West Coast Magazine (1987-1998). was a three times a year Scottish literary publication consisting of poetry, short fiction, articles, essays and reviews. Founding editors were Gordon Giles, Kenny MacKenzie and Joe Murray. The proof issue appeared in October 1987 and contained some articles and poems that did not appear in official issues. West Coast Magazine (WCM) was initially funded by East Glasgow Gear Project and Glasgow City Council; ultimately funded by the Scottish Arts Council.
WCM was probably the first Scottish literary magazine fully produced pre-press in-house to a professional standard, and was the forerunner, in this sense, for many similar Scottish literary publications that came after it. The main aim of West Coast was to help promote new writers and new writing in Scotland, though it did not exclusively publish Scottish writers or writers resident in Scotland – writers from all over the world contributed to its content. Established writers such as Alasdair Gray (short fiction and poetry), Agnes Owens (short fiction and poetry), Janice Galloway (short fiction), Freddie Anderson, (articles and poetry), Alison Prince (poetry), Dominic Behan (poetry), James Kelman (interview and article), Kenneth White (poetry, articles), all of whom also provided great encouragement to the project. New writers who were beginning to produce works of note were featured, such as: Des Dillon (short fiction and poetry), Brian Whittingham (poetry), Jim Ferguson (short fiction and poetry), Irvine Welsh (short fiction) and Graham Fulton (poetry), among others.
WCM Production Team: John Cunningham (Proof-reader, Distribution and Reviewer), Jan Dalton (Administration, Proof-reader and Reviewer), Maud Devine (Proof-reader and Distribution), Gordon Giles (Typesetting, Layout and Design and Reviewer), Kenny MacKenzie (Typesetting, Layout and Design and Reviewer), Alan Mason (Design), Joe Murray (Typesetting, Layout and Design and Reviewer), Tam O'Hara (Word Processing), Ellen Shearer (Word Processing).
WCM Editorial Staff: due to work commitments Joe Murray left the magazine after helping to complete Issue Three but returned at the publication of Issue Four. Gordon Giles left during production of Issue Six to pursue a career in Community Education; from Issue Nine till Issue Thirteen an editorial board chose most of the work for the magazine. This group consisted of Margaret Fulton Cook editor and for two years,during this time John Cunningham, Graham Fulton, Ronnie Smith and Brian Whittingham were the editorial board with Joe Murray as typesetter. From Issue Fourteen till west coast finished Brian Whittingham was the editor.
WCM also produced many writers' events such as readings and talks – mainly in pubs – many of these during Glasgow City of Culture festival in 1990.
All of the poetry and poetry reviews published in West Coast Magazine can be found on the Scottish Poetry Library's website
A spin-off of WCM in 1991 was Taranis Books which was successfully edited and managed by Kenny MacKenzie producing around two-dozen books before being put to sleep in 2000. After a dispute over Arts Council funding, WCM published the final Double Issue (27-28) in 1998.
Famous quotes containing the words west, coast and/or magazine:
“The convent, which belongs to the West as it does to the East, to antiquity as it does to the present time, to Buddhism and Muhammadanism as it does to Christianity, is one of the optical devices whereby man gains a glimpse of infinity.”
—Victor Hugo (1802–1885)
“On the Coast of Coromandel
Where the early pumpkins blow,
In the middle of the woods
Lived the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo.
Two old chairs, and half a candle,—
One old jug without a handle,—
These were all his worldly goods:
In the middle of the woods,”
—Edward Lear (1812–1888)
“In regard to women, as in many other respects, there was a good deal of humbug about ... chivalry.”
—O. L., U.S. women’s magazine contributor. The Woman’s Magazine, pp. 265-6 (January 1888)