"We Make Zines" article

[carly barker]

Hey guys, I am writing an article for a school paper about this website. I was wondering if you guys could tell me what you like about it? Just leave a statement and your first and last name and where you're from. Thanks for your help!

[Alex Wrekk]

I love the We Make Zines site. I love that it is a social networking community just for zines and the people who create them. I love how everyone is posting pictures of their zines or zines in progress, shops that sell zines, and zine events. I love that there are are so many zine events listed from all over the world! I love that there are groups that you could start a group for zinester's over 30 or music zines or perzines or groups based on geographic location.

I love that the gooey zine bits don't get lost in the lj friends lists or your myspace friends where you zine penpals with boyfriends from High School or grade school best friends. I love that it is just about zines! I secretly love that I can be reminded of the name and location of people whose zines I have read or be reminded of the zines that friend used to do or still do.

Alex Wrekk
Portland, Oregon USA

[Emma Jane Falconer]

Emma Falconer- Brighton UK
I like the same things as Alex, but I also like the friendly supportive atmosphere. Long may it continue!

[Alex Wrekk]

Ya, it is totally friendly and I also like how it feels more like a community for dialog instead of a list of promotions like the livejournal communities feel like.

Emma Jane Falconer said:

Emma Falconer- Brighton UK
I like the same things as Alex, but I also like the friendly supportive atmosphere. Long may it continue!

[Jme Hash]

I really enjoy this site because I can really delve into the zine scene. I believe it is a really good thing for alot of different sorts of writers to come together to share and conglomerate on works. It also helps people like me who don't know anyone else in her local scene who does zines-I can get my shit out there and talk shop on here. Jme Hashey in austin , tx.

[NicoleIntrovert]

I am really excited for We Make Zines to really take off in the zine scene. I think too many of the social networking sites focus too much on the superficial "are they married?" "do they have kids?" sort of thing, for people my age. It's nice to have a social networking site devoted solely to a topic which my life revolves around. It is nice to see issue announcements instead of wedding announcements. I think that zines are up for a rebirth into a new era. We Make Zines is definitely going to be a huge leg-up in that.

-Nicole Introvert- Richmond, VA -

[amy // twelveohtwo]

i like that there are actual discussions being fostered here. we make zines feels like more of a community space and less of a spam-y ad board or classifieds section. i also really enjoy the fact that the website is interactive on so many levels (blogs, discussion forums, groups, chat, photos, 'personal' user pages, etc.). im excited to use this resource to (re-)connect with other zinesters and further prove that zines, DIY, and paper-based communication are alive and well!


-aMy leigh
Toronto, ON.

[Becca Darling]

Becca Darling North Platte, NE (temp. transplant from Fort Worth, TX)

I really love that this is just all about zines. It's not about zines and your mamadrama or babydaddydrama. It's just about zines and everything DIY-related. It's a great place for us to come together and talk about our likes, dislikes, and pet peeves of making zines. We can also discuss our processes and just have a good time together without the annoying rants and raves from the rest of the world.

[ciaraxyerra]

i agree with everything everyone has said, & even though i think it's too early to assume that this is going to be a totally drama-free space (because, c'mon, it's still a social networking site, & zinesters can be a seriously thorny bunch), i do like that there is a lot of discussion, idea-sharing, good-natured advice-sharing, dialogue, communication, & sincere community-building happening here so far. the zine LJs are good for promoting new projects & the occasional flame war, but not too much constructive communication happens there. myspace is bacally just a nest of drama & a place for people to pursue online dates. zines are a super-huge part of my life, so it's great to have this vibrant little corner of the interweb where i can get nerdy with other zine people & really get into the craft of the whole thing. & i love so many of the pictures. it's so inspiring to see photos of people working on their zines, or tabling their stuff at zine fests, or showing off the cut & paste art they made. it's tremendously motivating.

ciara xyerra -- boston, ma