Martin Fennelly, a sports writer for the Tampa Tribune, is a memorable person to have a conversation with especially if you are an aspiring writer. His quick wit and portrayal of athletes is unlike that of many of his fellow writers.
An article that had impact on Fennelly was when he was younger at the time of the Kennedy assassination. Tom Breslin was assigned to cover the funeral. Instead of covering the typical outlets of family and friends, Breslin interviewed the grave digger. “Breslin covered the story in terms that people could understand,” Fennelly said. It was a story that touched Fennelly and helped to give inspiration to Fennelly’s writing.
Fennelly also grew up in a family that constantly had newspapers in the house. At anytime there was the possibility of five or six newspapers in the Fennelly residence.
Fennelly loves to be entertained and amused which he incorporates into his writing. Fennelly believes that part of his job as a writer is to entertain the readers. “Sometimes when I write people don’t know if I’m praising them of ripping them.”
Fennelly explains to a rapt audience that in reporting it is key to stay in touch with your sources. “So much of reporting is observing.” Along with keeping in touch with an audience, painting a scene or offering anecdotes is beneficial to the reader. Fennelly likes writing to where people can see or make their own decision.
Fennelly also explains that there is a problem that writers can come into contact with.
Cynicism can be beneficial to any column, but it is when cynicism cannot be held up against something that a writer believes in is when cynicism goes wrong. “The day you cannot say something cynical about something, but can back it up with something you believe in then you should start laying bricks.”
Cynicism has caught up with Fennelly but not because of the reason stated above. The article that Fennelly wishes he had never written was about a Lightning goal tender who continually had had back surgery. He mentioned that dead people had backs better then the goal tender. This did not work well because a member of the goal tenders family had recently passed away.
Fennelly believes that a big problem with many writers is that the writers rip into athletes easier because they do not know then as well. “Rule 1: If you are going to rip someone, be within shouting or hitting distance within 16 hours,” Fennelly said with a laugh.
Fennelly is very outspoken about his writing beliefs which are invaluable especially to young writers with the hopes of sports writing. “Remember that you are still writing about people.”
While talking about his version of how to write, Fennelly mentions how he still has to finish a column due later in the night. “My editor’s don’t worry about the columns I have to do in 20 minutes. They worry about the ones I have with all day deadlines. I tend to take my time then.”
Fennelly may take his time, but his final work is very clean. He prints out his first draft, goes over it with a red pen, and repeats until he is happy with final draft.
Fennelly has an outlook about writing that every writer whether they have been in the field for years or brand new to the beat.
“Any writer who thinks events are small is small writers.”
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