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Spaceship, issue 10, October 1950
Page 3
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SAUL'S SPOT PAGE THREE MAYBE I'M NOT a connoisseur of fanzines, but certainly I have experienced most of the hardships of publishing and editing a fanzine that are experienceable. Therefore, I feel qualified enough to dissertate on the subject. First, let us start with the conception of a fanzine--we'll call it "Fanzine X" for no particular reason. No doubt the editor or editors have had some science-fiction background, usually from reading up on some of the older prozines. Occasionally an old-timer ventures again into the field of fan publishing. In his mind, the editor pictures how he'd like the zine to look. The next step is the collection of material for the first issue. There should be a balance of material. Fiction and non-fiction should be in proportion. The editorial policy should be set forth in the first issue and the editor should try to adhere to this policy for as long as the mag exists. This was the first mistake we made in the early SPACESHIP--overbalancing the fiction. Our first issue ran three serials which did nothing else but lose interest and customers. The next thing is to make sure that the mag is legible--from the start! No matter how you print it, whether by hektograph, mimeograph or carbon paper, it pays in the long run to be painstaking. (And expect to take many pains!) A mag that's easy to read is your best advertisement--which brings us to advertising. Besides cramming your mag down the throat of the local yokels, try to get reviews in prozines and in other fanzines. You'll find it pays to advertise at every chance you got. Through correspondence many subscribers are gained. Also,get your name and the name of your fanzine around in s-f circles as much as possible, either by writing letters to promags with mention of your magazine or by joining clubs (FAPA, SAPS, QSFI, etc.)... If you are short of material, write letters to fans you know asking for contributions. Usually a number of unsolicited (and rather poor, on the whole) contributions will come in after each prozine review--but some good stuff always comes through. If you want to keep a certain writer penning for you alone, here's one sure-fire method: build him up in your magazine, and eventually he'll produce stories of the caliber you've said his poorer stories were. Next, after a few issues of "Fanzine X" in which you have shown profit, try to enter a magazine in an organization like FAPA. I advise doing it only after showing profit to cover the loss of giving away 70 mags. But in an organization like FAPA,you really pick up tips about technique, duplicating and quality. The publishing of a fanzine is both enjoyable and rewarding (tho' not always in money!) We took the leap; what about you? Saul Diskin (first in a series of suggestions on fanzine publishing)
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SAUL'S SPOT PAGE THREE MAYBE I'M NOT a connoisseur of fanzines, but certainly I have experienced most of the hardships of publishing and editing a fanzine that are experienceable. Therefore, I feel qualified enough to dissertate on the subject. First, let us start with the conception of a fanzine--we'll call it "Fanzine X" for no particular reason. No doubt the editor or editors have had some science-fiction background, usually from reading up on some of the older prozines. Occasionally an old-timer ventures again into the field of fan publishing. In his mind, the editor pictures how he'd like the zine to look. The next step is the collection of material for the first issue. There should be a balance of material. Fiction and non-fiction should be in proportion. The editorial policy should be set forth in the first issue and the editor should try to adhere to this policy for as long as the mag exists. This was the first mistake we made in the early SPACESHIP--overbalancing the fiction. Our first issue ran three serials which did nothing else but lose interest and customers. The next thing is to make sure that the mag is legible--from the start! No matter how you print it, whether by hektograph, mimeograph or carbon paper, it pays in the long run to be painstaking. (And expect to take many pains!) A mag that's easy to read is your best advertisement--which brings us to advertising. Besides cramming your mag down the throat of the local yokels, try to get reviews in prozines and in other fanzines. You'll find it pays to advertise at every chance you got. Through correspondence many subscribers are gained. Also,get your name and the name of your fanzine around in s-f circles as much as possible, either by writing letters to promags with mention of your magazine or by joining clubs (FAPA, SAPS, QSFI, etc.)... If you are short of material, write letters to fans you know asking for contributions. Usually a number of unsolicited (and rather poor, on the whole) contributions will come in after each prozine review--but some good stuff always comes through. If you want to keep a certain writer penning for you alone, here's one sure-fire method: build him up in your magazine, and eventually he'll produce stories of the caliber you've said his poorer stories were. Next, after a few issues of "Fanzine X" in which you have shown profit, try to enter a magazine in an organization like FAPA. I advise doing it only after showing profit to cover the loss of giving away 70 mags. But in an organization like FAPA,you really pick up tips about technique, duplicating and quality. The publishing of a fanzine is both enjoyable and rewarding (tho' not always in money!) We took the leap; what about you? Saul Diskin (first in a series of suggestions on fanzine publishing)
Hevelin Fanzines
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