DIY: MAKE A FUCKING ZINE

Ronnie Rocker

Back in the day we had this zine called Maximum Rock n Roll. It was basically a semi-professional newspaper, but you could get the scoop on the scene, the bands, and other shit. It was usually found at your local record shop. There was something else there too. On a rack, tucked in were small, photocopied zines. These were not usually professional. Most of them were crap. But they were made by kids in the scene and they were free.

These homemade zines were made by cutting up magazines, newspapers, whatever, and gluing them to a piece of paper. Sometimes the articles were typed, other times handwritten. They talked about the local scene, what was going on, bands, people, and politics. They gave you insight to what was happening locally. That was the fucking point. Some 14-year-old kid made this with his friends and said, “Basement Show. 4 Bands. Free”. So, you knew where to go and when.

With the coming of the digital age, the internet, zines faded and social networking came into play. That worked for a bit. Let’s face it, finding shit on the internet is a bitch. It’s information overload. That’s coming from a guy who spent 35 years in the information technology field. Looking for the local scene on the internet can take minutes or hours. It’s all in the algorithm. When you walk into a record shop and can pick of a photocopied zine, read a few pages, you’re done. The zine takes a few seconds to see what’s happening in your town. You don’t get the world, you get local.

MAKING A ZINE

Like I said, in the old days you used scissors, X-ACTO knives, glue, magazines and print media, and tape to make these zines. Not anymore! Ok, this is where technology works. We have computers, photo editing tools, and design programs. Now you can make a zine digitally that you can print and hand out. The MAPA print zine is totally digitally made. Nothing wrong with that shit! We used to spend days, weeks, months, putting together a zine the old-fashioned way. Now, with a computer I can design a layout and rework it every month in a few hours.

Let’s talk articles and junk. Most zines are short and sweet. The articles are not long exposés on whatever. Usually it’s a few paragraphs, a one-page thing, with a bunch of images, sometimes a graphic background, whatever. You want to get the message out without a lot of bullshit.  Most of the time you have a few little articles and some sort of scene report. Just tell people what’s going on so they can show up. It’s that simple.

There are a couple of ways to approach content. You can be all serious and just talk about the scene or you can be a bit goofy. Think of The Hard Times from New Jersy. That’s like a punk rock satire zine that started in the 1980s. They make fun of the scene while still offering actual scene information. My zines over the years have added an element of comedy. We’ve been doing Punk/Hardcore kid of the month forever. Sometimes it’s serious and other times we are lampooning the person. It’s all in good fun. So, you can just offer up the straight poop or be a bit funny and

have a laugh.  

ZINE PRODUCTION

OK, so you have produced your first zine, it’s on the computer. What Next? You need to print it. This is the part that cost money instead of time. You need to go to a place that makes copies and pay to have a few copies made. Or do you? If you have access to a copier for free, use it. Back in the day we would sneak into the teacher’s lounge and use their copier to make our zine. When I started working and their was a copier, I would come in early and use theirs. You want this to cost as little as possible. If there is a free copier, use it. If not, you go to pay. Normally the cost is anywhere from 30 to 50 cents a page. Keep that in mind. On the high end a four-page zine is going to cost you 2 pucks to print. You can’t charge 2 bucks for the zine or it’s going to just sit there. You have to eat the cost.

So, how many do I print? That depends on how you plan on distributing it. If you have one location, the local record shop or whatever, then I suggest printing about five copies. You drop them off and then check back in a week to see how many got picked up. If they are all gone, print five more and do it again. This keeps the cost down and you know your zine is moving. If you plan on passing them out at shows, that’s different. There are a few ways to do this. You can print 10 or 20 or 50 plus. Keep in mind, it’s like anything else, some people will read it and want the next issue and some are just going to drop it in the trash can. That’s just a fact. If you pass out 50 copies and only 10 people actually read it, that’s still a win. It is all in how much money you want to spend.

MORE ON DISTRIBUTION

Like I said, local record shop. If you have one put a few copies there and see how it moves. There are other locations too. Think about where you live and what is around. Coffee shops? Tattoo shop? Some place people into punk/hardcore might hang out? These are the places you need to target. Don’t put them on the news stand at the local supermarket, no one is going to care.

Another thing, don’t just drop them and run. Talk to the shop owner, let them know what you are doing, and make sure they are cool with it. This dose two things. One you build a relationship with the shop owner. Two, the shop owner knows who might be interested and will let them know about your zine. It’s that simple.

EXPANSION

You have been doing this a few months, and production is up from 5 or 10 copies to 20 or 50. What’s next? Add a page or two first. Then at a price, 50 cents a buck. Don’t go crazy. Also explain the price in the zine. “We need to cover production cost.” That’s it. You can go as big as you want, can afford, of whatever. It’s up to you.

Don’t go crazy. Simple expansion is the bast policy. Start by adding a page. Go from two double side pages to three and work from there. Talke to the shop owners you work with and try to sell them ad space for a few bucks. Ta a copy to the tattoo shop and sell them ad space. Work with a small group of local shops and go from there. You never know. This thing could go from a free photocopied zine to a professionally printed magazine.  

MAKING A FEW BUCKS

Most of the time these sort of zines are free. Look if you have two letter sizes photocopied pieces of paper folded in have you can’t really charge a buck for that. It has to be free or it will not move. Then there is the go big or go home method. Back in like 1990 we went from photocopies to actual newspaper. This was a tabloid sized newspaper, a real printer, and real production. We sold advertising space, we sold copies to shops, and it cost a buck. Did we make money? Short answer, no. Basically, we just cover the production cost. The point wasn’t to make money, the point was information. Yeah, we wanted to make enough to survive, but none of us though that would really happen. My point is, you can go big or keep it simple.

Don’t think you can just start selling ad space to some unknow never been published zine. No one will go for that. You need to start small, start free, and see what happens. If you gain a following, and six months in you are printing 50 copies, well then you might be able to put a price on this thing. You expand as things grow.

PROBLEMS AND ISSUES

Once you make one you have to make another. Then another. That’s how this works. Keeping in mind that life gets in the way. If you are going this alone it gets tricky. You are the one responsible for the content, publishing, production, and distribution. You also have a job, school, family, life’s bullshit and that make it a pain in the ass. So, what do you do?

First, put a few months of issues out. Then recruit some friends, or anyone who wants to contribute content. Find some people who want to help make art, write articles, distribute, or generally help. That’s going to take a lot off your plate. Keep in mind, these people are volunteers and you can’t demand they just get to work for you. The responsibility is yours. You need to be consistent and get a zine out monthly. Pick a distribution date and stick to it. Consistence is what is going to make this thing work. There can be a world of problems with this zine. Things get in the way, life happens. You just need to do your best and get it done, printed, and out there.

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?

You are building a scene. That’s it. You are building momentum for what you love. Maybe it will turn into something big, or maybe it will be a flop. You won’t know unless you try. You don’t know who is going to bite either. So, some local kids pick it up and get interested. Good. Maybe a band picks it up and contacts you for a story. Also good. For all you know a concert promoter might grab a copy and reach out to you to put on shows. That’s really good. You just have to roll the dice and see what come up. The alternative? You do nothing, sit in your room and doom scroll on whatever social media app you like. That sounds like a good time.

So, kick yourself in the ass and make a fucking zine.