Although the largest chunk of my career thus far has been in TV, I also have widespread experience of writing for High Street magazines, mostly about…

VIDEO GAMES & COMPUTING

VARIOUS RETRO GAMING MAGAZINES (Freelance 2019-Present)

  • The rise in interest in retro computer and video games magazines (particularly post-pandemic) has seen me sought out to contribute to the likes of Pixel Addict, Atari Addict, Retro Gamer, CPC Fusion and Amstrad Addict.
  • These pieces have often been the (2,500-3,500 word) cover feature.

PLAYSTATION PLUS (Freelance 1996-1997) EMAP Images

  • This magazine approached me to write the main feature for them each month.
  • These included round table discussions with leading games industry figures, exposés (eg why are games so full of bugs) and vox pop lead consumer articles.
  • Each feature ran to seven or eight pages, making them possibly the longest features in any video games magazine at the time.

PC REVIEW (Freelance 1995-1996) EMAP Images

  • I was engaged by PC Review as a roving reporter producing travelogue pieces with a strong PC element and ‘gonzo’ narrative.
  • These included being the first computer journalist to visit the UK’s first internet pub (Cambridge) and café (Edinburgh) as well as being the only British correspondent at Europe’s first virtual reality conference (Amsterdam).
  • I also contributed many more traditional features.

GAME ZONE & SEGA ZONE (Full-Time 1993) Dennis Publishing
GAME ZONE & SEGA ZONE (Freelance 1993-1994) Future Publishing

  • Moving to London, I took up a dual Staff Writer role across two ‘rival’ magazines.
  • Covering Nintendo and Sega consoles/handhelds respectively at a time when the war between the two brands was at its height, I did my best to exacerbate the conflict by starting arguments with myself across the two magazines.
  • I wrote mostly games reviews, plus some features, buyers guides and more.
  • I continued to write for the magazines on a freelance basis when they were bought out (and relocated) by my previous employer.

AMIGA POWER & TOTAL NINTENDO (Freelance 1991-1993) Future Publishing

  • I contributed around a hundred games reviews to these two magazines, building up a reputation for tough marking that was perhaps second only to the legendary Stuart Campbell.
  • On one memorable occasion, I was forced to hide in a cupboard as representatives of publisher Domark visited the office… a week after I’d given two of their games 4% and 11% respectively in Amiga Power.

AMSTRAD ACTION (Freelance 1988-1991) Future Publishing
AMSTRAD ACTION (Full-Time 1991-1993) Future Publishing

  • I began writing for Amstrad Action when I started University, penning a tutorial series on desktop publishing and various comic pieces.
  • Future offered me several full-time jobs during my Uni years (such as launch Games Editor on the weekly New Computer Express) but I held out until one became available on AA itself.
  • Although dubbed Staff Writer, with the only other member of editorial staff being the Editor, this was a de facto Deputy Editor’s role.
  • I also took over some of the responsibilities of the Editor himself, such as flatplanning issues, editing the letters pages, sourcing and hiring many of the external contributors, etc.
  • I reviewed 200-ish video games, wrote dozens of other articles/features and even appeared on the cover a few times, although our Publisher banned this after the ‘guitar’ cover above.
  • I created a real cult feel to the magazine at a time when 8-bit computers were in heavy decline.
  • To this day you’ll find people in distant corners of the internet discussing how “reading Adam Peters in AA is what encouraged me to become a writer”… which is awfully humbling/weird.

TEENAGE & LIFESTYLE

BRIGHTON SOURCE (Freelance 2011-Present)

  • I contributed to Brighton’s leading listings magazine for its final three years in print, writing music and arts previews, record reviews and more.
  • Though the printed magazine closed in early 2014, I continue to contribute to their website.

SKY (Freelance 1996-1997) EMAP Metro

  • Various features and confessionals for this 20s lifestyle magazine.

JUST SEVENTEEN (Freelance 1995-1996) EMAP Elan

  • I wrote and directed a large number of photo love/problem stories for this teen girl weekly, as well as regularly vox popping teenagers on the streets of London.
  • I also contributed several traditional features and interviews (some commissioned and some originated by me) and narrowly missed out on a full-time Features Editor role, losing out to award-winning author Sarra Manning in the final two.

SPORTS REPORTING

TURN LEFT (Self-Published 2013-Present)

  • In 2012, I launched a fan club for the Brighton Rockers roller derby team.
  • This evolved into a full colour fanzine that I produce for each home game.
  • I’m responsible for the whole thing, from selling ads to arranging interviews; commissioning photos and illustrations; plus all the writing, editing, graphic design and print buying, etc.
  • With well over thirty issues to date (plus a few specials), it’s the longest running roller derby magazine in the world, and has pride of place in the National Museum of Roller Derby at Glasgow Women’s Library.
  • It’s a free physical mag, but some earlier issues can also be viewed online here (at Issuu).

LEAD JAMMER (Freelance 2013-2014) Moxie McMurder
INSIDE LINE (Freelance 2014-2015) Jessica Ali

  • I contributed several big features for both of the UK’s High Street roller derby magazines, ranging from comedy pieces to investigative reports and interviews.

LENNIE LAWRENCE (Self-Published 1988-1989)
WITTON WISDOM (Self-Published 1989-1991)
OFF THE JUNCTION (Self-Published 1990)

  • I put together several football fanzines whilst at University (the heyday of such publications), writing much of the text, as well as flatplanning, commissioning copy, photos and artwork, editing, designing, print buying and organising the sales team.
  • Lennie Lawrence was a Charlton Athletic mag, whilst the other two were about Aston Villa.
  • Witton Wisdom evolved into a professional-looking full colour A4 magazine with a circulation approaching 4,000 (making it England’s third best selling club fanzine).

You’ll find scanned samples of work from several of the above in this PRINT PORTFOLIO that I’ve thrown together.