Hi Dean

Thanks for the message, I would definitely be keen on joining your journey, I am currently a game and tech journalist for Playboy SA, and would love the opportunity to grow even more. I fit your needs perfectly.

Hi Marco,

Thanks for your reply. Can you mail me with your availability and what content area you'd be particularly interested in covering (news, features etc.)?

My email is: dean.samways@gmail.com

Thanks,

Dean.

For the sake of aspiring writers without my years of experience, I'll point to Dan Gril's post on working for free. It includes comments from many established journalists.

http://funambulism.com/2011/07/journalism-when-is-it-justified-for-a-writer-to-work-for-free/

Personally, I was a successful games journalist for eight years and I never once had to work for free. I have strong opinions on this topic.

Hi Dean.

Thanks for the message. Obviously being an aspiring Games Journalist currently going through the journey of University, I'd love for any chance to be able to contribute and publish any future writings I have on Made2Game. Payment really isn't an issue, as I'm just looking for a starting ground and some experience. But I've been dedicated to writing about games for a good 4-5 years now, and I believe that I've got what you need to get this site where you want to get it too.. Ideally, I'd be willing to contribute news, but I'm capable of writing features, or reviews, as needed.

University doesn't take much out of me personally (Around 2-3 days per week so far), so I can normally find a good amount of time to dedicate to the site, and to my writing. If this sounds all good with you, perhaps we can work a few things out.

I am with Joe Martin. Your website was not designed for free. Your electricity is not being bestowed upon thee by a higher power because they think your idea is so great. You pay for your offices, yourself, your food... The list goes on. Is there a nirvana which I don't know about where writers get free food, rent. housing, school fees? Just wondering. I have just browsed through all the jobs on here and every single one asks us to work for free. Sorry, but a glowing recommendation means absolutely nothing to my bank.

Hi Dean, check your inbox, I have replied to your message. Thanks :)

Howdy,

Thanks very much to Marco, Ryan and Amit. I would've been in touch with you individually to talk M2G by now.

Thank you to Joe and Tamsin for their input too. I really enjoyed Dan's piece and in many respects it goes a long way to supporting what we're having, not choosing, to do at Made2Game.

For example, we are not sat on a personal fortune able to pay contributors from the off, unlike some established and recently established, but already hugely influential, sites. We have had a lot of interest from those willing to write to build their portfolio and from these I will be selecting only the very best talent. I want to rebuild M2G with an express focus on great writing from passionate, gifted gamers. As a trained journalist and veteran of the games industry, only the very highest standards will do. Of course these standards are leashed somewhat by our inability to offer compensation but I'm hoping my team will share in my vision of building M2G into a profit-making enterprise where we can all share the benefits.

For the sake of transparency let me say this. I am between jobs right now. I have taken up the gauntlet of relaunching M2G not for monetary gain but to demonstrate to an incredibly competitive industry leads that I can manage a website. I have been set targets by the site's owner. If I hit these in the space of six weeks (two to go) I will be paid a small amount of money. I'm not saying how much but rest assured it's some way off what a month's rent would've been in my old Camden flat. I am writing this post sat in my pyjamas in my family home in the West Country. I could choose not to do this and instead concentrate on applying for one of the million jobs out there that I don't want to do but instead I'm doing this. I am doing this to better myself. To implement skills and employ year's of experience and channel them into one passion project. Building a team of dedicated gamers and writers has already proved a thrilling challenge and I look forward to working with them in the future. If there are quality writers out there who share my passion and vision for making M2G great and building their own personal portfolio and are willing to do some for free, who am I to stand in the way of their own career advancement?

Joe, like you I have freelanced for several publications; each fully commissioned. I wouldn't be human if I didn't feel that what I am doing was somewhat ethically questionable Inside Xbox, Orange Digital (games channel), 360 Gamer, Now Gamer, Official UK PlayStation Magazine and Total Film have all seen fit to pay me in the past and for that I consider myself extremely lucky. Of course I wouldn't have been able to do that without demonstrating my skills for nothing but a good reference and a few extra pages in my portfolio. Before going to university I worked, voluntarily, at Future Publishing. That resulted in regular freelance work that continued for over a year. During my studies I returned to complete the work experience module of my journalism course. After graduating with a good degree, I interned as Drowned in Sound's and The Quietus' news editor before becoming editor of the Orange games channel. I'm only telling you this to demonstrate that I have been in the position I am asking my contributors to occupy now. I hope they realise that I understand/ I will absolutely not be asking them to do anything they do not agree with and will instead look to nurture their talent and help move their career forward in anyway I can.

Mr Martin, you have highlighted on many occasions that you have never worked for free and you receive payment for all your work. Congratulations. You are one of the lucky few. But even you should understand M2G's mission having completed a spell of work experience at Future Publishing; just like me.

Anyway, I hope this goes some way to explaining my intentions. All the best to everyone. Now to hoist the mainsail on the good ship M2G.

Dean.

Hi Dean, not sure if you're still on the lookout for writers but just in case I've fired an e-mail your way.