Writing for The Ink…
I’ve very happy to announce that I’ve recently joined the writing team of The Ink.
As you know, I love Swindon and have lived and worked in the town since 1991, and feel it often gets bad press, so I’m very pleased to be involved in an outlet that celebrates, talks about and tackles the latest issues for Swindon.
The Ink is associated with the Swindon Link magazine, which I’m sure those of you who live in Swindon will know.
The present Swindon Link editor, Jamie Hill, back in July, launched The Ink, which is an online version of news that will produce long-form, insightful articles that get into some depth about what’s going on in Swindon. It has a free element and a low cost paid for element.
It has a growing team of writers, including me!
As an innovative idea, The Ink sits on an online platform, called Substack. From there, the news articles of The Ink are sent directly to readers’ inbox.
You have to subscribe to The Ink. You can either subscribe for free, or for £5.99 a month, then as a subscriber you will receive four briefings a week, whereas the free version is only sent once a week on a Friday. You won’t be tied into anything by signing up, you can join and leave without incurring any costs.
Business features appear monthly, and also heritage features, but only about Swindon itself or on subjects relevant to a Swindon-based audience. That’s the brief.
I’ve written four articles so far:
- Swindon’s Economy is stronger than you think
- How do we bring business and heritage together in Swindon?
- Looking at Swindon Town Centre through new eyes.
*The impact of late payment in the small business.
Swindon has a rich culture and heritage, but many people don’t know the history of the town they live in – this is part of the remit of The Ink, to share information and keep Swindonians aware of what’s going on.
In November, I went to a meeting at UTC, (University Technical College) in Swindon, where the new local council team were consulting on issues about heritage buildings in Swindon. Sadly, they have very little money, but they want to engage with the community. This meeting was the focus of one of my articles. I’m sure other stories around that will follow.
I’m also planning content for 2024.
This year the Swindon Link Magazine has been running for 45 years. It was started by Roger Ogle, who has now retired from the editorship, who recently gave a talk in the town about founding the Link and running of it. I’ve known Roger for many years and we first met when I was a reporter on the local paper.
The Link Magazine offers community news, reviews, interviews and what’s on information. There is also a business directory.
Over 40,000 copies are delivered by hand each month, and 2,500 are distributed to public places and community centres.
It is entirely paid for by its advertisers – those businesses who choose to advertise in the magazine.
It’s written by a team of local journalists who are passionate about Swindon.
The arrival of The Ink does not mean that the Swindon Link will disappear. Due to the longer and more analytical articles in The Ink, there will be a wider range of news reaching the different communities of the town, on a monthly basis. In a world that’s more and more challenging for local print media, this type of offering is accepting those changes and trying new avenues to share stories and make an income.
Now, the new online associated version is looking to grow its readers. If you’d like to read the articles, and subscribe, follow the link: