Simple on the outside yet packed on the inside—how have the allure and impact of zines stood the test of time and aided writers on the path to publication? In this article, we talk about zines, their accessibility and ease of production, and self-publishing as a whole, covering the Creatinuum podcast episode "The 'Zine' Zone: On the Self-Publishing Industry."
They're more than just pamphlets but not quite books. Zines have persisted longer than we would expect, and their longevity lies in their rebellious nature. Writers pour their hearts on paper and utilize their own means of production to get their works out there—all outside the rigid frame of traditional publication. This is why you often see zines on college campuses and as tools to further political movements. They're cheap to make and easy to give out, whether for a small price or for free. With zines, it's all about the idea, not the profit.
Much of what makes printed zines so accessible perfectly reflects why self-publishing continues to be an unstoppable force online. As we've mentioned in previous posts, countless tools have enabled eager writers to post or otherwise publicize their works without the need for a publishing house or an agency. These works can range from political zines in e-book format to personalized blogs filled with original fiction and social media accounts rife with essays and articles.
Websites that encourage this practice include Medium, Wordpress, and even Tumblr. Once upon a time, an email/newsletter subscription service called Tinyletter was all the rage—you write your piece, and rather than being posted on a public website, your work is sent to the email inboxes of your subscribers, adding a charming personalized touch to your mode of publication. This just goes to show how innovation definitely touches upon online publishing tools as well as it does traditional ones.
Another upside to zines and self-publishing in general is that the distance between writers and readers is significantly shortened, allowing these two to interact freely and openly as well as bounce ideas and opinions off each other. Such an interaction usually proves tedious when a published author finds paywalls, logistics, NDAs, and so on standing between them and their readers.
All this being said, is there still a large disconnect between what is and isn't considered "publish-able?" We believe that this line is becoming ever blurrier by the second, and we, as a matter of fact, celebrate it. Publishing is no longer confined to the rigid processes of mass printing, agencies, royalties, and so on; any writer can publish whatever they wish through whichever means they choose. As one podcast host quotes, "you don't need to be a published writer to become a worthy writer." It's how zines have come about in the first place.
In the end, what is the most significant contribution of zines and self-publishing? They have encouraged many more people to write, to create, to make art, and to make their voices heard, no holds barred. This has added so much flair and color to what people can read and access—not just works deemed "publish-able" by stringent publishing houses and agents. Ultimately, the hardest part is writing what you wish to write; with accessible self-publishing tools at your disposal and with a potential audience unbarred by time and distance, everything else is sure to fall into place.
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