Zine fests--number of copies?

[Mab]

Sorry for a really short post, and perhaps this is a silly question, but I've only been to one zine fest before...

 

I'd like to table at Philly Zine Fest this year because I enjoyed it so much last year. When you table at a zine event, how many copies of your zines do you normally take with you?

[Ericfishlegs]

Standard answer- Bring as many as you can easily carry and afford to make. So long as you're confident you'll be able to unload them eventually there's nothing wrong with bringing some home.

[Mab]

Thanks Eric! That helps :-) I'm just trying to estimate because I need to save up this year. It's going to cost me about $100 more than last year because of needing to make a lot of copies.

[Harley R. Pageot]

I usually aim for six copies of each but I've got nine different zines for sale so it's not a big deal if I sell out of one.

[NicoleIntrovert]

Mab - May i HIGHLY suggest you get a copy of the newest issue of Zine World? There is an article that I wrote in this issue which gives a really great overview of attending zine fests both as just an attendee and a tabler.

[Mab]

Yes! I've been meaning to get a copy anyway. Thank you!

NicoleIntrovert said:

Mab - May i HIGHLY suggest you get a copy of the newest issue of Zine World? There is an article that I wrote in this issue which gives a really great overview of attending zine fests both as just an attendee and a tabler.

[Derek Neuland]

it was a great article, good job Nicole!

NicoleIntrovert said:

Mab - May i HIGHLY suggest you get a copy of the newest issue of Zine World? There is an article that I wrote in this issue which gives a really great overview of attending zine fests both as just an attendee and a tabler.

[Derek Neuland]

My advice from just tabling for the first time at the Portland Zine Symposium: Print the most of #1 and the issue you're most proud of. The reasoning is that if someone is new to your zine, they will want to read #1. And you should print more of the issue you're the most proud of because that will be the one that you'll explain what it's about with the most conviction, and people will hear that and want to buy it/trade for it. I only brought 35 copies of my first issue and by the end of the 2nd day they were all gone and I had people asking about it/wanting it.

[Ericfishlegs]

"My advice from just tabling for the first time at the Portland Zine Symposium: Print the most of #1 and the issue you're most proud of. The reasoning is that if someone is new to your zine, they will want to read #1."

Depends on how many issues you've made and how long you've been doing it. FISH WITH LEGS has had 13 or 14 issues (depending on how you count) and been going on for over 10 years. The first issue is fine for what it was, but it's no relection on what it turned into. They may want to read #1, but if you ask me it's better that they don't.

[Derek Neuland]

this is true, but if you still have #1 in print it's good to have a bunch just in case. Sometimes even if you tell someone the first issue isn't as good as others, they still want to read what the zine was like from the start.

Ericfishlegs said:

"My advice from just tabling for the first time at the Portland Zine Symposium: Print the most of #1 and the issue you're most proud of. The reasoning is that if someone is new to your zine, they will want to read #1."

Depends on how many issues you've made and how long you've been doing it. FISH WITH LEGS has had 13 or 14 issues (depending on how you count) and been going on for over 10 years. The first issue is fine for what it was, but it's no relection on what it turned into. They may want to read #1, but if you ask me it's better that they don't.

[ramsey everydaypants]

i think this sort of still applies even if you don't have a #1. choose the earliest one that you're happy with and mentally consider that your first issue.

i sell #'s 7-14 and a lot of people by #7 and the most buy the latest issue. #7 is an easy indicator because my zine drastically changed with that issue, so i usually explain that to people. i'll sell a copy or two of the ones in between, but people always choose the bookends!



Derek Neuland said:

this is true, but if you still have #1 in print it's good to have a bunch just in case. Sometimes even if you tell someone the first issue isn't as good as others, they still want to read what the zine was like from the start.

Ericfishlegs said:

"My advice from just tabling for the first time at the Portland Zine Symposium: Print the most of #1 and the issue you're most proud of. The reasoning is that if someone is new to your zine, they will want to read #1."

Depends on how many issues you've made and how long you've been doing it. FISH WITH LEGS has had 13 or 14 issues (depending on how you count) and been going on for over 10 years. The first issue is fine for what it was, but it's no relection on what it turned into. They may want to read #1, but if you ask me it's better that they don't.