Write About the Cyclones! Join the WRNL Writing Team!

It’s been nearly a year since KnowDan and CanAzn turned the site’s leadership over to me (though they’ve stuck around and been very helpful through the transition), and we’ve done some great things since last August. Whether it was inviting KU fans to rush the floor with us, going three straight years without losing a bowl game, making it through Paul Rhoads press conferences, or even helping get the word out about Iowa’s ANAL program, there’s been a lot of fantastic stories produced by our talented staff of writers.

Today, I’m here to tell you that it’s time once again for WRNL to expand and bring in a new crop of writers.

If you were around last fall, you’ll remember that I was looking for new writers to cover things outside the usual areas of football and men’s basketball. Luckily, most of the topics I was looking for have been covered well by our new guys, and this time around, we’re looking for people who want to focus primarily on the bigger sports. So whether you’re an ISU football fan or die hard basketball follower, if you’ve got writing chops and want to let your thoughts and opinions be read by thousands of people, throw your hat into the ring!

Beyond your work getting viewed by tons of Cyclone fans, you’ll be joining one of the fastest-growing sites in the SB Nation network. A year ago at this time, our Facebook page had just over 5,000 likes. Now, we’re sitting at more than 12,300 and growing every day! We feel like our blend of humor, analysis and coverage of Iowa State athletics is the perfect combination for people who want to have fun following the Cyclones, whether they’re doing well (not often) or not (very often).

So, what qualifications are we looking for exactly? Well, they haven’t changed much since last year. You can find the details below.

Required Skills

• The ability to write. You don't have to be perfect, but you have to be coherent, know how to spell, identify errors, and be willing to be edited.
• The ability to be a fan, but also objective. Balancing an ability to cheer for Iowa State and calling them on their issues is a must.
• The ability to be funny. This is non-negotiable. Some of our writers are funnier than others (and it's okay if you're not the world's greatest comedian), but WRNL was built on being humorous, and it's an emphasis to not lose what made the site great in the first place.
• The ability to be available. We realize WRNL will never be your first priority, but we do expect our writers to contribute at least an hour or two each week to churning out content.
• Be passionate about writing. The best applicants in the past have been the ones who’ve had a love for writing and not just the desire to be “internet famous.” While you’ll certainly receive endless fame and hot members of the opposite sex chasing after you if you’re hired, we’re all on staff because we love the Cyclones and love WRNL first and foremost.

Areas of Need

• Football coverage. Can you break down why Iowa State won or lost a game? Do you know the game of football inside and out? We want to boost our football coverage starting in August, and you can be a part of that!
• Breaking news / daytime availability. Many of our current writers have full-time jobs, and that makes it hard for us to drop everything and write about breaking news during the day. If your job is flexible, or you have free time during the day and would be willing to cover breaking news, mention that in your application and you’ll get major brownie points.
• Editing. Right now, I and KnowDan handle most of the editing duties behind the scenes. Getting another person who is fluent in punctuation, grammar and can learn new technologies fast would be a fantastic addition to the site.

How to Apply

To apply, send an email to kevfitz87@gmail.com and tell us about your interest in writing, why that interest exists and how you would like to help. Also, provide us with a writing sample from one of your past works, or whip up a sample on the spot about something sports-related (doesn't have to be about Iowa State) and send that in. Either way, we need something to evaluate your talent!

If you applied last August, but didn't get accepted, feel free to apply again. Please remember that all positions are unpaid, but if the site continues to grow at the rate it has been, opportunities may arise for me to reward the people who made it happen. However, it’s important to remember that none of our writers do this for the money -- we do it because we love Iowa State athletics.

Right now, the plan is to bring on 2-3 new writers, but if lots of talented people apply, then we're open to more.

Happy applying!