Do You Have a Physical Address Inside Your Zine?

[James N. Dawson]

I've gone on about this a little here and there in WMZ, so maybe there's not much point in rehashing it, but maybe it's worthwhile to approach it from another angle. I imagine I may step on some toes and get myself into trouble.

When reviewing zines, I sometimes got a few that didn't have any postal addresses for people to contact. At least one even seemed to discourage postal contact. The idea behind doing their zine was just to promote their web activity. That left me cold...and I'm getting colder still, the more I see of the new "zinedom".

How many of you refuse or refrain from publishing a physical address FOR OR IN your zine, either on the Internet or Papernet?

How many of you refuse to send your zine to Zine World because you don't want to have a physical address published?

If you don't mind having it published in Zine World or the papernet, then why are you concerned about publishing it on the Internet?

Does it concern you that when you make your zine available only to people with Internet access, you may be discluding people who cannot or choose not to access the Net?

I can see including Net addresses, but not Net addresses ONLY.

It seems that "zinedom" in it's present evolution (or devolution, depending on your perspective), is gradually becoming less and less friendly to the papernet AND PAPERNETTERS.

I remember the old Factsheet 5 and how awesome it was. This whole "web-centered" zinedom is such a far, sad cry from that. The old FS5 had the feel of an old basement flea market. The new webocentric "zine scene" has the feel of a suburban mall.

I'm seriously considering seceding from it. But would I just be cutting my hand off?

Something to ponder.

[Frankie]

The only reason I haven't put a physical address on my zine is because I don't have a PO Box, and I'm way too paranoid to be handing out my home address, even if it is to a relatively small number of people. I do give my email and online shop addresses though, which is the best I can do until I get a PO Box.

[Hannah Peat]

I think, as most people have said, the only reason I won't be putting an address on my zine is because I don't have a PO box. That said, I've included my email address and would happily send out my address to anyone who contacted as long as they sounded OK people!

[incurable hippie]

The only reason I have 3 zines complete and not yet printed is because I've been waiting for weeks to find out what my new PO box address will be! It does feel really important to me to have a physical address in there, it just wouldn't seem like a true paper zine without it!

[James N. Dawson]

Hello everybody. I've just announced my new issue of .Zap!!omania, #4, on the New Issue Announcement Thread. I discuss this matter, and Zines & the Net, mutually vis-a-vis, in general.

I particularly reply to reply to bibliophile83 & Clementine. You can look at the post if you're interested.

Alan, Zacery & Heath, your copies are in the mail.

[Matthew Mu]

I put my physical address on one zine I made, but when I reprinted it I got rid of it because I didn't live there anymore.
Last time I lived somewhere (Vancouver, up to July of this year) I had 5 addresses in 17 months. Since then I haven't really had an address at all (travelling). It wasn't even worth me putting a physical address on the zines. As I didn't know if I'd be somewhere in a week/month, let alone a year in the future.

Whereas, my email address is going to stay the same for a long time.

[St. Joshua Norton Press]

I include both physical address (PO Box) and website/e-mail address in everything. The PO Box because I enjoy doing trades and getting something random in my box will pretty much guarantee that I'll send something back (and I love doing that). The website/e-mail because I enjoy people contacting me and that's another way for them to do so. Besides, my e-mail address is pretty much permanent (or at least as permanent as those things can be) and is a backup in case I ever wander away from this area. Plus, for issues of one of my zines (Haiku a Day) I put the previous month's issue up online as soon as I mail out the current month's issues, and that's a way to find them.

[Mo Karnage]

PO Box is how I operate. Emails are much less fun to get. I'd rather get an order in a letter, maybe with a sticker of button. And I put my PO box on my zines and stickers

PO BOx 6025
Richmond, VA 23222

write me ; )

[APFuchs]

Haven't decided yet.

[kit feral]

I only put my email because I'm worried about safety. I can't afford a PO box (why are they so expensive where I am?! everyone here always says how cheap they are!) and I live with my parents, so I try to keep my address out of things. then again, I do tons of trades... but I feel if I can scope out someone's profile and see that they've spoken to other people I've traded with... it feels like a bit of a safety net.

but I don't discourage mail contact AT ALL. as long as I've spoken with a person, I am more than happy to swap addresses and do things the old fashioned way.

I wish I could have experienced the old scene...

[Harley R. Pageot]

I include a mailing address, an e-mail address, and a Facebook group.

I just want to hear from people.