Blogs VS Zines

[Mikelle DeAundre Street]

Maybe I should have more accurately titled this Blogs Versus E-Zines but.. it doesn't really matter. Anywho, I'm a blogger and I did the zine thing like as hard core as possible living in Columbia, South Carolina, and then I stopped. Shortly afterwards I found the world of blogging and right now I'm going gung-ho into it!!

Anywho I was wondering, what's the difference and why?

[betrayedzine]

Zines are truly expensive!

Sarah said:

I semi-retired from zines and went into blogging about 2 years ago, simply because I couldn't afford to make zines;

[Mikelle DeAundre Street]

... Well like the blogs I run both now have a staff of writers but we don't come out monthly. Like we post whenever we get the time and the information, and this in my opinion is very much like a zine. I am of the opinion that the blogs that I write and read are pretty well written so... hahaha yeah if someone said that to me I'd be a bit peeved.

Anyways one of the things I'm considering is when my blogs do get larger readerships that I'm going to actually begin to come out with a hard copy of it.. probably the best articles and some for that copy specifically, so I guess I would be combining the zine and blog ideas. oh and please if you do steal my idea... send me something.... a copy of your issue and the web address or something... I just don't have the readership to put it into action right now.

[Mikelle DeAundre Street]

I was joking I'm not that cocky to thing I was the first one to think it up. But I was trying to get a free zine out of it... hahaha! Anyways, yeah I just want to do my blog but I know that I get something different from a blog than I do from an actual magazine. Even though I get the vogue editorials and Elle and W fashion editorials before the mags go to print, I still have a subscription because it's different to hold them in your hand and peruse them. Plus it's great coffee table art!!

I guess I'm old school but that's my ultimate goal with Posh. My Posh blog will hopefully develop into a full fledged magazine after undergoing it's apprenticeship as a Zine first. 803 Markese Street though is something I want to become a community, I'm looking for a website... maybe not a magazine, or maybe a magazine in addition but I want it to be it's own culture. That in and of itself is very zine like thinking though.

[KellyRose-Pulse Zine]

i agree that zines are more tangible. a lot of zines (including my own) also are really big on layout and imagery to add to the text...this is different than in a blog. i also personally LOVE the process of making a zine and interacting via mail with other zinesters. to me blogs lack the rewards that come with crafting a physical zine and getting zines in the mail with.

[Mikelle DeAundre Street]

Hahahaha! I'm glad that this started a discussion!

Anyways, Kelly Rose some blogs are very layout driven. I know this because actually those bloggers DETEST RSS feeds which discourage readers from actually visiting the blog because they get it in an feed burner. Also I love feedback which is why I love blogging!! You get INSTANTANEOUS feedback, and furthermore you can have a discussion. Take the TLo blog. 30 minutes after a post I've seen over 100 comments. Depending on what blog you're on you'll see the comments are a discussion between the readers and sometiems they are just reactions to the post.

Smog City Ed... I wouldn't buy. Hahaha. I know others who would though. It's a very nice concept. You could even change it up and not limit yourself so much and have like an accessory for that month. This way you'd switch it up so you could have sneakers, then maybe a handbag, then earrings, then a man's shirt.. you know just change it up. You could even just have a hankercheif for crying outloud. I say start a blog first then once you get the money from like ads and stuff go on to your hard copy(no pun intended) which is probably what people will want. Prisoners would be an amazing market man!!! And don't for get your friendly neighborhood stylist over here!

[KellyRose-Pulse Zine]

i am not that familiar with blogs, wasn't aware layout was a big concept...
i agree that blogs are more instantaneous, where as zines you have to wait for a zine in the mail, wait to send your zine via mail and have someone read it, but i like this about them. nothing at all against blogs, i dig them, but i think they are more geared to the people that need that instant response, instant post kind of thing. i personally prefer journals over blogs to getting my feelings out and maybe this is why i like zines so much..
i started a blog a while ago but havent posted in almost a year. maybe i should try out the whole blog thing again!

Mikelle DeAundre Street said:

Hahahaha! I'm glad that this started a discussion!
Anyways, Kelly Rose some blogs are very layout driven. I know this because actually those bloggers DETEST RSS feeds which discourage readers from actually visiting the blog because they get it in an feed burner. Also I love feedback which is why I love blogging!! You get INSTANTANEOUS feedback, and furthermore you can have a discussion. Take the TLo blog. 30 minutes after a post I've seen over 100 comments. Depending on what blog you're on you'll see the comments are a discussion between the readers and sometiems they are just reactions to the post.
Smog City Ed... I wouldn't buy. Hahaha. I know others who would though. It's a very nice concept. You could even change it up and not limit yourself so much and have like an accessory for that month. This way you'd switch it up so you could have sneakers, then maybe a handbag, then earrings, then a man's shirt.. you know just change it up. You could even just have a hankercheif for crying outloud. I say start a blog first then once you get the money from like ads and stuff go on to your hard copy(no pun intended) which is probably what people will want. Prisoners would be an amazing market man!!! And don't for get your friendly neighborhood stylist over here!

[betrayedzine]

That's not clever, nor is it ironic. It's offensive.

Smog City Ed said:

Also, I need sneakers to appeal to the "urban" market. You know what I'm saying.


Mikelle DeAundre Street said:

You could even just have a hankercheif for crying outloud. I say start a blog first then once you get the money from like ads and stuff go on to your hard copy(no pun intended) which is probably what people will want.

[Giz]

I do not consider E-zines as zines, mostly because it's not real. howether, Blogs are istant-litterature, very usefull and informative. sometimes, I follow some comics-blogs, and I like it.

[Lotte Rubbish]

Offensive and easy, like most stupid jokes.

betrayedzine said:

That's not clever, nor is it ironic. It's offensive.

Giz, I don't agree that blogs and e-zines aren't "real," but they are certainly less satisfying (for me) than the tangible process of creating a zine. Although I grew up with computers, I started writing with (gasp!) paper and pencils as well as typewriters, and I always had several penpals at a time. The only web-related form of correspondence that comes close to comparing to the slow, contemplative process of writing letters and making zines is the livejournal community, which I have been a part of for eight years now. Out of all of the time I blogged outside of LJ, I ended up making just a few connections that transcended the blogosphere, but people I have met via LJ have become lifelong friends, many of whom I have met in person. I think the difference is that the blogosphere is so open, like speaking into the void, whereas livejournal and the zine scene are more close-knit communities of people interested in other people, not just getting tons of hits and increasing the size of their blogrolls.

To each his/her own, though. I know people who genuinely enjoy blogging and who have formed valuable connections through the medium. It just doesn't come naturally to me.

[Lotte Rubbish]

Is there a purpose to your existence on this forum? I mean, other than making fun of the way people spell their names, taking cheap shots at every opportunity, and putting far too much time into your long, unfunny posts about naked women that you think are so hilarious you cross-post them to other threads? I'm sorry my posts don't make you ROTFL, but I'm trying to have an actual conversation here.

Peter Pantz said:

Yeah, right. And when either one of you writes something ironic OR funny, trust me - it'll be the first time.
Carry on, though...this is a hell of fascinating discussion. Especially when you go on and on about "transcending the blogosphere", Lotte. I'm riveted.

[Lotte Rubbish]

I've often been the first to admit that I am a boring person. It's not something that bothers me. We all can't be such paragons of hilarity as yourself.

As you say, though, you've got far more important things to do with your time than to take cheap shots at 15-year-olds and "old biddies" like me. Judging from your posts thus far, I'm not entirely sure what those things are, but I hope you figure it out.

It must be lonely thinking so highly of yourself and so poorly of everyone else.

Ciao.

[Mikelle DeAundre Street]

Woah woah guys!!! I'm all for constructive discussion but something I will NOT be apart of is useless name calling. It isn't professional, or productive. I would hope that you would retain enough respect for the We Make Zines community, this forum, or yourselves to restrain from indulging in such acts here.

Anyways enough of that. Betrayed Zine I do apologize, I was just kidding around. I mean I really see myself as a business person and I can spot a market. No matter how much you don't like the idea you must admit that there is a market share for it and you could possibly make a pretty penny. I meant no offense by my comments and I don't think Smog City Ed did either and I apologize if you did take offense.

Giz, I would have to say that I don't completely understand your comment about e-zines not being real... I mean it's kind of hard to discount the realness of something that you once were an avid reader of. E-zines are real, maybe you just haven't seen them, but like menitioned before, normally they are a ezine that the authors create online and just send PDFs normally by email or they have a websitee that they post them too. I believe The Cult does this.

Lotte, I would be inclined to say that for someone who's artistically inclined a blog might be not as satisfying. Mine is satisfying because I have certain views and being able to see them out there is of the ultimate interest to me! Also I'm trying to build my brand so, they help. I would have to say that for me, Zines and Blogs pretty much do the same thing but it's just alot different to see your name in print. I would say that to me a zine gives you more of a sense of accomplishment when you are done wheter someone reads it or not, whereas with a blog I really only feel accomplished if I have readers.