For the love of zines
I feel like I’m attempting to break the internet by posting a call for submissions call for submissions.
But that’s it! I want to share your call for submissions. Your call for donations to your zine library. So on. So forth. All the things! Leave a comment here. 🙂
Big fuzzy love hearts to those of you who use graphics (and thus save me time) for their calls for submissions!
Dear Anonymous has a rolling, open submission, so you can submit your letters at any time!
DA4 is on its way, and you still have time to get your letters in. These letters can be confessionals, but they can also be whatever you like them to be. Write to your life, write to your cat, write to your past or your future… Dear Anonymous is about writing the letters of the things you can’t say for whatever reason.
Basically, you’re right in the 1 – 500 words range, but shorter is better. BUT, this zine is about expression, and I don’t want to force anyone to clamp down on their passion just for me. I’m flexible.
Send letters to theauthor at inkyblots.com If I don’t respond to you within a few days, comment here.
All contributors will receive a PDF copy. (Possibly a print copy depending on my financial status at the time of printing.)
*** Do you have a call for submissions for your zine? Let me know!
Pieces #2 On Girls & Wondering
Nichole
http://wemakezines.ning.com/profile/Nichole
https://www.etsy.com/shop/fictionandnot
This zine is about the handful of girls in my life that really made an impact on me.
I think there is a true, deep value in being able to look at past relationships and feel the feelings without getting lost in them. In this zine, I think Nichole makes a beautiful tribute to women she has met. From her first kiss to realisations of unrequited love, we get to view the women that influenced her life as she views them.
Nichole shares her awkward moments in ways that are endearing and yet ‘are what they are’. She doesn’t indulge in fantasies of what could have been or should have been. When you’re reading, you get a real sense of how she appreciates them even though, in her own words:
…things didn’t work out the way I wanted with any of them…
What was especially gorgeous for me is that there are a couple of women who don’t have names. Why is this gorgeous? Because it reminds me that you never really know whose life you’re influencing. You might think that everybody thinks your [X], but it just so happens someone out there is too nervous to ask you out. Or even to say hello.
Love it.
Pieces #1 On Writing, Reading & Growing Up
Nichole
http://wemakezines.ning.com/profile/Nichole
https://www.etsy.com/shop/fictionandnot
This zine (and #2-#5) came through a trade I made a few years ago thanks to the We Make Zines site. Nichole prefers trades to outright sales, so my financially-challenged self was quite happy.
I had a good feeling that I would like this first one because I am an author (and was back when I made the trade, too) and love a lot of things that are writing-related. This zine did not disappoint.
Pieces takes a ‘snippets of life’ approach to her zine with, well, snippets of her life. Bits and pieces that surround reading, writing, authors and what it means to grow up as a creative person. She does skip around in time – jumping forward and back – but chronology doesn’t matter as much as the feelings of the scenes involved. While my glitchy self would have loved chronology, my free love hippie self was happy to go with the flow.
What was even better is how many experiences Nichole and I had in common. For instance, I also wrote for Young Authors when I was in school. I also started using British spellings in school only to be told a resounding no. (Yay for moving to Australia and putting extra letters in all sorts of words! Colour!) While she was not allowed to read at the table, I was not allowed to write. But we were both convinced (if only a little bit) that the characters would get up to something while we were away.
We’ve even both met Garth Nix.
I won’t give it away, but the zine ends on an exhilarating (especially if you’ve done it yourself) note that leaves you wanting to know what happened next.
Last October (HOW DID TIME GO SO FAST?! WHERE HAVE I BEEN?!) I took an anxiety-filled dive into the world of making my first perzine. Up until then, my zines always had the focus of other people in some way, shape or form. I never really took a stance and talked about how I felt.
Mostly because I’m a chronic fence-sitter, and expressing my opinion on anything opens me up to criticism. And criticism makes me cry.
I wish I was joking.
Anyway, the whole thing was liberating. Wonderful. Yeah, I made some statements that are no longer true for me, but that’s life. People change. However, it’s been way too long between zines.
Before 2015 is out, I really want to create DCMC 2. The first zine was about introductions. Why I chose the name Nyx, an intro to my world of bipolar, an intro to my art therapy, etc. I have finally decided on the ‘theme’ for the next issue:
Fear
I do have some non-fear-related pieces to put in there to lighten up the mood a bit, but the main focus will be fear/s. I do deal with anxiety as well as decision-making phobia and so on. However, while I’m still in the planning stages…
Do you have any suggestions about a fear related topic you’d be interested in reading about? (Or another topic you would like me to write about.) Anything. A response to thoughts, a question, anything really… I am open to suggestions within reason, so if you have any, please let me know.
Yeah, I still don’t have my list finished. I have started on some of these, so I am still thinking that I will get this done.
Here’s the thing: I turn 30 in a bit under a year. I want to create a ‘thirty things to accomplish before I turn thirty’ list because I think it would be fun.
Whenever I start, though, it turns into my current to-do list. Bah.
So tell me your suggestions! I don’t promise to do them, but I do promise to have a good think about whether it/they should be on the list. So far I’ve had suggestions like watch the sun rise on the beach, go skinny dipping, and learn a different language. I’m also looking for food/drinks to try and other experiences. I’m not exactly rich, so I can’t fly to Japan or anything, but I’ll sort that all out once I have plenty of suggestions to choose from.
Have at it!
What a week!
I found a recipe to bake eight large choc chip bikkies. Perfect sized batch.
I found out my cat is Scrabble Cat! He never has to use the dictionary to look up a word.
I found out Zine Ninja loves Picnics – and not the sit-on-a-blanket kind.
I know Mondays are usually reserved for mail, but what the heck. Mail! This one came via sendsomething.net
Zine Ninja had a grand time out and about. A friend – I think she shall now be known as Kickass – and I ran a few errands in preparation for her mum’s/my friend’s birthday tomorrow. Zine Ninja got introduced to the yummy treat known as a Picnic.
Bliss.
Okay, so the first day of spring isn’t until tomorrow, but today was so gorgeous! I couldn’t resist taking some snaps out in the beautiful weather.
Asimov looks so sinister, doesn’t he?
Brin wouldn’t stay still long enough for a proper picture.
My beautiful girl, Zenna, enduring my snapping pictures.
Spring flowers!
Looking for stories/essays (up to 500 words), poems (250-300 words) and artwork on the subject of ‘Bullying’.
Subject matter may include:
-confronting bullies & the outcome
-friends/peers/teachers who don’t intervene(bystanders)
-dealing with trauma/triggers (coping strategies)
-mental health (depression, anxiety, etc)
-thoughts of self-harm/suicide/revenge
-reaching out for help
-being ostracized (feelings of isolation, worthlessness, shame, grief, guilt, anger)
-what you would like to say to your bullies
-has bullying changed the ways you view peer groups today
-understanding bullies
-forgiveness (making peace)
Did the bullying take place in:
-elementary school
-high school
-college/university
-workplace
-community
*Please let us know if you would like to use your real name, an alias or if you wish to remain anonymous (or if you are writing/sending it on behalf of someone you know).
No fictionalized work, please.
Am accepting submissions until August 31st, 2015.
Email submissions to: sandra_reiki_@hotmail.com
Each contributor will receive a free copy of the zine.
Thank you.*