[Magazine] Writers' Forum

[xanthalanari]

I just thought I'd post a link to this cautionary tale about Writers' Forum Magazine for the benefit of anyone who was thinking of trying them out.

http://community.livejournal.com/writefantastic/22824.html

 

[victoriastrauss]

A link to Writers Forum. Seems to be a Writers Digest type of magazine, based in the UK.

- Victoria

 

[xanthalanari]

[Editor/consultant] John Jenkins

Here's a piece of background in case any of you in the UK are likely to be working with John Jenkins (currently of National Council for the Training of Journalists) - in his previous venture, a British magazine called Writer's Forum, he seems to have made a habit of not paying his contributors.

Juliet E McKenna's experience - http://community.livejournal.com/writefantastic/32156.html

 

[Old Hack]

An internet acquaintance of mine writes for Writers' Forum, and has told me she's had no problems getting paid--but I don't think that Mr Jenkins edits the magazine any more. He once asked me to write some articles for him, but his payment terms were interesting: he suggested that I review various writing-related hardware and software and persuade the hardware and software manufacturers to advertise in the magazine, after which point he would pay me a commission on all the ads I sold.

I considered this--I have a background in sales--but in the end didn't take him up on the offer, for all sorts of obvious reasons.

 

[xanthalanari]

Well, I don't know if the problem was with Jenkins or the magazine itself (which now appears to have gone under anyway), but either way the situation sounds less than ideal!

 

[Old Hack]

Xanthalanari, as far as I know, the magazine is still up and running, and commissioning articles.

Your links concern issues with payment to contributors while the magazine was edited by (and I think owned by) John Jenkins. He sold the title well over a year ago, and the problems do seem to have disappeared now that the title is in new hands: I've heard of no complaints since that happened (but I'll admit that I've not been looking for them). I hope that this magazine is now back on course, and see no reason to believe otherwise.

 

[gothicangel]

Carl Styants now edits the magazine, I've had some dealings with him and he is brilliant. I know a few other writers who have sold to WF and there has been no problem with payment.

Actually its improved 100% since. It is available from WHSmith and Borders.