Fanzine Association Proposal
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Fanzine Association Proposal was a 1985 idea floated to fans by Dan Petitpas. The proposal suggested creating a network as well as a newsletter.
It is unknown if this proposal got off the ground, or how wide-spread it was.
Far Realms #7, a Star Wars zine was one place Petitpas placed his ad.
Petitpas was the editor of the multimedia and science fiction zine Cosmic Landscapes which had ceased publication in mid-1984.
The Purpose
purpose: to unify efforts to attract new readers as well as share information and resources to run our publications more efficiently.
benefits:
- increased readership
- reduced expenses
- increased profitability
- elimination of duplication
- promote communication
- offer help and support
The Proposal
Publishing a fanzine is a labor of love, but all sorts of things can stand in an editor's way to make it break even. Greedy printers are ready to "sock it to ya," the post office makes sure it claims its share, but mostly 'zines never seem to attract the number of readers needed to get the price per copy down to a profitable range.
The biggest problem is that many of our publications operate in a vacuum. We try to go it alone, do everything ourselves, taking chances, making costly mistakes, and independently finding out what other publishers already knew.
That's where a fanzine association comes in. Through a quarterly or bi-monthly bulletin, we can promote our publications and tell sf fans that we exist and what we have to offer. By becoming part of an association, we create a strong, nationwide network where resources can be pooled and therefore multiply, accomplishing things we could never accomplish on our own.
If you are interested in becoming part of this proposed fanzine network, or if you just want to be listed through the association, please forward information about your publication, number of readers, and anything you think will be helpful, as well as any help, services or advice you can offer to Dan Petitpas [address redacted].
Please feel free to tell other fanzine editors about the proposed association and have them contribute a listing. A prototype issue will be ready in about a month or two with further details available at that time.