National Sports Journalism Center

By Brian Hendrickson
IU National Sports Journalism Center Graduate Fellow

Behind all the tools, metaphors and tips he has used to teach and inspire writers for more than 30 years, Roy Peter Clark has been driven to help them find a sense of mission and purpose behind their craft.
 

Roy Peter Clark and John Branch

–Photo/Brian Hendrickson

It was the central message Clark brought to the IUPUI campus Monday, when he anchored the Writing Tools for Sports Journalists workshop along with Sports Illustrated senior writer L. Jon Wertheim, New York Times enterprise reporter John Branch, and Pulitzer Prize-winning feature writer and Indiana University faculty member Thomas French.

The author of 14 books on writing and journalism, Clark gave the students and professional journalists in attendance an overview of his “50 Writing Tools,” offered examples for how the order of words in sentences can affect their impact, and analyzed the fundamental differences between storytelling and reporting. After the five-hour workshop ended, Clark said he hoped the students and professionals came away feeling empowered by a new sense of language and how it can be harnessed.

“So much of the experience of language can be positive,” Clark said. “People call attention to when you’ve done something wrong. I think it’s the job of a teacher to help writers learn and do their best work.

“It’s a powerful thing to feel like you’re living and working inside the language. This is your atmosphere. This is where you live.”

While Clark provided the in-depth breakdowns during two writing workshop sessions, Wertheim and Branch offered the practical perception of working journalists in the magazine and newspaper worlds. Each shared experiences of producing compelling work from major events on tight deadlines, how great stories can be found in the overlooked corners of the world, and how social media is changing the face of news reporting.

 

John Branch and L. Jon Wertheim

–Photo/Brian Hendrickson

Students said the blend of perspectives and instruction provided them with fresh insights into the different ways in which sporting events can be covered.

“It opened my eyes up to more than reporting, but storytelling,” said Sam Rogian, a student in the IU Master’s of Sports Journalism program. “There’s more to storytelling than just reporting what happened.”

Branch gave a recent example of that distinction when he explained the process through which he went in covering the Indianapolis Colts-New York Giants game on Sunday night. Facing a tight deadline in a game billed as a showdown between brothers Peyton and Eli Manning, Branch spotted the pair after the game sharing a brief moment together. He recorded the exchange in his notes, then rushed to work it into his story for a late edition of the Times.

Branch offered the anecdote as an example of how scene setting and storytelling can add depth and emotion to a report, and it can be done even under oppressive deadline situations.

“I'm sure I got as much out of the discussions as anyone,” Branch said of the workshop. “I walked out of there pretty fired up. It's a reminder, to me and to everyone there, that writing is something that you never master, but simply work to improve. Yes — write, write and write some more. But the workshop was a strong reminder about the importance of reading and listening, too. I loved it.”

Wertheim also encouraged students to stay flexible in their career pursuits and keep their eye on the future of the industry as it continues to evolve toward digital platforms. After discussing the benefits and drawbacks that social media and blogs have introduced, Wertheim said he encourages young journalists to continue developing their craft, and trust that those changes in reporting tools will always leave a demand for great journalism.

“The rules are changing for everyone,” Wertheim said. “You just have to have faith that there’s going to be a place for storytelling, or shining a light in dark places. You have to work on the assumption that there’s going to be something out there.”