Can I get a bit help here?

[JohnKleeb]

Ok simple story, changing my career plan from speechwriter to sportswriter which means I am gonna have to change my planned major for college and where I plan to transfer. So if anyone can be of help, that'll be great. Feels honestly like I am starting all over again just like back in high school. Thanks for the help in advance, much appreciated.

[redqueen]

1. I can't help...

but wanted to say good luck!

:hi:

[JohnKleeb]

2. Thanks

I thought about it real hard and thought about when I was a little kid that I had wanted to be a pro baseball player, I know I cant make the pros but I thought why not write about what I enjoy most, besides it would enable me to travel, a really cool ESPN article on these guys who traveled to all the different stadiums convinced me that this is what I wanna do. Good way to meet people, good way to see the country, and yes food, I like food.

[redqueen]

5. Right on!

Always better to try to do what you enjoy. :)

[Rick Myers]

3. An English/Journalism track should do you good!

It's NOT starting over again. Hey, start a sports blog!!! Seriously, I have a friend that started that way and got picked up by a major paper in North Carolina. And he's not much older than, you, John...

My 2 cents, adjusted for inflation...

[JohnKleeb]

4. That sounds cool

Thanks, I am gonna major in Journalism now, would have liked to done Poli Sci but I really had a realization as I said the other night.

[GaYellowDawg]

9. University of Georgia has a GREAT journalism school

Come on down and be a Dawg... and help us bring this state to blue!!

[JohnKleeb]

11. Well we gotta work on Va, but it would be nice to see Ga go blue

[Squeech]

6. What you study doesn't matter

as much as just getting the experience. Any major will do as long as there's expository writing in it.

But definitely go to work for the school paper, and accumulate bylines in any subject that interests you-- hard news, soft human-interest news, movie reviews, anything. (I wrote record reviews for the school paper, and kept doing it after school for the local alternative weekly, and even got paid for it.) Hang out with the editors and faculty advisors, and maybe even journalism professors if there are any, and pick their brains about what constitutes good writing, how to entice readers.

That's my advice, and it's worth every cent you paid for it :hi:

[JohnKleeb]

12. Thanks

I was in Journalism 1 this past year as a senior really, stupid on my part since I should have taken it as a freshman but I am a late bloomer as I siad.

[bigwillq]

7. I majored in Communication

mainly video production. I also took a lot of English and writing classes.

I am now a sportswriter.


I didn't major in Journalism, although it can't hurt to.

[JohnKleeb]

10. I was recommended to take comm

I am a late bloomer as a journalist honsetly, didnt love writing until I was a freshman, finally took my first journalism class last year and loved it.

[bigwillq]

14. I took a 1st amendment class

and loved it. At the school I went to, we had a really good COM, Journalism department for only being a state school.

[JohnKleeb]

15. That sounds cool

I am taking an international relations course this fall.

[bigwillq]

17. It was a good class

In the FALL OF 2000!
We had some serious debates over the selection.

[JohnKleeb]

19. Debate is always good

My poli sci class was nice but we only had really three solid republicans and one of them was a moderate and the other tended to sometimes respect laws of the land like Roe V Wade, only one solid conservative of the three I guess you could say, and there were about 5 of us liberals. I like a good debate, hated what the republicans in class had to say but the one guy, the moderate was a great guy to talk to about other stuff, and he wasnt rabidly partisan.

[BikeWriter]

8. No, hell, no! Harleys and the bikers who ride them are...

the only subjects worth writing about! Just kidding, John! Good luck with your revelation of a career change! :)

[JohnKleeb]

13. thanks

[MrScorpio]

16. Start hanging out in locker rooms. Observe the experts at work

It's a start

[JohnKleeb]

18. You mean like at RFK or where ever?

[bigwillq]

22. He would'nt have access to Pro locker rooms

w/o a press badge.

I guess he could go into HS locker rooms or trying interning somewhere and follow around the sportswriter.

[48pan]

20. Columbia and Northwestern

are two of the best schools of journalism.

Before graduation, write for the sports section of the college newspaper. If possible, intern at a real newspaper as a student. Try to get a role as play-by-play or color man for the college radio station.

When you get out, set 5 year goals. Start with a smaller market, stick with it for at least a year before looking for the next venue. Opportunities come along every few years to move up. Don't get impatient if nothing happens for a few years. If you are good, you should be able to move up to the big time in 10-15 years (less if you are lucky).

Have a great career. You won't need much luck. Hard work and persistence pays off more often than not. If you keep a good attitude and continually improve your writing and speaking skills as well as your sports knowledge, you will be successful.

[JohnKleeb]

21. Thanks

I gotta work hard honestly, I am gonna be in community college for the next couple years, and I know Columbia is one hard school to get in to.