Out of curiosity, what are the rates for magazine contributors? words and photos? How many people have done it? Are you all qualified/experienced content writers or just have a go heroes? I might have a dabble. Doubt It'll be any good for print though.

I've written 3 articles for Singletrack and never been paid anything. I did get given a buff, teeshirt and jersey once though…

I wrote an article for Horse and Hound (yes really) and got 100 quid.

On each occasion I've provided words and photos and I'm just a have a go hero (engineer in real life).

I'm not sure casual contributors get paid for articles. I believe they jusy a BFF badge, get invited to the MTB mecca that is West Yorkshire for occassional rides and inducted to the inner circle in a ritual that involves a tub of Crisco grease and an i900 seat post.

Never been invited to "the MTB mecca that is West Yorkshire" for a ride either. 🙁

I'm rather tempted by the ritual involving the grease and seat post though…

Well I am pretty confident that their spell checker wouldn't handle my witty writing.

I've written articles/reviews for VeloVision and now get a free subscription.

Which reminds me, I have 600 words to write on the LOCT….

what are the rates for magazine contributors?

lol! you're doing it for the love and to see your name in lights.

And that Crisco/seat dropper post action eh Samuri?

😉

I wrote something for them once, it was a bit of a witter intended for the homepage, but it got into the mag instead.

It was a bit of fun really.

Ah I see. Doing it for the love. The love of stuffing other peoples pockets 😉

Seriously though, nobody is making any money from freelance photography or writing then? (wrt Singletrack).

They're looking for 200 words on "The Joy Of Filth" at the moment.

I'm looking

You'll get me undying appreciation :o)

Hi, we have a very small budget for each issue – this usually goes towards the bigger features and paying folk who make their living purely by taking pictures and writing stories. Generally columns and reader-submitted articles don't get paid – though I'm trying to be more organised about making sure that occasional contributors get at least a goodie-bag of Singletrack love.

I'm afraid, you're generally going to be rewarded by seeing your name in lights. As an illustration, I'm just talking to the online Travel Guardian about writing a feature about my Pyrenean trip. They're not going to pay me a penny, but I still reckon it's worth doing.

I hope that helps explain things, but feel free to email or call me if you want to talk over any story ideas.

Whatever happened to your column Jon ?

I always thought you had a good way with words and they were always entertaining.

"They're looking for 200 words on "The Joy Of Filth" at the moment. "

Ooh – I could do something on the joy of a bedroom bivvy.

😳

Wrong filth Crispin ;o)

goodie-bag of Singletrack love.

hope there's some lube in that.

I've been getting copies of STW dropping through my letter box since a piece I wrote appeared in the mag a couple of months or so ago.
I've written some stuff (with photography) for a petrol heads magazine and got nothing, but conversely done features for a motorcycle magazine and got £55 a page.
The money is nice but mostly it is done so that I can have a much more rounded portfolio of work for potential future employers.

Dere chipes – kinedley give me a job. I hav my owne crayerns.

As an illustration, I'm just talking to the online Travel Guardian about writing a feature about my Pyrenean trip. They're not going to pay me a penny, but I still reckon it's worth doing.

Sorry but I think thats ball. Either you have another motive for getting it on there, ie linking back to here and/or an advert for the mag, or your strangely very bad at business skills. I've written stuff for travel magazines before (and one of them is huge) and the pay was pretty good; so I can't believe someone of your fame, can't get paid for writing (what should be) a pretty decent write up.

I'll await the flaming from your fans…

Perhaps I'm not worth the cash 🙂

They don't pay for online articles, full stop. I can get a plug for Singletrack in it, so that's why I'll do it. I'm sure it's different in their paper magazine, but for online stuff, there's very little cash floating around for any contributors – and I think this probably applies to most corners of the publishing world.

Then I'd go somewhere else.

The companies I've written for are all online. To be fair though, they did approach me, rather than the other way round, but I'd still say that as the travel industry is much bigger than the cycle industry, that the cash is still there.

Name drop; you're Mr Chipps!

To get more people on the forum buying the mag, and more mag buyers on the forum, why not feature more articles about the forum users and make the link between forum and mag well known, what they do, where they ride, their 'home made bike remedies', etc… A feature on trouts lights might be good with the ensuing darkness, or an articel on how to make homebrew lights, etc (have we done this already, I cant remember!)…

"feature more articles about the forum users"

Not sure I'd want the mag full of articles about some of the ****ts on here….

Not sure I'd want the mag full of articles about some of the ****ts on here….

ha ha. Ditto 😆

Cheers for the explanation Chipps. I didn't realise so much work was done gratis.

I miss the list of top ten forum users that they used to publish in the magazine