Sports Writing: A Beginner's Guide [Paperback]

Steve Craig (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0965657493 | ISBN-13: 978-0965657495 | Publication Date: April 1, 2002

Award-winning sportswriter Steve Craig shows young adults all the tricks of the trade. Beginning with the basics of good reporting, note-taking and interviewing and moving to crafting game stories, feature stories and columns, this clearly written and well illustrated book will help you turn your class into effective sports writers.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 6-12. Some kids want to play on a team; others want to write about the teams. For those in the latter category, this book offers a wealth of information. Craig, a sportswriter and sports editor, starts writers off with a basic issue (Must you play the game to write about it?), and answers with a resounding "No." He then goes on to discuss the specifics of sports reporting: the passion needed to become a writer, how to write a good story while getting the facts straight, conducting interviews, writing feature stories, the education needed to become a journalist, and much, much more. The format is basic but clean, with a few charts and graphs to help readers visualize the information. Even young people who don't go on to careers in sports journalism will find many tips to improve their writing. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"a very useful and highly recommended basic primer filled with tips, tricks, and techniques for aspiring sports journalists." -- Midwest Book Review, May 2002:

Product Details

• Paperback: 162 pages
• Publisher: Discover Writing Pr (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965657493
• ISBN-13: 978-0965657495
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #309,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #53 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Miscellaneous > Journalism

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An ideal text for students interested in sports, April 13, 2003

By 

Andrew Leibs (Portsmouth, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sports Writing: A Beginner's Guide (Paperback)

This concise, well-organized book enables aspiring sportswriters to understand the mechanics of superior sports coverage, and lays out what they will need to know to effectively contribute to a publication. The book is excellent at describing not only what reporters face when covering events, but also how to translate knowledge so that editors and general readers get the most from the story. The book is especially good at providing tips on preparation, and it deftly diagrams how different types of stories are composed. The book also includes many useful definitions, abbreviations, and checklists. All in all, Steve Craig's book is just what a young writer needs to bring his or her talents from aspiration into print.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars versatile, common sense approach, April 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Sports Writing: A Beginner's Guide (Paperback)

A great book for high school and introductory college journalism courses, full of practical examples. This book clearly teaches the basics, stresses reporting as the key ingredient to any news story, and points out how to avoid many of the real-world pitfalls that slow inexperienced sportswriters' development.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very useful and highly recommended basic primer, May 12, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sports Writing: A Beginner's Guide (Paperback)

In Sports Writing: A Beginner's Guide Steve Craig draws from his years of experience as an awards winning sports writer and sports editor to present a simple, practical introduction to the craft of sports-related journalism. You don't have to play the games to write well about them; Sports Writing covers the basics of getting the facts, making the most of an interview, the difference between game, feature, and sidebar stories, and much more. Sports Writing is a very useful and highly recommended basic primer filled with tips, tricks, and techniques for aspiring sports journalists.