"Sportswriters Go Long Online"

[Dick Whitman]

Recent story on AdWeek about SportsJournalists.com's favorite topic ... long-form!

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/sportswriters-go-long-online-146820

I guess I understand where he's coming from, to a degree, but it doesn't thrill me to read Glenn Stout putting the stamp of approval on not paying writers:

The Classical also doesn't have the funds to pay writers although its founders hope that will change in the coming year; the site is in talks with 29th Street Publishing to sell content in the form of iPad magazines.

For now, the exposure is enough for longform proponents like Stout. "There might not be a whole lot of money in it yet," he said. "But you can not only find a place to show your work—you can find an audience for it."

 

[Versatile]

That was a very shallow view of things. There was no attempt to even discuss the sustainability of market growth or the potential for advertisers or the demographics of readers. Nothing said in that hasn't been said dozens of times here.

 

[Small Town Guy]

Recent story on AdWeek about SportsJournalists.com's favorite topic ... long-form!

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/sportswriters-go-long-online-146820

I guess I understand where he's coming from, to a degree, but it doesn't thrill me to read Glenn Stout putting the stamp of approval on not paying writers:

The Classical also doesn't have the funds to pay writers although its founders hope that will change in the coming year; the site is in talks with 29th Street Publishing to sell content in the form of iPad magazines.

For now, the exposure is enough for longform proponents like Stout. "There might not be a whole lot of money in it yet," he said. "But you can not only find a place to show your work—you can find an audience for it."

I think that graf was a little unfair to Glenn. SB Nation Longform pays writers, but that graf and placement makes it sound like they aren't.

 

[Glenn Stout]

EXACTLY, the quote is way, way out of context. In that quote I was not speaking about SB Nation Longform, but specifically about startups like The Classical that offer space and exposure, in lieu of money, which can in some cases help writers make the leap to paid work - I've already published a number of writers who built clips this way.

At SB Nation Longform we're not paying GQ or SI or MJ money - but we're competitive with other online outlets for this kind of work, and I think our editorial setup, graphic capability, and readability across platforms also helps make us an attractive option. I feel fortunate that on my end of Longform (I am not responsible for all material on the page) not only have I been able to attract younger and/or lesser known (but still very talented) writers, but also more established people like Mike Mooney, Peter Richmond, Mark Winegardner, Pat Jordan, etc.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Hey, Glenn, for the record, I only said that because I knew you posted here and would address it. I am wary of The Classical's "exposure is your pay!" model. In the long run, you get what you pay for. Though I suppose Wikipedia has done OK.

 

[Versatile]

Hey, Glenn, for the record, I only said that because I knew you posted here and would address it. I am wary of The Classical's "exposure is your pay!" model. In the long run, you get what you pay for. Though I suppose Wikipedia has done OK.

Most of the Internet has done OK without paying or without paying much. Twitter and YouTube are other examples. I'm afraid that attitude doesn't hold up well.

 

[Glenn Stout]

Understood DW, no offense taken, always appreciate the opportunity to clarify. And I do understand the impulse to get in print and build clips working for free and/or blogging for yourself, but at the same time, sometimes those clips, if they're not good, don't help you - you have to be really disciplined and discriminating - opinion is cheap there, reporting rare. And the writing for free thing can cause you to diminish the value of your own work and not even ask for money when you can - and there are plenty of paying outfits that will let you offer to work for free.