4 writing lessons from Deadspin

Amid an internet lousy with anodyne sports blogs, Deadspin stood out like a sore, mangled thumb (or middle finger, more like).

Sadly, it is now dead. After a now infamous “stick to sports” diktat from its corporate overlords, the entire editorial staff quit, leaving the website a voiceless, flavorless husk.

Sure, it was crass, rude and controversial—and earlier iterations of the site published truly disgraceful content—but holy smokes, the writing on Deadspin was withering and wonderful. The reporting was fearless. The snark—be it aimed toward Williams-Sonoma or your favorite football team—could be eviscerating.

Let’s remember the best bits of Deadspin with these takeaways for writers:

Be bold, and find your unique voice. Nobody read Deadspin for sports scores or recaps. The site was beloved because of the writers’ brazen, distinctive, inimitable voices.