What I Have Learned About Writing

So now that I have joined the blogosphere, with all the inherent pressure and rewards therein, I have some observations on ’sportswriting’ that will be of interest to no one but me.

I have read a lot of these guys online, etc.  More than I would want to admit.  The interesting things is that they all basically have the same set of information.  Sure, some get text messages from athletes, or have more access beyond the locker room interview.  But in the end, they all tell a variation of the story “the Giants need to pressure Brady if they hope to win.”  Just some get direct quotes from Strahan (who doesn’t) and some rely on Media Day.

So you start to differentiate these writers more on their styles as opposed to their content.  I am not a fantasy leaguer, so I really don’t need to know that Mel Kiper Jr. ranks DeSean Jackson as the second best receiver in the draft (true story).  In other words, I am looking more to be entertained and less for insight. 

The next stage is that you see yourself incorporating/imitating these guys as there are really only so many ways to jazz up “the Giants need to pressure Brady if they hope to win.”

- You compare with Pop Stars and Culture, like the Sportsguy

- You think of funny travel notes, like Peter King

- You try to be sarcastic, like Y!Sports Michael Silver

- You try to have a truly unique take, like DJ Gallo (who like MSG, has no special access so just makes his stuff up)

Fortunately, with only 300 page views a month, I am not under risk of plagiarism or obligation to fact-check.  No editor needed until you get to 500 page views I think.

What is my point?  Hey, I am a blogger, I have no point.  I am just posting to get more tags in the hopes that someone finds my page in my goal to reach 3 million Page Views a month.  I need to rely on more than my loyal reader for that.

Oh, and as strategy #2, I try to entertain so that I am perhaps discovered by a major sports entity and hired on without having to pay my dues by writing about high school sports for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

So pass along how entertaining I am!