How much do magazine writers earn?
Discussion
I did work experience at a well known car magazine, and whilst there I was told a starter salary would be around £14k and an editor would be on around £40k. This though is just purely working for one publication, and wouldn't include anything else. I guess some of the more well known ones have done other work too, and their OHs are probably doing quite well.
HTH
HTH
Would you like a job driving new sports cars around and foisting your opinions on the world?
Yes? So would a lot of other people. Supply/demand etc.
Unless you are a 'name' which can draw in punters you won't earn much, although you do get to drive lots of new sports cars about and foist your opinions on the rest of us...
Yes? So would a lot of other people. Supply/demand etc.
Unless you are a 'name' which can draw in punters you won't earn much, although you do get to drive lots of new sports cars about and foist your opinions on the rest of us...
Phil Dicky said:
al1991 said:
I may be wrong, but I thought he created Evo, then sold it, and now is a contributor?
Its was Harry Metcalfe started EVO, with alot of staff from the old Performance Car magwackojacko said:
Chris Harris is freelance to Evo and doesn't do bad at all (judging by his past/present cars and the area he lives in)
Far from your average motoring journo then. petrolveins said:
I did work experience at a well known car magazine, and whilst there I was told a starter salary would be around £14k and an editor would be on around £40k. This though is just purely working for one publication, and wouldn't include anything else. I guess some of the more well known ones have done other work too, and their OHs are probably doing quite well.
HTH
It does, thank you. HTH
Staff wages are almost always awful. The best freelancers have huge networks of outlets they can syndicate to. Some are from wealthy backgrounds and appear to be earning far more than they actually are. Others earn next to nothing and do it to prevent themselves getting bored in retirement. The only people who get properly rich are the TV presenters and the owners of websites/media agencies that syndicate on an industrial basis. And PetrolTed of course.
One of my friends is a freelance motoring photographer. Has done covers and shoots for many magazines such as Fast Ford, Classic Ford, Redline, Banzai, Total BMW and many others. He manages to make a pretty good living, moreso than staff writers/photographers who are on a pittance. I'd expect the staff writers at Evo and Autocar are on slightly more but nothing spectacular. Well known journalists such as Chris Harris or Steve Sutcliff are probably earning a fair whack though.
You also have to remember that they don't have to spend hundreds of pounds a month out of net earnings on cars (unless they choose to). Cheap Mk1 Focus for the wife and then you're never short of a manufacturer giving you a loaner for your current day to day. A big financial boost and if you choose to spend some of that on a classic money pit, that's your choice.
Hence, a decent monthly mag wage of, what, 40 - 50k plus becomes a good slice more. Add in some freelance, freebies and any other sources and you get to a position where the wolves don't like you.
Some also (rather obviously) have a degree of independent wealth & in the odd case, get there by means of pimping themselves/being successful.
Hence, a decent monthly mag wage of, what, 40 - 50k plus becomes a good slice more. Add in some freelance, freebies and any other sources and you get to a position where the wolves don't like you.
Some also (rather obviously) have a degree of independent wealth & in the odd case, get there by means of pimping themselves/being successful.
The pool of writers who work for Auto Express, Evo, Top Gear etc is going to be relatively small and therefore not representative of the average salary.
People like freelance photographers are going to be able to command decentish money as they may not have a job every day and more importantly, magazine standard photography isn't and easy skill to master nor is it a role that is as coveted as actually driving and writing about the cars, therefore less people are trying to get into it.
I have in the past been involved with doing some work (non motoring unfortunately) with a few car magazines, not the really big boys but titles that are well known enough to be stocked on the High St. I was shocked to find the editors were on around £30k with general writers on around £20k or less! For reasons of professionalism and confidentiality, I won't go into anymore detail but the above confirms that the figures being banded about on here seem on the money (forgive the pun!).
People like freelance photographers are going to be able to command decentish money as they may not have a job every day and more importantly, magazine standard photography isn't and easy skill to master nor is it a role that is as coveted as actually driving and writing about the cars, therefore less people are trying to get into it.
I have in the past been involved with doing some work (non motoring unfortunately) with a few car magazines, not the really big boys but titles that are well known enough to be stocked on the High St. I was shocked to find the editors were on around £30k with general writers on around £20k or less! For reasons of professionalism and confidentiality, I won't go into anymore detail but the above confirms that the figures being banded about on here seem on the money (forgive the pun!).
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