In Which Carmen Plans to Take Over the World

[xaara]

I was browsing around the University of Wisconsin website yesterday, looking for the campus literary magazine so I could subscribe and figure out the submission guidelines. I discovered something that both excited and disappointed me: there isn't one.

And enter, Carmen.

I immediately started putting together a sketchy list of things I'm going to need in order to start a zine, a list that I have copied here for my reference and for suggestions if any of you have any.

Things a Zine Needs:

• 3 people (editor, 2 people to help edit, make copies, run promotions, post fliers, etc.)


• A catchy title


• Legal-sized paper


• Access to black and white photocopier


• Access to color photocopier (for cover)


• Possibly, a boyfriend at the local Kinko's ;)


• Heavy-duty staplers and staples


• A website, web designer/maintainer, and webspace (provided by UW)


• Some sort of online subscription service

How to Get Above Things and/or Break Even:

• Get paper donated from a local Staples or similar office supply store


• Partnership with UW to provide something (free space in zine?) in exchange for an X number of photocopies


• Create relationships with local storeowners to provide financial support or window ad space in exchange for publicity through ad space or product placement in the zine


• Coffeeshop promotions (free zine with a coffee? dollar zine with a coffee? some ratio of coffee sales goes to the zine if customers mention it when buying coffee?)


• Open mic readings sponsored by zine (If you read, you have to submit to the issue? If you read, you get your name on a credits page?)

So many ideas, so little time. ;)