That’s what I googled almost four years ago to start writing at Last Word on Sports. Over that time, I’ve published almost 350 articles and edited hundreds more. I remember what it was like to want to write about football, get paid for it, and search for an outlet to try and cover the sport we all love. This will be my last article for Last Word on Sports, and I wanted to take the time to share some lessons learned over my time here.
How to Write About Football and Get Paid For It – Beginner’s Writing Tips
You Only Get Better By Trying
There are so many different places to start. A personal Substack can be great. Twitter threads breaking down stats and in-game analysis can get some traction. But without starting, you won’t know what you need to work on. Formatting changes by site, but grammar and the ability to tell the players’ story will have to be constant improvements. Take the time. Sit down, write about football, and put it out in a format that’s available to you. Maybe it’s not at a site that will pay to start, but improving your own skills will be something you carry with you, whether in the sports writing world or in your regular 9-5.
Take the Leap
Apply to that dream job. Apply to a job that interests you. Then keep getting better, and apply again and again. Last Word on Sports has multiple departments for different writers of different styles, but there are tons of opportunities out there. The only way to get your foot in the door is to apply, and a rejection isn’t a no forever. It’s just no for now, so take the time to apply and really put your best work forward. I clicked on this link after checking through Google for a little bit, and it’s been one of the best decisions of my life.
Stay Focused and Do the Work
It’s easy to get sidetracked with Twitter followings and the latest social media trends. Building a social network platform to share pieces is important, but follower counts aren’t everything. Research SEO. Stay on time with timelines. Make life easy on your editors by following the guidelines of whatever site you’re writing for. These sound easy, but far too many writers get their foot in the door and then don’t meet the minimum quota numbers or submit pieces that weren’t even spellchecked, let alone re-read for grammar. Be known as the guy who can get the job done, not the one who needs constant reminders.
Find a Mentor or Two
I’ve been truly blessed. David Latham took me under his wing when I was a brand-new writer and taught me some of the things I’m outlining in this article. He helped me with formatting, SEO, and promoting my work. You name it, he helped teach me how to do it. Jet Pack Galileo (who shall remain anonymous, as he truly is a 500-year-old mind) helped teach me how to take a process to prospect scouting and portray it in a way that is both entertaining and useful for the reader. Dave Kluge and Jeff Bell are constantly helping me improve my craft, whether on podcasts or while writing articles. Each of the editors that I’ve worked with has provided clear, concise feedback that made me a little better with each and every article. This community is special, but only if you let it be. Find a mentor. Ask them questions. Keep getting better.
Promote Your Articles
Whether the site makes its money from ad revenue or from subscriptions, views matter. They’re not everything, and the value of what you write about football isn’t inherently based on views. But help the site that’s giving you a platform by showing your work to people who care. There are subreddits dedicated to NFL teams, memes, fantasy football, you name it, they have it. Twitter is great for building a personal voice, but link clicks are tough. Facebook groups are hit or miss, sometimes leading to thousands of views, sometimes leading to a ban because they don’t like the article. There’s some guess and check here, but take the time to promote your work. You worked hard on it! You should want people to read it.
Be Open to New Opportunities
If you’re putting the work in, people will notice. Last Word on Sports was kind enough to promote me on multiple occasions. Increased roles and responsibilities can be overwhelming, but they’re a signal that you’re doing the right thing. In the same way you have to take the leap to apply to a new site, you also have to take the leap to keep moving up in the organization you’re at.
Help the People Around You
Maybe you’ve been writing on the site for a couple of months now. Maybe you haven’t, but if you’ve received feedback that a certain verbiage or formatting thing works better one way, help the other writers around you. Send them notes. Promote other people’s work. Build up the organization. Moving up or moving on doesn’t mean there’s no longer space or time to help others, and the fans deserve the best version of people’s work. If you can help even one writer get a little better, and their articles are seen by thousands of people, you’ve just helped thousands of people get a better product. Maybe that’s part of why I’m writing this.
Last Word on Mike
This site is a great place. Drew, David, and the rest of the editors are top-notch, and I can’t wait to see what the next group of writers has in store. There’s definitely more that I’m missing about how to write about football and get paid for it, but there’s always more. If you’re reading this and want to connect, my DMs are always open. Cheers, and go Steelers.