Linda Sheridan joined Wikivorce as a member, only a month after Amanda Quinn. Linda joined in order to ask a legal question that she simply could not find the answer to anywhere on the internet. Although they had never met, Linda and Amanda quickly became friends within the Wikivorce community and yes, Amanda was able to answer Linda's question!
They eventually met in real life at the first, now infamous, Wikistock in 2008 and found that they shared a lot of views and experiences of life. Their growing friendship quickly became a firm one.
In the Autumn of that year, they sat around Amanda's kitchen table and brain-stormed lots of ideas on how to develop Ian's vision for Wikivorce. Ideas flowed with the wine... Christmas found them, once again, around Amanda's table with Ian, talking through the night about what the members needed and how Wikivorce could help them to achieve their own personal goals.
For each of them, life became very busy until around May, when Amanda came to stay for a few days... The days rolled into months, during which time Ian asked for the vision of his newsletter to be developed. Now able to work in close proximity, Amanda talked to Linda about her own vision of creating a magazine. Amanda confesses, "I belted Linda around the head to make her help me!" Linda, recognising that Amanda wasn't going anywhere soon, agreed. Thus, they opened the magazine headquarters and Wikizine was born...
In Amanda's usual gentle style, she informed Ian that the magazine was to be their summer project. Fortunately for Linda, school was out... grandchild was safely delivered and she had some time. The girls sold the concept of the magazine so well, that Ian abandoned all other projects and put himself completely at their 'beck and call'! [He thought it was a choice...]
Although the original vision was a monthly newsletter, the girls quickly decided that it wasn't imaginative enough for the membership of Wikivorce, nor was it a big enough project to spend a summer on. They spent the first couple of weeks agreeing a format, a style, a content... in short, they developed a vision. Ian was a little concerned that the available time-frame did not match their growing vision. Not to be deterred, and neither of them shrinking violets, they bulldozed... erm.... persuaded him that it could be done.
So off they went to the pub, armed with pen and notebook and copious amounts of wine, and the ideas began to flow at approximately the same rate as the wine. "What about..." began one; "Oh yes..." continued the other "and and and...", and so it went; back and forth. For the next 3 weeks, Amanda and Linda didn't see the light of day. Visitors were turned away at the door, (except babies and bearers of wine) calls were not answered, a 'Creative Team in Progress' sign was hung outside Wikizine HQ. The frequent refrain of "It'll happen, Ian!" and "Guess who we've got now?!" and "I-an..." echoed around HQ.
Slowly, the magazine took shape, it actually began to look like a magazine. They knew they were on the right track when Ian excitedly told them he had just looked at a magazine that had exactly the look he had hoped for... when they realised he was looking at Wikizine! Articles and submissions rolled in as pre-launch videos rolled out. Interviews were taken, arms were twisted to engage contributors, contacts were milked, favours were called in, you name it... it was happening. The girls' natural sweetness and charm was extolled like never before.
Ladies and gentlemen, it has cost Linda and Amanda several weeks of sleep, rest, relaxation and summer break, there has been no food in the fridge (but, strangely, always wine) and they now seriously need a cleaner... but - it has been worth every moment. We are delighted to present to you, our very own, Wikizine...
Amanda and Linda, your editors.
Linda and Amanda would love to hear from you. Tell them your views, your news and give them your comments at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
