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I've been freelancing for a fairly large (about 100,000 circulation) daily for a few months now. I work for three different desks, one being sports.

The assigning editor at the sports desk gave me a beat very early, and I handled it well. I was given another when the season was over.

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I'm also working a beat for one of the news desks, but it's not nearly as intensive or important to the newspaper.

I'll be graduating in December, and the sports editor has all but indicated he'll be offering me a job. I was always told beginning my career in sports would make it difficult to ever write news again. You'd be a "sports guy" -- one of those people in the other corner of the newsroom.

It's a good job at a good paper. And I have student loans to pay off soon. But my real passion is in news.

If I begin my career in sports, can I ever leave?

David

Relax.

I have seen reporters move all over from department to department.

Joe Grimm

The key is to be very, very good.

An excellent reporter and writer will be recruited by other editors at his or her own newspaper.

In the interim, become the person in sports who is known as the one who chases news stories. Sports figures are constantly winding up in the news, business and features sections. There are plenty of opportunities to cross the imaginary lines that divide departments and do some work that will get you noticed.

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Coming Wednesday: A broadcast journalist wonders how to deal with a news director who isn't keeping promises of increased wages, despite award-winning work.

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