I'm a huge fan of the online zines. They provide a place for beginning writers to cut their teeth by learning how to submit, deal with editors, and learn about rejection. And yes, with a few exceptions, they are looked down upon by many of the professional writers out there because they're not, for the most part, paying markets.
In the last few weeks I've found two new online markets, La Criminophile and Icemedia, for crime fiction. The blogs were set up and the calls for submissions issued, then bam, they were gone. No explanations, just vanished.
I was really excited about La Criminophile because I really believed that the people behind the zine had a great idea. Icemedia, I found a couple of days ago but didn't mention. Why? Because the editor had published one of her own stories as an example of what she was looking for, but reading through the story I found several misspellings. If she didn't care enough about her own work to edit it properly, how could she respect ours?
It is so easy to set up an ezine. Get an idea, set up a blog, and post a call for submissions. And this is the problem with many new zines. There's no thought put into it before the subs do or don't come rolling in. These are all things I look for when searching for new markets, you can almost tell who's in it for the long run and who's just starting up on a lark. And yeah, sometimes, they fool you.
I've been in on the beginnings of several new zines. The editors asked for feedback on their ideas. My first question has always been, "Are you sure you're up for this?". Zines are a lot of hard work, from setting up the pages to editing the stories and writing rejection letters. You're also going to have to put up with a lot of shit from writers who don't have a clue how to act professionally.
To start, you need to have a vision of what you want your zine to be and stick with it. You need to surround yourself with a support system of people who are willing to help with the work, especially if your zine takes off. You need to know that running a zine is time consuming and will eat into your writing time and your family time if you aren't careful.
If that doesn't scare you and you're still willing to get into the zine business here are a few tips that might help.
1. Run your zine like a business. You're offering a market for writers so be as professional as you expect them to be. Set up guidelines that say more than, "send me your best shit" but don't get so nit-picky that you scare off potential contributors. Set up a page that explains who you are and why you're getting into the zine business. If you're a weekly, monthly, or quarterly set the pub dates and hit them. People will only show up to read if you're there on time. They won't come back if your weekly issue turns into a whenever-I-feel-like-it issue. And writers get tired of their stories being held in limbo until you finally decide to put it up. Your new zine is a business, you're self-employed, and if you don't do the work it won't get done and you've failed.
2. Most zine editors are writers and you have a circle of writer friends and writers you admire. Tell them what you're doing and ask for submissions for your first issue. Most of them will be glad to supply a story, either new or a reprint. Once you've got your issue ready, post it. With this issue you've given new writers an example of what you're looking for, you've set the tone of your zine, and writers looking for markets know that you're taking this new project seriously. Don't believe me? Take a look at Needle magazine and Beat to a Pulp, that's how they got started.
3. Have fun with it. Yes, it's work, but it's also your "baby", so to speak. If you're having fun putting it together, it will show. Readers and writers both will respect the trouble you've gone to for them and they will spread the word. That word of mouth will be the best advertisement your zine will get to help turn it into a success.
There are probably a million other things that you need to know if you go ahead and start a new zine. What I've posted here are just a few basics I've learned along the way. Enough to know that I don't want to be in charge, but has given me a healthy respect for those who take on the job and succeed.
16 comments:
Very good points. I see that Rick at White Cat is doing these things and I hope his zine will really take off. Great stuff over there so far for sure.
I'm in awe of anyone who takes on the huge task.
It's not an easy job. I think it ends up being a more daunting task than some realize. I respect those who take on the job.
Yes, White Cat is another good example, Charles. I was happy to plug the first issue and hope to see more in the future.
It is a tremendous amount of work, Al and Thomas, and I think too many people forget that when they decide to start up a new zine.
Just from the work I did at Needle, it would seem to me that the zines most successful at meeting deadlines and keeping authors updated are the ones that have more than one person working on them. BTAP has David and Elaine; Crime Factory has its triumvirate in Rawson, Ashley, and Jose; and Needle has Steve Weddle & a crew of assistants. My advice to anyone starting a zine: get a partner (at least one), and make sure you share the vision as well as the labor.
That's great advice, Naomi. If more than one person is helming a zine, things can be kept on an even keel. Life happens and with more people helping, things can stay running even if one person has to step away for a while.
What you've written should be carved in stone. A zine is at least 10 times the work that it seems. Working as a co-editor of a literary quarterly back in the day, I was surprised by the volume of mediocre writing that poured in and had to be dealt with in a professional way. And the editing and proofing even of the good stuff is a one-person job all in itself. If you only see the end result of the process (the final publication) you can get the idea it's a breeze. Big mistake.
You're right. You have to go in like a professional, or you can forget it. I'm wondering if you could put together a post for writers with 10 or a dozen tell-tale signs that a zine doesn't meet that kind of standard.
Good idea for a post, Ron! I'll try and put something together in the next day or so.
I think back to starting Spinetingler, and am definitely glad that we had a chance to overcome our growing pains and figure things out. We definitely had a few missteps at the start, and it is very hard starting out.
I think what happens to a lot of people is that they don't realize that. And when they realize just how much time it takes to wade through and find quality submissions and get material worth publishing, they think twice. I'm at the point now where I'm reluctant to endorse any zine until it has a few issues under its belt, unless I know the people behind it.
I'm tending that way when I'm submitting, Sandra. I like to see at least one issue up before jumping in.
I learned long ago that it takes at least two years before a business of any kind begins to make a profit, and you have to learn to ride it out until you hit that point. I think with zines, new owners don't think in terms of the long run. They want instant gratification instead of a slow and steady building up.
Zines like Spinetingler, ThugLit, and Beat to a Pulp are good examples of online zines that took the time to build slowly and it's paid off in credibility and name recognition that draws not only beginners but professional writers to their pages. It also pays off with readers who show up knowing they're going to find great stories to read.
Hey Sandra,
I'd suggest new zines pay, even if only a dollar a story. That makes it a business, which changes how the zine is viewed not only by writers but also by the editor.
I'd also suggest a regular publishing schedule for the same reason.
If the editor and writers don't really take the zine seriously, the zine is all but doomed.
Stephen
Yes, Stephen, making your zine a paying market is a big advantage on many levels. Paying at least one to ten dollars a story does make it a business that will be taken seriously.
With the new epubbing it also makes it easier for an editor to make that money to pay the writers by uploading the issues to Kindle, etc. I've seen many of the new zines doing this, especially in the sci-fi genre, but don't know the figures on what they're actually making. Plus the issue is available for free on line for those who don't mind reading on their computer.
But just being a paying market still doesn't make a zine a good market. The Back Alley is a good example of a paying market, that's been MWA approved, but isn't published on a regular enough schedule for writers to submit their stories to.
I have thought about starting one over the years as I think you know. But it came down to several issues for me: could I say no to people I liked who submitted stories-no.
Did I have the technological skills-no.
Did I want to be a writer or a publisher/editor-well, maybe both but not equally.
I asked the editors of the all the zines at that time and only one said do it.
A very good post, Sandra. If I didn't have Denise and Scott helping it would be a bear of a job.
It is highly rewarding and taxing at the same time. One of these days I will throw in the towel... but not today. I enjoy it too much.
my own zine efforts started last century (that sounds real far away, huh?). 5 years of being editor, postman, substription manager, distributor, financer...the works. i loved it, but it became too expensive in spite of it's success. now it can be done online, i reckon i'm too old and too busy for all the energy and work required.
i really admire those who carry zines on, they're such essential players in the world of writing and provide a hugely valuable service for readers and writers alike.
glad to hear, David, that today's not the day. and hats off to all who go there.
I was of a like mind, Patti. I even set up a page but then I realized that I didn't really have the time or skills to make it what I wanted it to be.
You're very lucky to have such a great support system, David. I think that lack is what does many ezines in. And long live BTAP! :)
They are so very necessary, Nigel. I've seen so many writers start out writing in the zines and winding up actually making it into the bigger world of publishing. They are such a great support system for beginning writers and they give the more experienced writers a chance to put their work out there in front of new readers.
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