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Bought writing magazine

JenJen
edited October 2012 in - WM and WN
I used to subscribe to Writers' Forum and I did so for years. But after I realised I wasn't reading the magazine anymore I stopped. Yesterday I bought writers forum and writing magazine. There's so much in Writing Magazine, it takes longger ot read and is more diverse with articles.
I was a writer's forum loyal subscriber never bought WM but I did get fed-up so I might get WM more often. Don't know about subcribing. Do you?

Comments

  • edited October 2012
    I subscribe to both, Jen, partly because I live in France and can't get them any other way. Of the two, I find that WM is more useful: it's a huge magazine with masses of info about markets, author interviews, and free competitions as well as the pay-to-enter ones. And it has Talkback, of course, whereas WF doesn't have a chatroom. 'Nuff said! Do come and join in whenever you like: there are people at all levels of writing here.
  • I've given in and now subscribe to WM - I've subscribed to WF from its early days. I find WF an enjoyable read with longer articles,whereas WM seems to use a shotgun approach. Both are useful, but in different ways.

    The competitions in either mag aren't of any interest to me. I suppose I use WM more for research than entertainment.
  • Used to just buy an occasional copy, but I currently subscribe to WM. Haven't bought Writers' Forum recently.
  • I used to subscribe to Writing Magazine (I only stopped because I flit about too much, not because I didn't want to read it).
    I always try to buy the magazine when I visit the UK - but on my last couple of visits I couldn't find it anywhere and had to resort to Writers Forum only.
    On the whole I much prefer Writing Magazine because it has more useful information than Writers Forum.
  • I agree, Claudia. Writing Magazine is my favourite. It's like putting on a comfy pair of slippers. I know where I am with it (a bit like Talkback)!

    I've bought Writers' Forum twice - for the last two months - and I sent a story off, enticed by the £300 prize! I don't know how long it will be before I hear, if at all, as there are no deadlines. I don't think I'll subscribe, but may dip in occasionally.
  • I buy WM now and then and also WF now and then - but for this year I've subscribed to Mslexia. I like 'em all.
  • The problem I find with WF comps is that it's totally open, but the three winners always have something in common; so if yours doesn't fit this month's randomly chosen theme, you won't win, no matter how good it is. WM gives us something to write about, so although you have leeway in how you write it, you are all on the same starting line.
  • Subscribing to WM is so much easier, and the magazine has so much to offer now. I've been a subscriber for over 10 year now.

    I do buy WF, but it's not as satisfying as WM.
  • I subscribe to WM. I agree with most of the comments above. I'm not familiar with WF, but I find I have enough to be going on with in WM and I like the diversity, so I stick with that.

    Oh, and I like all the mad people on the forum, too. :)
  • Oh.. pbw - does that mean you don't like the ones who aren't mad? *breaks down*

    I subscribe. But don't read a lot of it before the next one arrives.
  • [quote=Liz]Oh.. pbw - does that mean you don't like the ones who aren't mad?[/quote]

    Don't worry, Liz. You're in the 'liked' team.
  • I subscribe to WM and through that I found this forum which is just the best - I feel like I've made new friends really quickly :)

    I also buy WF but haven't yet subscribed to that.

    *crosses fingers to be in the 'liked' team
  • How do you guys think S&M is going to respond to being *liked* (mad) or *not liked*? :)
  • He'll pretend not to care...
  • I'm too needy to affect nonchalance...
  • Fortunately you're mad, so we don't judge you.
  • I used to subscribe but stopped for a while. I did buy October's issue though, with all the competitons listed in it.

    There must be many people out there who'd love to read a copy, but just can't afford it.

    Wouldn't it be a lovely gesture if those of you who buy it, but never seem to get round to reading it, could post your copy off to somebody who would appreciate a free read.
  • That's a lovely idea.
  • I'm more than happy to send on my read copy to someone :)
  • I subscribe to WM, as it's the only way to make sure of getting it. Trying to get it at WH Smith's is like trying to buy blancmange in an ironmongers, and my local newsagent won't order it as he says "there is no demand for it", and doesn't want to run the risk of ending up with a magazine that he can't get rid of.
  • I'm not too poor to afford to buy a copy - I just couldn't find one in any of the WH Smith's I checked before I left England... If anyone wants to post me October's copy I'll happily reimburse the cost/postage (via Paypal?). My e-mail is on my account page.
  • I have posted copies of WM to various people. 'Looks up at halo above head'
  • I pass my copies of WM on to a friend's dad, who has just started writing in his late seventies.
    He loves it and his daughter is thinking of getting him a subscription for Christmas.

    Which will hopefully cancel out the fact that I've just stopped my subscription after many years (sorry, Webbo!)
    I still enjoy the mag, but have found that after a time as my writing has progressed it has got a bit same-y and there is less that I find useful, which I suppose is to be expected. Also, I spend so long reading mags that I don't read as many book as I used to, which is definitely a bad thing, so I've cancelled a couple of other subscriptions, too.

    I'll still buy the occasional copy from the shops, I expect.
  • [quote=claudia]but on my last couple of visits I couldn't find it anywhere and had to resort to Writers Forum only. [/quote]
    Whsmiths have it and Sainsburys sell it- just found this out about Sainsburys
    but they seem to sell very quickly
  • I've been back and for to this forum for quite a while. I have a problem with the internet I subscribe to too much so I don't get friendly with people. And I do recognise a lot of the names on here as regular people.
    I find that as I've started to write more I read less magazines on writing and as I am owrking more I have less time ot read anyway.
  • JenJen
    edited October 2012
    I entered a WF competition and they gave me some good feedback. They said my horror story had a chilling charcter but they coudlnt belive the relationship between my other characters. I'd love to win a competition it will tell me my writing is good and not a pile of rubbish. I tried re-writing that story as I like it as a horror but I got a bit stuck.

    I've wanted to be a writer since I knew what a author was and I often worry my writing is rubbish. Sorry I've gone off on a tangent.
  • [quote=dora] could post your copy off to somebody who would appreciate a free read. [/quote] I usually pass mine on to a writer friend, but some issues I need to keep for later reference.
  • edited October 2012
    [quote=paperbackwriter]Oh, and I like all the mad people on the forum, too[/quote]

    I'm not sure that I wish to associate with people of suspect sanity.

    I've subscribed to WM for about ten years now. I read all the article, nod wisely, and carry on as before. Tricks, dog, old, new. I keep twelve-months worth and then dispose of. I guess passing on is a good idea.
  • edited October 2012
    [quote=Baggy Books]He'll pretend not to care...[/quote]

    Behind this nonchalant facade lies a deeply vulnerable human being, consumed by angst and emotionally scarred by a lifetime of slights, verbal abuse and general gratuitous insults. When darkness falls each day I am profoundly grateful that soon I shall pass in to merciful oblivion, if only for a little while.
  • I keep mine because I haven't read all of them and spending that much money it seems wicked to get rid of them without reading all of them. They are in a huge pile next to the television with al the other magazines I haven't read all the way through, and I get them out when I'm ill or tired or don't have a book.

    A little while ago I did get rid of an enormous pile in recycling. It was enormous pile. The cost of postage nowadays to someone else would be above 60 pence per magazine. I'm afraid apart from the time aspect, I'm very unlikely to be posting any anywhere... but I have given them to writing friends on occasion when there has been something in there I know they'd be interested in.
  • Well what a lovely thread! What a nice Monday morning thread for us to come back to. Glad we're (mostly) hitting the mark!
  • [quote=snailmale]Behind this nonchalant facade lies a deeply vulnerable human being, consumed by angst and emotionally scarred by a lifetime of slights, verbal abuse and general gratuitous insults. When darkness falls each day I am profoundly grateful that soon I shall pass in to merciful oblivion, if only for a little while. [/quote]

    Glad to see you've been reading the 'how to write OTT fiction' articles.
  • My very own genre! :D
  • Pity it's so tiny.
  • It's all down to the hormone injections.
  • Are we going to do the *size matters* debate?
  • Nope, I'm ignoring Bilbo on most things. I refuse to have my literary career dismissed just yet.
  • [quote=Webbo]Well what a lovely thread! What a nice Monday morning thread for us to come back to. Glad we're (mostly) hitting the mark![/quote]

    Awwww.
  • Don't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy?
  • Yus...and I went to my new Creative Writing Evening Class (Short Stories)
    AND THE FIRST THING THE TUTOR ASKED WAS

    "Do any of you read Writing Magazine?"

    We'd better stop now or Webbo will get big-headed.
  • Did everyone cheer?
  • Well half of us nodded (smug, of course) and the others looked a little wistful.
  • Are any of them TBers, do you think?

    *looks over shoulder, wistfully*
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