Bad Idea

BAD IDEA is a British general interest magazine, renowned for its long-form literary journalism.

Overview

BAD IDEA was founded in September 2006 by journalists Jack Roberts and Daniel Stacey, both of whom are alumni of the magazine production class run by Clay Felker, the founder of [http://www.nymag.com New York Magazine] , at the University of California [Observer article, 15/04/07: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,,2055284,00.html] .

BAD IDEA is known for its innovative feature stories, which are often written in the first person. These have included insider accounts of life as a ‘honeytrapper’ – a private detective sent to ensnare potentially unfaithful husbands; an expose of Dubai’s thriving sex trade; an investigation into the growth of ‘Web 2.0’ sex dating sites; and a feature following Iraq’s Kurds, as they search for DNA evidence of Saddam Hussein’s ‘Anfal’ genocide.

In May 2008, [http://www.porticobooks.co.uk Portico Books] released BAD IDEA – The Anthology, a paperback collection of the best writing from the magazine’s first two years. The book received a positive critical response: it was described in the Observer as‘… a Granta for the MySpace generation’ [Observer review, 01/06/08: http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/roundupstory/0,,2283269,00.html] , and received 4/5 stars in the Independent on Sunday, where it was said to be '… a great selection of work’. [Independent on Sunday review, 15/06/08: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/bad-idea-the-anthology-ed-jack-roberts-and-daniel-stacey-845784.html]

Well known contributors

[http://www.jonasbendiksen.com Jonas Bendiksen] (photographer)

Lowell Bergman (journalist)
[http://www.billybriggs.co.uk Billy Briggs] (journalist)
[http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth02C19L040412626885 Ron Butlin] (novelist)
Sarah M. Broom (writer)
[http://www.nealfox.co.uk Neal Fox] (artist)

Niven Govinden (novelist)

Robert Greene (author)

Xiaolu Guo (novelist)
[http://www.jeanhannahedelstein.com Jean Hannah Edelstein] (journalist)
[http://www.davidhigham.co.uk/html/Clients/Edward-Hogan Edward Hogan] (novelist)
[http://www.newstatesman.com/writers/alyssa_mcdonald Alyssa McDonald] (journalist)
Martyn McLaughlin (journalist)
[http://www.sebmeyer.com Sebastian Meyer] (photographer)
[http://www.mil-millington.com Mil Millington] (novelist)

Patrick Neate (novelist)

Nicholas Royle (novelist)

Sorious Samura (journalist)
[http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=157842014 Joe Stretch] (novelist/musician)
[http://www.simonwheatley.com Simon Wheatley] (photographer)

Website

[http://www.badidea.co.uk Bad Idea]

References