Breaking into Print: Publishing Yourself

Meta
Title:	Breaking into Print: Publishing Yourself
Creator:	M.J. Fisher
Date(s):	January 1979
Medium:	print
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Topic:
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Breaking into Print: Publishing Yourself is a 1979 Star Trek: TOS essay by M.J. Fisher.

It was printed in Spectrum #39.

Some Topics Discussed

• "A lot of egoboo goes hand in hand with publishing a zine. Publishing a zine means that you set yourself as a center of some attention. Although at first, you'll be doing all the legwork."
• "With so many wonderful incentives to do your own zine you might ask yourself why everyone in fandom doesn't just up and do one for himself. Why? Because publishing a fanzine is damn hard. That's why."
• "Publishing your own zine can do wonders for your self-image and self-confidence; although, you have to be careful to temper yourself with self-criticism too, lest you destroy your ego if your zine really isn't as good as you think it is."
• Publishing a zine is exceedingly costly.
• "Printing and publishing was a lot easier when I first started. Yes, it does sound like a cliche but is true nevertheless. The standards have gone up, and there are more people in fandom who have a well-grounded background now in all of the skills of printing."
• discussion of a dust-up in Interstat regarding free speech, libel, and legalisms

From the Essay

One of the things that defines fandom with special and unique qualities is the interpersonal communication network that we have established through letters and through publications. Fans think, feel, and react to things differently than most mundanes and we need our own forum so that we can communicated between ourselves in our own special way. It isn't surprising then that a great deal of emphasis is placed on the publishers and publications within fandom. Fan magazines, journals and other publications form a vital link in the lifeline of our fannish activities. Without them fandom would probably disperse and fade away. Fanzines provide an outlet for our ideas, an exhibit place for our writings and artwork, and a connecting link that we all share in common. In short, fanzines are one of the most vitally important elements that we have in the makeup of fandom. Obviously then, this makes fan publishing a prestige title within our ranks, and most fans can probably admit to at least wanting to help publish a zine, even if they never had the chance.

What then are the individual motivations that drive someone to publish a fanzine of their own? Initially there may be some bandwagon appeal. When a neofan first comes in contact with fandom, he is not likely to establish a collection of steady correspondents immediately. More likely, it is easiest to buy up any of the current fanzines being published. Indeed, most people I have talked to have admitted that when they were new to fandom, they learned more about things through fan zines rather than through correspondence or at conventions. So, new fans likely experience an- abundance of their fannish contacts through the printed madia, and thus may decide that the best way to reach other fans is by being published in, or publishing your own fanzine.

One of the less-than-honorable motives a person can have for doing a fan publication is to acquire power within fandom. Considering that fanzines form such a vital part of fandom, it becomes clear that they can also be used as a means for influence peddling within fandom. There is a very slight political structuring to fandom, which is little more than a basic organizational hierarchy, but it makes fandom susceptible to the same type of political manipulation that goes on around the world. Control of a fanzine, which can influence a great many fans, is in a sense, control of those fans. Of course, not much of this goes on, but it has happened, and political dealing has been the basis for more than one fanzine in the past, even if the editors didn't consciously recognize it as such. Fortunately most people within fandom don't care much for the status and the influence that a fanzine can buy within fandom. For many fans, and for the best of the faneds, they publish their own publications because they have something to share, to contribute with the rest of us; and if they can't find someone else-who is dealing with the subjects that they want to share, then they publish their own zine to do the job. The best of the fans are the ones who have a personal interest in whatever they publish. They have gone to the trouble of publishing their own zine not because of the egoboo, not because everyone else is doing it, and not for the status and power (although those factors do add to the urge) but because they feel so importantly about something that they find that no other way will share it with fandom better than to do it themselves.

There is a related topic to diplomacy that I feel needs separate discussion, and that concerns personal opinion, and libel. Countless fans mill in fandom who pooh-pooh libel and contend that no one will sue you in fandom because a) people are sensible enough that they won't print anything libelous and b) the spirit of confraternity and friendship among fans would keep any one from ever taking a fellow fan to court. Horsefeathers. There have been people vengeful and uncaring enough to drive their fellow fans to the point of attempted suicides because of printed remarks, and there have been court cases in fandom, but they are usually covered up by the Powers That Be for appearances' sake. In the United States you can be taken to court on charges of libel if there is some tangible evidence that printed remarks about or against you have in some way damaged your reputation, career, earning capacity, or physical well-being. ("Tangible" is a key word here. Whatever you do, don't attack anyone from Great Britain, who are governed by different libel laws, and essentially make a publisher liable for less tangible damages, such as defamation of character.) You'll find that there are a lot of people in fandom who will flood you with torrents of information regarding freedom of speech, and how everyone has the right to say what he wants to. Do not, however, let this blind you to the realities of law.

A prime example, that transpired recently, is that of Interstat, which printed in one issue, some rather personal opinions and comments to some individuals. Now, Interstat maintains a policy of providing an open forum of letters and comments, and printing what they receive, with as little adulteration as possible, except—as I understand it—for matters that are generally considered to be in bad taste. Since the comments in question were strictly personal opinion, directed toward specific individuals, the editors did not see fit to remove the letters from print or to edit them. Was this right? From the standpoint of the editors, it was fair and just, since the two parties would have free reign to argue the issue out in print, and the editors took no sides whatever, printed no comments at all, and remained totally neutral. From the legal standpoint, they were wrong. To print whatever you obtain isn't fair to al1 since it does allow someone to posit damaging charges in public. Damaging charges lodged by private mail are okay, but not in public. Was Interstat correct in what they did? I would like to say yes, because I know their intent was thoroughly honorable, but legally, Interstat is guilty of irresponsible journalism; they are not innocent, only negligent. By the law, if the accused party can claim tangible damages, they can sue Interstat for libel. If you publish a zine with an editorial or a letter column, you'll be exposed to the same risks of libel. Know that as a zine publisher you are the one that will be hit with the suit. Editorship does not impart carte blanche for opinions. You are obliged to withhold libelous material from print, and this applies to letters in letter columns as well as your personal editorials. Even pat little notices such as "Opinions expressed in the lettercol do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor" will do you no good if you print something libelous. Publishing holds some pretty heavy responsibilities in store for you, so beware of them.

The onus of anticipating trends is yours alone, as a publisher. Just as the wrong decisions can doom your zine at its early stages, so too can you kill a zine by taking the wrong road once you are already established. You'll need to predict how the trends are moving in fandom. For example, fandom is following a similar pattern along with the rest of the country in respect to the taste for reading material. Publications in both the mundane world and in fandom, are becoming less general and more specific. The general publications are few, and have large circulations, but the specifically-oriented magazines are far more numerous, but with smaller readerships. In some instances, you may find that your audience is bottoming out, regardless of the quality of your publication, and that you'll have to cease publication and find a new zine and a new audience. If you can learn to see things in the proper perspective, you'll know when you've got a good thing going, and when to quit — and in some cases the right decision will indeed be to pick up stakes and move on. Getting a sense of trends also includes an ability to prepare yourself for inflation. There have been several zines fold because they priced themselves so inflexibly that a sudden increase in costs wounded them irreparably.