--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's people stories that make good…" description: "\"It's people stories that make good reading. I don't feel like I'm a sportswriter. I feel like I'm a guy who writes about people who happen to do sports..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/rick-reilly-37408_books_it-s-people-stories-that-make-good-readi_1713499.png" --- # It's people stories that make good reading. I don't feel… ![“It's people stories that make good reading. I don't feel like I'm a sportswriter. I feel like I'm a guy who writes about people who happen to do sports. The best columns are the ones where you tie it somehow into the fabric of the country.” quote by Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/rick-reilly-37408_books_it-s-people-stories-that-make-good-readi_1713499.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/rick-reilly-37408_books_it-s-people-stories-that-make-good-readi_1713499.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/rick-reilly-37408_books_it-s-people-stories-that-make-good-readi_1713499.png) > “It's people stories that make good reading. I don't feel like I'm a sportswriter. I feel like I'm a guy who writes about people who happen to do sports. The best columns are the ones where you tie it somehow into the fabric of the country.” [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing about people behind sports connects readers to broader cultural narratives. **In simple terms:** People stories make sports relatable. Key Takeaway Focus on human angles. Themes sports culture storytelling Mood engaging empathetic Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - journalism - broadcasting - public speaking Key Concepts Human interest societal context Questions to Reflect On - How does personal narrative enrich sports coverage? - What stories are missing from mainstream sports media? A Different Perspective May overlook technical aspects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Columns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/columns/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Fabric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fabric/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Good reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-reading/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Guy Writes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy-writes-1269601/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Like Sportswriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-sportswriter-1269600/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Sportswriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sportswriter/) [Sportswriter Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sportswriter-feel-1269599/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Ties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ties/) [Writes People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writes-people-504736/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A popular author is one who writes what the people think. Genius invites them to think something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-popular-author-is-one-who-writes-what-the-people-think-genius/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [I'm sick of being known as the sexy guy that writes great songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/i-m-sick-of-being-known-as-the-sexy-guy-that-writes-great-songs/) [Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/) > [A writer writes what other people only think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-stein/a-writer-writes-what-other-people-only-think/) [Sol Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-stein/) > [The writer who aims at producing the platitudes which are "not for an age, but for all time" has his reward in being unreadable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-writer-who-aims-at-producing-the-platitudes-which-are-not-for-an/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“When did people begin to wear clothing with writing on it? 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I try really hard to write a good, solid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schneider/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-a-guy-who-writes-for-kids-i-really-don-t-i/) [Dan Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schneider/) > [If we hooked up, he could write me ballads and stuff. You gotta admit, nothing's sexier than a guy who writes music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/if-we-hooked-up-he-could-write-me-ballads-and-stuff-you-gotta-admit/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [A popular writer writes about what people think. A wise writer offers them something to think about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-popular-writer-writes-about-what-people-think-a-wise-writer-offers/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“So, I said I thought the magazine was trying to make him a hero, but then later somebody might dig up something to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/so-i-said-i-thought-the-magazine-was-trying-to-make-him-a-hero-but/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [The man who writes about himself and his own time is the only man who writes about all people and about all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-man-who-writes-about-himself-and-his-own-time-is-the-only-man-who-2/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More by Rick Reilly > [The best thing to ever happen to marriage is the pause-live-TV button.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/the-best-thing-to-ever-happen-to-marriage-is-the-pause-live-tv-button/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) > [Never let anyone tell you sports doesn't matter. Never let them tell you it's all about the wins, the losses and the stats. Sports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/never-let-anyone-tell-you-sports-doesn-t-matter-never-let-them-tell/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) > [A man is more than his failings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/a-man-is-more-than-his-failings/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) > [I write the story that nobody reads. Someday, I'm going to write it in German to see if anyone notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/i-write-the-story-that-nobody-reads-someday-i-m-going-to-write-it-in/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) > [There's never been a finer man in American sports than John Wooden, or a finer coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/there-s-never-been-a-finer-man-in-american-sports-than-john-wooden-or/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) > [Golf is the cruelest game, because eventually it will drag you out in front of the whole school, take your lunch money and slap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/golf-is-the-cruelest-game-because-eventually-it-will-drag-you-out-in/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) > [Exactly how intricate a sport is jogging? You were two years old. You ran after the cat. You pretty much had it mastered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/exactly-how-intricate-a-sport-is-jogging-you-were-two-years-old-you/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) > [College football is LSU's Tiger Stadium at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/college-football-is-lsu-s-tiger-stadium-at-night/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) > [Maybe I'm just getting old, but I remember when your average NFL player would come to the sideline, spit out three bicuspids, Scotch-tape his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/maybe-i-m-just-getting-old-but-i-remember-when-your-average-nfl/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) > [Im afraid Wisconsin is you, Nebraska, only with much better parties and more wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/im-afraid-wisconsin-is-you-nebraska-only-with-much-better-parties-and/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) > [I was a terrible Sugar Babies addict, so I had more cavities than the surface of the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-reilly/i-was-a-terrible-sugar-babies-addict-so-i-had-more-cavities-than-the/) [Rick Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) [Explore all 12 Rick Reilly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-reilly/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's people stories that make good reading. I don't feel like I'm a sportswriter. I feel like I'm a guy who writes about people who happen to do sports. 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