They’re the aims of every new writer who joins B/R’s World Football Community—to get people reading their articles, to see their articles hit the front page, to become recognised as one of the top writers in the field.
It all sounds so easy on paper—but how is it actually achieved?
As Staff Editor for the World Football section, I feel (rightly or wrongly) in a privileged position to have had intimate experience of the section, and believe I am in a position to outline some of the secrets to success.
Be aware, however, that this does not mean I am necessarily the perfect example of these rules, in fact there are many far better case studies out there than me—in this instance it is definitely a case of “do as I say, not as I do.”
Anyway, by no means a conclusive list—here are six ways to send your name up towards the top of the writer rankings.
1. Know Your Onions
Use the facts, but get them right.
As with any community on B/R, building your reputation is absolutely crucial to becoming a major player amongst the World Football community.
This starts with one simple maxim—get your facts right.
This works in many ways. For a start, it is incredibly important to get basic names right. Know it is Jermain not Jermaine Defoe, Villarreal not Vilarreal, Middlesbrough not Middlesborough, and Fraizer not Frazier Campbell.
If writing was a 100m race, then this would be the equivalent of facing the right way.
If you aren’t sure, check it. If you can’t even spell the name of the player/club you are writing about, why should anyone listen to what you have to say about them?
More generally, make sure you get all your facts straight. If you are talking about Arsenal’s “Invincibles”, for instance, make sure you know which season it was (2003-04, in case you’re wondering). If you are suggesting that Napoli’s rotation policy is the reason behind their early success, make sure they have not named an unchanged side for the last eight games.
Get dates, events, and incidents—however minor—100% correct.
If you don’t, you can guarantee that someone will call you on it—and it will do nothing for your credibility.
Having said that, don’t worry obsessively about every fact and detail, as your editors should be there to provide a safety net, catching any glaring errors before the article goes worldwide.
But no editor has a 100% success rate—and as a result no writer should rely fully on them.
If you want to be taken seriously, check everything religiously.
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