Zine questionnn

[Patrick Golden]

'Ello everyone! :D

I actually haven't made a zine yet. :O Well, I'm going to soon. Would anybody happen to have any creative ideas? Or just what is/are your zine(s) about?
I was thinking of doing kind of, like...a combination of all my interests. Like, traditional art, digital art, Web design, other tech stuff, books, movies, TV, music, advice (maybe), writing, and other stuff like that. Of course, I really doubt I could fit all of those into one issue, so I'd probably have some kind of rotation schedule, or just put stuff in based on how much content and contributions I have.
Do y'all think it'd appeal to a wide audience? I know there's a wideish variety of section I'll have, but I'm not sure if people would buy it just for one section when there would probably be several things they're not interested in.

[Patrick Golden]

Yeah. I understand that.
I might just do a few categories per issue. Like 3 or so. But, I don't want to have one category per issue and then drastically switch subjects next issue. For example, going from an issue about books/writing to one about Web design. It seems too inconsistent to me and I would probably lose a lot of people, because they'd buy, say, the books/writing issue, and then the next issue comes out and they're, like, "What the heck? Web design?" Lol.
I would do one theme. Like, books or something. But I just don't think I could come up with enough content to fill issue after issue. ^_^
I'll try to figure something out. :D
Thanks!

[Ciaran Power]

I'dve thought just write what you want to write. If it seems good, it's good, if it doesn't, change it? If you're not using a computer to make it, then write out everything you're gonna put in it before you stick it all together so you can read through the bits in the order you'd have them and see if it does work together all as one. Maybe let the readers come to the content as well, as opposed to you adapting your zine so people will read it. Someone will, regardless of what you put in it.
In short: just do what you want and what you like. :)

Don't mean to sound pushy though, I don't really have a clue what I'm doing either.

Good luck!

[Misti Ko]

I think your idea to put stuff in based on what contributions you have is probably a great place to start. The main point would be to start. You can get really bogged down in getting everything perfect and never end up getting it done. Just do something for now, and you can make the second issue better.

Once you get some readers, you can decide what they are more interested in and focus on that, or spin off additional zines in specific content areas if there is that much interest.

For now, "ready, fire, aim" will serve you better than "ready, aim, aim, aim, aim, aim..."

[Robin Layne]

Well, I'm a noob, too, or I wouldn't be here, but I've been told a zine should have a theme. I would at least have a set theme per issue if I were you, and I'd try to come up with a name for the series that would apply to all the themes you cover somehow. It seems like if you care enough about a subject enough to make a zine, chances are someone will want to read it. I haven't sold enough copies of my zine to nearly break even on costs, but I have had plenty of trades, and that's a different kind of wealth. It also supplies potential networking. Good luck to you!

Wow, I just noticed how old this thread is and that other people have answered long before me. Oh, well, one of the things about being a noob...

[Elizabeth J. M. W.]

I realize this thread is quite old now...but I just wanted to say, one of the great things about zines is that there are no rules. And most zines don't have regular subscribers. So just make what you feel like making, when you feel like making it. Publish what you are most inspired by at the moment. Try not to worry about future issues, etc. Live in the moment and make something that you would be happy about to receive in your own mailbox.