this page was
last updated on 03/09/01
zinesters etiquette
what follows this are rules for proper zine etiquette. these rules used to be unspoken but obviously for this to be written, there is a need for it. this came about because of a discussion on the zinesters mailing list. the years of zining on this list range from one week to fifty years, and these rules have been discussed and agreed on by the majority of the list.
these are not actually even rules : they are guidelines for common ordering courtesy. you do not need to follow them, but a zinester also does not need to send you a zine.
you definitely do need to read this if you are just getting into zines. some zinesters have been doing this for a long time and do not have the patience to deal with improper zine orders. this will save both of you some anguish.
so, if you stay in tune with these etiquette guidelines, everyone will be happy zinesters.
when requesting a zine
when you write to a zinester, remember to include your address on the letter/note, not just on the envelope. this is in case the zinester throws your envelope away.
make sure your address is legibly written. the difference between a 9 & a 4 could mean that you never see the zine you ordered.
politeness goes a long way. it's greatly appreciated when you say why you are writing, and what exactly you'd like. sometimes people have 2 or 3 projects on the go, so a letter saying "i'd like your zine" can seem a little vague.
always tell the zinester where you heard about their zine from. tell them what zine you read the review/ad in &/or who recommended it. also, if possible, say what it was about the ad or review that made you want to read this zine.
try to spell names of zines and people correctly. no one likes to get a zine order with their name or zine misspelled.
when requesting a trade
if you want to trade, just send your zine. don't write & ask & then send your zine later. not only does it waste paper & postage but it could mean a month or two before the trade is completed. most zinesters love getting surprises in the mail.
if the zinester says "selective trades" then possibly discuss it with them in advance. it means they do not want to trade their beautiful handmade, book bound 40 page zine for a 3 page zine on why jocks suck.
don't apologize for you zine when sending a trade. "here is my zine, it sucks, but i want to trade it for yours..." insecurity is lame. and if your trade really sucks, then don't send it for trade. :)
remember that most zines don't come out on a schedule, so people might not have an issue out at the time your order/send a trade. it helps to specify which issue you would like, or just say "the most recent issue". though do not try to order #1 when the zine is up to #43 beacuse most likely the zinester will not have copies of it, and the zine is so out of date they will not want to make copies. if you would like back orders, order the most recent issue, then ask if back orders are available & which ones are.
when ordering from a distro
check to see if the zines are ppd [postage paid]. if they are, send that exact amount, if they are not look for a postage chart. then add that amount into the amount for your entire order.
be clear on what a zine is called & which issue you want. often distros will have several issues of the same zine, so make sure you say which number issue.
do not order a zine which is "sold out" or "out of stock". if the description says "getting reordered", then wait until they say they have it in stock before you place your order.
always send cash, or if they specify a money order made out to the name of the distro owner [not the distro]. most do not take personal checks, but paypal may be an option [www.paypal.com].
always list alternatives worth the same amount, in case the zine you want is out of stock. it could be replaced by another of the same amount.
don't forget to give your address on the order form, it sounds silly, but people forget to write their address all the time. and if possible, an email address, so if there is a problem with the order, the distro can email you and get it cleared up without wasting extra postage.
always double check your order before you send it.
sending your zine to a distro
if you choose to send your zine to a distro for possible distribution, remember it might take a while for them to get back to you. some distros only hunt out zines & do not take mailed-in ones.
before you send your zine in, look at what type of distro it is. if most of the zines they carry are personal, your heavy metal zine may not be appropriate for submission.
also include the wholesale price which you want your zine to be sold for. this is usually the price of the zine with postage not included.
distros can't take every zine they get, & you might get rejected. do not badmouth them or send angry letters. it happens to the best of zinesters. if the distro does not give you a reason for rejecting you, you may write them a nice letter requesting an explanation & possibly constructive criticism. however many distros are super busy and they do not have time or energy to send out responses as to why they rejected your zine. you can't always expect them to do that, & all you might get is a postcard.
distros are not just places to dump your zines. they like to keep in touch with the writers of all zines they carry. inform them of all address changes and new zines you do, even if it is just a postcard. they might drop a zine if they have not heard fromthe person in a while.
postage matters
if you are going to send postage money, please make sure you send the right amount. if we have the money & postage straight away then we can get zines out to you sooner. if you are not sure, send a bit more because no one gets upset when they receive a few extra postage cents.
also keep in mind where the zinester is from. if you're in canada & the zinester is in the us, this may be one of the extenuating circumstances where you might like to write to the zinester and ask about payment, as the currency and postage systems are different.
glue stamps if you can - it doens't really have much to do with zine etiquette but if you glue stamps other people can use them. it's always a nice thing to not have to buy stamps because zinesters often don't have much money. [note : gluing stamps is not a practice which is favoured by the post office, you can get in trouble for it. while this is not likely, be careful when you do it & only do it if you feel comfortable about it. we are not advocating the procedure, just commenting that many people like to take advantage of it.]
when sending money through the mail, conceal it well by wrapping it in a dark sheet of paper, otherwise the zinester may never receive it.
international orders
foreign countries do not use us dollars. unless the zinester says it will be okay to send them, don't. they may let you do this, because then they can use the currency to order a us zine but preferably send lots of stamps, a nice letter/gift and/or a trade. trades are international.
if you are sending money & you live in a faraway country, it is nice to send perhaps an extra dollar or two for postage.
zines take time
please understand that zinesters are human. we work, go to school, & have a whole lot of other things that we have to do. sometimes we fall behind in our zine-ly duties but we do try to get stuff out as soon as we can. we did not take your dollar & go to vegas to get rich.
if you requested a zine awhile back and still have not received it, wait another week or two & then send the zinester a *polite* letter or email. do not be rude or agressive, during the time you ordered the zine the zinester's dog might have died, or maybe they got evicted. it has been known to happen. be nice, because it is even possible that they may have forgotten or never received the order. only send one letter/email! do not mail everyday & do not get snotty! remember that you sent out your hard-earned dollar to a complete stranger with no guarantee. consider that dollar lost & you will be pleasantly surprised if you receive the zine.
after receiving the zine
please let us know what you thought, & keep in touch!
zining is about communication, not about who has the most or the coolest zines. communication means sharing ideas - so write back after you get a zine. people do not make zines because they like hearing themselves talk (see themselves in type?).
important don'ts
- don't send a zine that is not yours for a trade. this is fraud.
- do not be snotty or demanding.
- don't start bad-mouthing someone else for not sending you the zine a week after you sent the order.
- don't reprint something from a zine without the authors permission.
- don't forget to say please & thank you.
- don't try to pass a $.01 stamp for a $.33. the "H make-up rate" stamp & the "H rate" stamp are entirely different.
to get the etiquette zine
this comes as a flat which you can order. then you take it to your local copy shoppe & make as many copies as you need. you can distribute it with your zine or as you see fit. for a flat send $1 to
hayley alaska
4352e 4th street
long beach
ca 90814
USA
if you have any questions you may write to the above address or email me at heyalaska@msn.com.
thanks to all the zinesters on the list. most of the rules were compiled from them, & thanks to all those who distribute this.
...may we all be happy zinesters.