By Adam Jones
Circulating your name amongst the realm of professional writers can prove to be difficult—especially if you’re lacking the necessary time to work as an intern. However, a simple (and cheap) method of publication that has risen back to the surface of the mainstream over the past decade is the pamphlet-style “zine.”
Stemming from works like Martin Luther’s 95 Theses and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, it is evident that zines are effective while, at the same time, allowing a writer’s personal brand to remain intact. And they are markedly easy to produce.
Generate content that matters to you.
Philly-based Maya Smith has recently tacked zine-making onto the list of their multiple creative talents. As a queer person of color, Smith has dealt firsthand with the oppressions that both black Americans and queer folk are faced with in our society. To educate their readers on how they (and others like them) feel, Maya is creating their zine, entitled black//queer, to show people what it’s like to be non-binary and of color in America.
“My zine is mainly about getting word about the lives of young black and queer or non-binary people out there,” Smith said via web interview. “I talk about my own experiences as well as what this means to me on a larger scale (like with other people and how I’m seen in the world, etc). I’m making it to put out there for anyone to see and read, really.”
Smith went on to explain that they have one more photo shoot to finish before the zine will be complete. Then, they will begin printing, binding and, finally, distributing (advertising their work at a cost of merely $5 per zine).
This simple, cost-efficient method of publication is ideal for any young writer that is stuck in the professional limbo of working towards an undergraduate degree. Examples of cool, popular zines can be found all over the web. In fact, eHow.com offers an excellent tutorial for first time zine-makers.
