Seren
I wrote this for a potential writer/artist I would like have an article from....she wanted more information about the zine and I realized all of this may be helpful here on the blog...so I'm posting it two places on the blog. If anyone has comments or ideas/suggestions...I hope you will leave me a message!
The zine will go out about every 6 to 8 weeks and has a single, limited run...which means I only go to print once for each issue and I print only as many issues as I have pre-sold. When they are gone, they are gone. I do that because the zine is handmade. The pages are printed...but each zine is hand-bound /embellished and comes with lots of goodies (paper art supplies and such). I also make whatever it will be mailed in...or have guest artists embellish the mailing envelopes. The zine also includes a Swap List...these are artists who want to swap art...they send me some artwork and I put a couple of pieces of work into each zine mailer. I have gotten some amazing stuff. Oh! Each issue is also scattered with calls for submissions/art calls.For issue #3 I am sending out supply packets to various mail artists from around the world...they will use the enclosed plain white envelope as their foundation to create a mailing vessel...then they send the envelope back to me unused and ready for mailing. So far, I have sent out 19 packets and have run goal of 75 copies.
Issue #1 had a run of 40 copies and they sold for $8 -10.25 depending on where I was shipping to (continental US or abroad) and how people paid...Money Order vs. Paypal). The shipping on the first issue was $3.75 and was included in the price...so as you see...after COLOR printing (6 pages, front and back), shipping...and goodies (about $5 my cost)...I don't make money...as a matter of fact, this issue I lost money. But I hope to get better at this over time so that I break even...or make enough to be able to send my writers and artists a free zine and some goodies or something...maybe even a little check. But I don't see that happening very soon.
I have 5 guest writers/artists lined up for issue #2 (if they all come through with work) and 2 set up for issue 3 -- Which has a tentative print date of aug. 17th...and a run # of 75. The topics in #2 are:
Envelope Art
Post Card Art -- Usual Shapes
Rubberstamping and Mail Art
ATCsLetterboxing
Artist Spotlight: Shmuel and Jerry Dreesen
Mail Art -- The Art vs. Craft Debate -- which may end up moving to issue #3
Mixed Media Memoir (I hope)
Art JournallingSupply Journals
Recycled Art
The current layout for Issue #2 is 8 pages, front and back...and I'm trying to keep it from growing any larger...6 total pages had been my planned limit...so two pages may be cut (4 pages total) and moved to Issue #3.
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