News Writing Insight with Journalist Ethan Dorsett

 I reached out to Ethan Dorsett, an upperclassman Journalism major and Panther writer who focuses heavily on sports reporting. Even though our beats are different, he shared advice that works across any specialty including my beat on arts, culture, and community voices.

Ethan talked about how sports writing requires a balance between facts, storytelling, and personality, and I realized that applies to cultural reporting too. He explained that the key to owning your beat is learning how to bring readers into the world you're covering, whether it’s a football field or a creative studio.

Here are the three main tips he gave me:

1. “Know your beat like it’s your home team.”

Ethan said that sports reporters need to understand the teams, players, stats, and background stories  and that cultural reporters should do the same. For my beat, that means knowing the artists on campus, upcoming events, local creative spaces, and the stories behind them.

2. “Show up in person when you can.”

He emphasized the importance of being physically present, because the best details come from real moments: crowd energy, emotion, dialogue, atmosphere. For my beat, going to galleries, performances, student showcases, or community events can help me capture richer, more authentic details.

3. “Write for the people who don’t normally pay attention.”

Ethan explained that a good beat reporter makes their topic interesting even to people who might not normally care about it.
For me, that’s a reminder to write about the arts in a way that feels relatable, human, and accessible, not just for creatives but for anyone scrolling by.

Talking with Ethan helped me realize that all beats sports, arts, politics, whatever  share the same core goal: tell the story in a way that makes people feel connected.

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