Self Publishing Fanzines

[Rio De Fideldo]

I was just wondering if any those of you who know about this sort of thing could point me in the direction of any resources on the net or would care to answer some questions.

Anytime I type in Self Publishing on Google it comes up with a lot of US sites and mention of Diamond Distribution, something which doesn't seem very applicable.

The sort of things I'd like to know is:

How much is the printing of a 2000ad sized periodical likely to cost?

How many issues is a realistic number for a first issue?

Do you produce the magazine in a computer publishing programme and give this to the printer or do you give them original art work?

I'm sure there are more questions/advice that I can't think of at the minute. Any help would be very gratefully received.






 

[stront692]

if u wanted it printed professionally (to look like 2000AD then find a small printer, the less u tell them the better or they will basically take your cover price per issue but it can be 1000s pounds)

try and get a quote for their lowest amount and then bargain down by ordering more

(this is where previews and advance orders come in useful, although an advert in previews wil cost u 1000s as well)

[Dudley]

I don't - and since there are a few self-publishers onsite I imagine you're going to get some good advice.  

But I'd also suggest going to Smallzone (linked below): it's got a great selection of self-published comics, but more importantly it sells a couple of guides to self-publishing that sound like they cover everything you're asking about.

Link: http://www.smallzone.co.uk/

[W. R. Logan]

http://www.2000adonline.com/covers/fan/thumbnails/class1_thumb.jpg> http://www.2000adonline.com/covers/fan/thumbnails/class2_thumb.jpg>

>The sort of things I'd like to know is:

>How much is the printing of a 2000ad sized periodical likely to cost?

B&W 32 A4 pages is gonna cost you anything between ?500 - ?1000 depending on the quality of the paper etc.

>How many issues is a realistic number for a first issue?

Your average fanzine 100, unless your lucky and get in to 500?s.

>Do you produce the magazine in a computer publishing programme and give this to the printer or do you give them original art work?

Can be both, I did original art and high quality print outs for the text & feature pages.

>I'm sure there are more questions/advice that I can't think of at the minute.

If you can?t afford to lose the money don?t print, photocopy. That way you can produce as many as needed and always produce more. If you print that?s it and you may end up with a pile of mags you cant get rid of.

If you want to print find a local printer or two and go and see them, talk about what you want, paper quality etc and get more than one quote and get them to show you something they?ve done with similar paper and at the sort of settings your mag will be produced at.

Once again, and this is the first thing I say to anyone who wants to print, if you cant afford to write the money off if it doesn?t sell, ?Don?t do it!?


La Placa Rifa,
http://www.2000ad.nu/classof79/>W. R. Logan.

[paulvonscott]

A lot of good points from Logan there.

Basically start small, through laser printing or photocopying.  Get lots of quotes, work out how you are going to get it printed before you start on the comic.

Worry more about the contents than fancy printing.

Usually you'll just need some DTP software to put the comic together, for computer lettering etc. you'd need illustrator.

Aim to make a bit of profit on each issue and you'll possibly break even ;)

[Art]

FutureQuake is done on a second hand lazer printer, which i bought a half share in for ?200. But because of that the print costs are basicly whatever the toner ans paper costs and it means I'm able to do short runs - of 20 or 30 - as I need them to top up the initial print run of 100.

Printing comics rather than text burns through toner, as something like FQ covers about 30% of the page as opposed to 5% for text, but we figured out that when using reconditioned toner cartriges it was costing about 15p per sheet (each sheet being 4 pages). (you have to watch out though - poor quality toner cartridges can leave your pages looking blotchy or streaky).

Dunno if its a route most people would want to take but it's working out pretty well for me. The only problem is that since I half bought it with my dad I have to go up to his place each time I want to use it, but that If I take a few peopel we can get the collating, foldiong and stapling done really quick and theres a real party vibe to it.

[longmanshort]

If I take a few peopel we can get the collating, foldiong and stapling done really quick and theres a real party vibe to it.

And these are the people inside your head, yes?

[stront692]

dont u just hate it when u print a page out and the ink runs - smudging everything on the page, some valuable help from logan and pvs though and they are right too

the reason why its called 'smallpress' is just that - u can start as big or small as u want

[John Caliber]

Or, if you don't want to spend any money in the long term, publish online in PDF format. It  allows me to work in full colour and mimic the presentation quality of professional magazines without first needing a bank loan. I'm a big advocate of electronic media, having viewed many of the TRANSFORMERS comics on CD-ROM and finding the experience no more inconvenient than sitting in the chair nearby to read hardcopy... and it saves storage space, which is desperately neded at Casa Del Caliber. If I could get 2000AD collected on CD-ROM I'd be a very happy man.

The link below takes you to my fanzine page and the PDF file, if you want to see what PDFs look like. There are certain production concerns to take account of when working with PDFs - or online magazines/comic strips in general - but they are a flash in the pan compared to having to work strictly in b/w and trudge to the copy shop every week to get more fanzines made up.

- John

Link: JUDGE DREDD - DROKK CITY - BOOK OF LAW

[Rio De Fideldo]

Thanks to everyone for the helpful pointers re fanzines.

Now I've just got to find the time to fill it.

[John Caliber]

Something I was remiss to answer from your original question: how do you put together fanzines - by self or pay a printship to do it? DIY is far preferable [and cheaper]. I use Pagemaker 6.5 to set out the page design, Word 2000 to type the manuscript up [which is then pasted into Pagemaker], Photoshop to scan and colour/manipulate images and Illustrator to create logos and maps. I then use Adobe Distiller to convert the Pagemaker file into PDF format.

This is how I create magazines as opposed to comic books. Comics are far easier to put together, though far more time consuming.

- John

Link: DROKK CITY

[Tanky]

I used to help out with a few punk/ hardcore/ metal type zines. I used to collate everything on a bit of dtp software (publisher at the time, i think) plus do a few drawings and interview anyone i could blag! Once that's done, it's off to the photocopier. There's bound to be a few of your mates that can run off some copies for free at work. If you have 5 people run off 20 each, you have 100 copies printed for free!
I haven't done anything like that in ages! Need any help?

[Rio De Fideldo]

Hi Tank Grrl. Nowhere near enough material yet to actually start photocopying the mag. Thanks for the offer. Aren't you going travelling soon anyway?

[Generally Contrary]

I'm planning to make use of the print unit at my girlfriend's school (she's a teacher, not a pupil!).  Not in any kind of underhand way - they are a community college and offer their print unit for the use of the general public.  They are very cheap, compared to high street photocopying, and do collation and stapling for a small fee.  Though they do things like sports club programmes and community newsletters, they don't publicise this service all that widely.  So anyway, it might be worth checking out the local schools/colleges.  Or check out the university print shops (they might do student/staff prices).

I'm pretty institutionalised.

[Tanky]

not off for bout a month yet. Also got made redundant (hence the plans) so, s'not like i'm doing much at the mo!