Opinions wanted---short zines often or long zines infrequently?

[Mab]

While emailing someone back about a trade today, I realized that I tend to write longer zines, but I publish them anywhere from 2 months to a year apart. I let all my writing pile up until it somehow "feels" complete and then I print it. My zines tend to be 30-50 pages long. I know a lot of zinesters write much shorter zines, but they publish them quite frequently. I was just wondering if there is a preference toward one or the other. I think both probably have the potential for the same quality of writing; one just has a larger quantity of it than the other. Would you rather read your favorite zine writing in short bursts, but more often, or patiently wait for a nice lengthy zine you'll enjoy just as much, but can spend more time reading?

Another thing I was curious about is the idea of "equivalent" trades. When you're trading zines, do you prefer a zine fairly close in size and page count or doesn't it matter? Does it depend on who you're trading with (i.e. someone whose writing you've read and know you'll enjoy vs. someone new to zines or someone you've never heard of)? I used to be picky about trades, especially when it came to page count, but after a year's hiatus, I find it thrilling just to be trading again, and I'm happy to get cool zines, no matter what length they are.

[Maranda Elizabeth]

I suppose that between the two, I would prefer a longer zine printed infrequently, but I am happy with either or. It seems a lot of us zinesters are extremely aware and concerned about how often we print our zines - I've noticed lately a lot of mentions of having been away from the zine world for awhile, or not writing zines as frequently as one would want to, or "should." I have the opposite concern - I used to worry that I was putting out zines too frequently. I put out six or seven within about a year, while other zinesters are printing maybe one zine a year, sometimes less. But it's all personal preference and neither option is more desirable to me than the other. A good zine is a good zine.

I also used to worry about "equivelent" trades, but I try not to think about it too much anymore. I have a preference for zines that are on the text-heavier side and there are certain topics that are more important to me than others, but I'll trade for just about any zine right now. I mean, if someone wants to trade their zine with mine, that is awesome, and there's no need for me to get all in a tizzy thinking about content vs. size. vs. text. vs. images, and so on... And even if I were picky about equivelent trades, I would never actually be able to bring myself to say, "Uh, I can't trade with you, your zine is smaller than mine." That's silliness. It would be hurtful to the person who made that zine, and I'd be losing an opportunity to share my zine with them.

So yeah, like you said, I too am happy to get cool zines no matter what length they are. (But a definite preference for zines that are well-thought and put together with effort and care, rather than zines that are simply slapped together just for the sake of having something to trade.)

[TangleCrafts]

I'd be happy to wait as long as it takes for a zine I enjoy to produce another issue, whether it turns out to be short or long. Just because I'd rather think the person making that zine has had the time to put it together the way they would like, rather than rushing to meet a month or 2-month deadline, and ending up compromising on their ideal, just to get it ready 'on time'. Some people are structured so that it's no hassle for them to get monthly zines prepared, so that's great, too. I just wouldn't want to put anyone under the pressure to do that if it wasn't comfortable for them.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about whether a trade was equivalent length or not. I try to trade with people who write zines that interest me on one level or another. I feel as though I would be limiting potential trades unnecessarily if I was always trying to find zines that I find interesting and the 'right' length. Although I can understand if you've written a 100 page zine & get an 8 page zine in return you might feel a little short-changed (but maybe it's an awesome 8 pages?).

If you have a very lengthy zine that you feel you won't get an equivalent trade for, maybe asking for a couple of shorter zines in exchange is a fair deal...

[ciaraxyerra]

i'd rather that people wait until they are putting together a zine they are proud of & feel good about, as opposed to rushing to meet a deadline or fill a certain number of pages. i hate obvious "filler pages". i am always like, dude, it's okay to wait until you have something meaingful to fill that page. or just make your zine a little shorter & cut out the chaff. if someone can put together a zine they feel good about every two months, great. if it takes them two years, that's fine too.

a few years ago, i would have said that i prefer bigger zines, even if that means that they come out more infrequently, but now i have to acknowledge that a thick zine is no guarantee of content. "text-heavy" doesn't necessarily mean that a zine has much to read. it might just mean that there is a lot of big text on a lot of pages & that the zine isn't image-heavy, but i can still read it cover to cover in ten minutes, if that makes sense. another example to clarify my point: i have tiny, tiny handwriting. i keep a paper journal & it takes me about half an hour to fill a 3" x 5" page because my handwriting is so tiny. a single page is a lot for me. someone else could put the same number of words down but their handwriting is a lot bigger & they fill ten pages. they can then be like, "wow, this is a lot of writing, i wrote ten pages!" & look down their nose at me for only writing one page, but it's the exact same content. does that make sense? basically, one person's "text-heavy" might be another person's "ten-minute read".

i have always had issues with trading because, you know, my old zine was "a renegade's handbook to love & sabotage". talk about text-heavy. every issue was over 100 quarter-sized pages PACKED margin to margin with text. it took hours to read, it weighed like five ounces, it took forever to photocopy & collate, it was an intense little project. very few zines were an "equitable" trade in terms of size or quantity of content. so i went with my gut & quality of content. i am not so crazy about indiscriminate trading--i'd rather trade for stuff that i would have bought if trading weren't an option. that sometimes gets awkward at zine fairs & stuff, when someone is holding out a zine, & maybe it's an eight-page comics zine, something that i am just completely uninterested in (personally) & i have to stand there & be like, "uh...no." i have turned down trades before, although it's really not fun. i really don't want to discourage people, but...yeah. it's a little easier now that i do smaller zines, i feel better about trading even for stuff i'm not that psyched about because i don't feel like i'm throwing money down the drain. but i still try not to trade for stuff that i know i'm not into (music zines, comics, etc).

[Becca Darling]

I'm one of those who has been out of touch with the zine world for a few years. I used to trade for anything and everything. Fliers for Fliers, zines for zines, stickers for stickers, whatever. I wasn't picky and I don't see why I would want to change that now.

Now, I am working on a new zine that's fairly short and so far is only put out maybe once or twice a year, but that's because life has gotten in between things. It's only got one issue out now, but I'm working on the second one.

I never really had issues with my trades. Sometimes I got some zines that I wasn't really into, but I mean, the zine world has so much in it, not every zine is for every zinester or reader.

[tim scannell]

short and sweet...why beat a dead
horse??

i do like short-entry diaries...
my life working at a motel (rooms 206-224)...
street sweeper (Main St. to Elm St.)...
harvesting wheat (TX to SASK)
etcetera


but 4 sheets...8.5x11...are 16pp
and good and plenty...SIXTEEN PAGES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i like 11x17...folded vert. or horz.
(many sides to draw, write on)

tim scannell
port angeles, wa
usa

[Roberto Holanda]

i think that doa zine it´s a totally "personal" thing. you release one when you think it´s the right moment to do it. I did tiny zines with 4 pages, and other with 32 pages. i have a friend who only release 50 pages zines, once in 2 or more years. but when he release, it´s really a great zine, and he says that´s his objetive. zines is a idea you want to share, so you in first place must decide the frequency and quantity of it.
and, about "equivalent" zines, I don´t costume to care... but i trully get angry when someone send me only a letter written "send me a zine!!" and nothing more, nor even a tiny zine for trade...