consider story-tellingConsider story-telling methods like italics to setmethods like italics to set off activities in a differentoff activities in a different time or position, etc.time or position, etc. ? Try methods like theTry methods like the Walls St. PublicationWalls St. Publication function technique.function technique.
8. Don¡¯t Always Write8. Don¡¯t Always Write The Obvious StoryThe Obvious Story ? Look for the little-Look for the little- known, unminedknown, unmined blocks on yourblocks on your university.university. ? Look for theLook for the experiences thatexperiences that individuals don¡¯tindividuals don¡¯t know about. Those areknow about. Those are the experiencesthe experiences individuals will wantindividuals will want to learn.to learn.
9. Sports Is Also News9. Sports Is Also News ? Just because it¡¯s goingJust because it¡¯s going in the activities areain the activities area doesn¡¯t mean it needsdoesn¡¯t mean it needs to be smooth andto be smooth and smooth andsmooth and interesting. Even oninteresting. Even on secondary universitysecondary university grounds, activities hasgrounds, activities has its discuss of hard-its discuss of hard- news experiences thatnews experiences that are asking to learn.are asking to learn. ? Some examples:Some examples:
10. Read Good Sportswriting!10. Read Good Sportswriting! ? There will do of badThere will do of bad sportswriting out there.sportswriting out there. Prevent it.Prevent it. ? Find the good items andFind the good items and use it as one foruse it as one for confirming and story-confirming and story- telling methods.telling methods. ? Examples: The BestExamples: The Best Activities Composing ofActivities Composing of the Season, Activitiesthe Season, Activities Shown, ESPN playboy,Shown, ESPN playboy, the L.A. Periods, thethe L.A. Periods, the Birkenstock boston WorldBirkenstock boston World and many others.and many others.
Thanks for Listening!Thanks for Listening! ? Hemal JhaveriHemal Jhaveri ? Senior Social MediaSenior Social Media EditorEditor ? Media, Sports, U.S.Media, Sports, U.S. ? hemaljhaveri2@gmail.hemaljhaveri2@gmail. comcom ? https://angel.co/hemaljhttps://angel.co/hemalj haverihaveri

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Hemal Jhaveri - Top 10 tips for sports content writing

  • 1. Ten Top Tips forTen Top Tips for Tiptop Sports WritingTiptop Sports Writing How to make your sports section theHow to make your sports section the best-read, most-meaningful portion ofbest-read, most-meaningful portion of your high school newspaper.your high school newspaper. Hemal JhaveriHemal Jhaveri
  • 2. Top 10 TipsTop 10 Tips for Tip-Top Sports Writingfor Tip-Top Sports Writing ? So, do you get theSo, do you get the experience that peopleexperience that people aren¡¯t studying youraren¡¯t studying your activities section? Is youractivities section? Is your activities protection takenactivities protection taken over by old activityover by old activity experiences and clich¨¦-experiences and clich¨¦- filled features?filled features? ? These 10 guidelines canThese 10 guidelines can go far to enhancing yourgo far to enhancing your activities protection ¨C andactivities protection ¨C and your audience of theyour audience of the whole paper.whole paper.
  • 3. 1.1. Reporting ComesReporting Comes Before WritingBefore Writing ? You MUST do the effortYou MUST do the effort of confirming before youof confirming before you sit down to create a storysit down to create a story ? Remember, activities isRemember, activities is one of the most statistics-one of the most statistics- and facts-heavy topics outand facts-heavy topics out there ¨C you have to havethere ¨C you have to have those on hand to createthose on hand to create excellent activitiesexcellent activities experiences. Thatexperiences. That indicates you have toindicates you have to discover out who hasdiscover out who has them, or keep a record ofthem, or keep a record of them yourself.them yourself.
  • 4. 2. Don¡¯t Try to Do Too Much2. Don¡¯t Try to Do Too Much ? Discover a SINGLEDiscover a SINGLE FOCUS and keep with it!FOCUS and keep with it! ? Don¡¯t try to tellDon¡¯t try to tell someone¡¯s lifestyle storysomeone¡¯s lifestyle story ? It¡¯s difficult to tell moreIt¡¯s difficult to tell more than one person¡¯s tale at athan one person¡¯s tale at a moment, so stay awaymoment, so stay away from the enticement to tellfrom the enticement to tell the tale of whole groups.the tale of whole groups. Choose a gamer or two,Choose a gamer or two, not the whole violation ornot the whole violation or protection.protection.
  • 5. 3. Show, Don¡¯t Tell3. Show, Don¡¯t Tell ? OK, so this isOK, so this is perhaps a bit of aperhaps a bit of a clich¨¦, but it¡¯sclich¨¦, but it¡¯s essential realizeessential realize what it indicates ¨Cwhat it indicates ¨C you have to putyou have to put visitors in the tale.visitors in the tale. ? Some examples:Some examples: ? UseUse DESCRIPTION andDESCRIPTION and get the DETAILS!get the DETAILS! ? How? DO YOURHow? DO YOUR REPORTING!REPORTING!
  • 6. 4. Don¡¯t Do Game Stories *4. Don¡¯t Do Game Stories * ? Most secondary schoolMost secondary school magazines spread roughlymagazines spread roughly every three or four severalevery three or four several weeks. Unless you spreadweeks. Unless you spread more often than once a 7more often than once a 7 days, keep the activitydays, keep the activity experiences to theexperiences to the everyday magazines.everyday magazines. ? Exceptions? When youExceptions? When you can get a big activity talecan get a big activity tale into your document lessinto your document less than a 7 days after thethan a 7 days after the activity is finished.activity is finished.
  • 7. * Only do game stories for your* Only do game stories for your regularly updated ONLINEregularly updated ONLINE EDITIONSEDITIONS ? Get them up THEGet them up THE NIGHT/DAY theyNIGHT/DAY they happen!happen! ? Get the outcomes in theGet the outcomes in the initial grafs.initial grafs. ? Add at least a quotation orAdd at least a quotation or two.two. ? Team information (overallTeam information (overall and league) should be inand league) should be in the tale.the tale. ? Report some mathematicalReport some mathematical features.features.
  • 8. 5. Avoid Cliches Like the Plague5. Avoid Cliches Like the Plague ? If you¡¯ve observed itIf you¡¯ve observed it before, see how to say itbefore, see how to say it another way.another way. ? An example: He took it toAn example: He took it to the outlet in a gut-checkthe outlet in a gut-check activity. ¡°It¡¯s all about theactivity. ¡°It¡¯s all about the group,¡± Cruz said. ¡°Theregroup,¡± Cruz said. ¡°There isn¡¯t any ¡®I¡¯ in TEAM, soisn¡¯t any ¡®I¡¯ in TEAM, so I performed my ownI performed my own activity and took it up andactivity and took it up and down the ground at 110down the ground at 110 %, and then let the Ws and%, and then let the Ws and Ls deal with themselves.¡±Ls deal with themselves.¡±
  • 10. 6. Avoid ¡®Jock Talk¡¯6. Avoid ¡®Jock Talk¡¯ ? With all-ESPN all theWith all-ESPN all the time, this is a pernicious,time, this is a pernicious, challenging problem tochallenging problem to prevent, but you must tryprevent, but you must try to only use brilliant,to only use brilliant, significant quotations.significant quotations. ? Suggestions ¨C 1. SomeSuggestions ¨C 1. Some trainers and sportsmentrainers and sportsmen will complete SILENCEwill complete SILENCE with more innovativewith more innovative comments, so figure outcomments, so figure out how to WAIT for betterhow to WAIT for better solutions. 2. Don¡¯t asksolutions. 2. Don¡¯t ask clich¨¦ concerns.clich¨¦ concerns.
  • 11. 7. Use Dramatic Story-Telling7. Use Dramatic Story-Telling Devices to Tell Your StoriesDevices to Tell Your Stories ? Use the dilemma ofUse the dilemma of activities to create moreactivities to create more impressive experiences.impressive experiences. ? Consider fictional gadgetsConsider fictional gadgets like foreshadowing, etc.like foreshadowing, etc. ? Consider story-tellingConsider story-telling methods like italics to setmethods like italics to set off activities in a differentoff activities in a different time or position, etc.time or position, etc. ? Try methods like theTry methods like the Walls St. PublicationWalls St. Publication function technique.function technique.
  • 12. 8. Don¡¯t Always Write8. Don¡¯t Always Write The Obvious StoryThe Obvious Story ? Look for the little-Look for the little- known, unminedknown, unmined blocks on yourblocks on your university.university. ? Look for theLook for the experiences thatexperiences that individuals don¡¯tindividuals don¡¯t know about. Those areknow about. Those are the experiencesthe experiences individuals will wantindividuals will want to learn.to learn.
  • 13. 9. Sports Is Also News9. Sports Is Also News ? Just because it¡¯s goingJust because it¡¯s going in the activities areain the activities area doesn¡¯t mean it needsdoesn¡¯t mean it needs to be smooth andto be smooth and smooth andsmooth and interesting. Even oninteresting. Even on secondary universitysecondary university grounds, activities hasgrounds, activities has its discuss of hard-its discuss of hard- news experiences thatnews experiences that are asking to learn.are asking to learn. ? Some examples:Some examples:
  • 14. 10. Read Good Sportswriting!10. Read Good Sportswriting! ? There will do of badThere will do of bad sportswriting out there.sportswriting out there. Prevent it.Prevent it. ? Find the good items andFind the good items and use it as one foruse it as one for confirming and story-confirming and story- telling methods.telling methods. ? Examples: The BestExamples: The Best Activities Composing ofActivities Composing of the Season, Activitiesthe Season, Activities Shown, ESPN playboy,Shown, ESPN playboy, the L.A. Periods, thethe L.A. Periods, the Birkenstock boston WorldBirkenstock boston World and many others.and many others.
  • 15. Thanks for Listening!Thanks for Listening! ? Hemal JhaveriHemal Jhaveri ? Senior Social MediaSenior Social Media EditorEditor ? Media, Sports, U.S.Media, Sports, U.S. ? hemaljhaveri2@gmail.hemaljhaveri2@gmail. comcom ? https://angel.co/hemaljhttps://angel.co/hemalj haverihaveri