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The Letterzine OR The Gift of Gab
| Meta | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Letterzine OR The Gift of Gab |
| Creator: | Susan M. Garrett |
| Date(s): | April 1989 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | multifandom, print zines |
| Topic: | |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Letterzine OR The Gift of Gab is a 1989 essay by Susan M. Garrett.
"A letterzine is a good place to air your views and share the views of others, as well as pick up information and make valuable contacts. Some common courtesy, interest in a topic or idea, and a willingness to put pen to paper are the only supplies you need to enter a correspondence conversation."
It was first printed as a part of The Fantastically Fundamentally Functional Guide to Fandom, an instruction manual meant to explain the basics of fandom and fanworks to new fans and to be a reminder to more seasoned fans.
This essay was also reprinted in Southern Enclave #54 (Autumn 1999).
The essay is meant to address careless and rude fans who both create and consume fanworks:
With a little bit of common courtesy and common sense, fans could make fandom a really keen place to work and play. Fans created this playground and only fans can be responsible for their actions.
Some Topics Discussed
- what is a letterzine?
- how do I submit to a letterzine, will I get a free copy if my letter is printed?
- what should I write about?
- can the editor edit my letter? (Yes, says this essayist. If your letter was edited, it was probably your fault. The editor has a right to control the message in her or his publication.)
- what can I do if I can't write letters? -- the answer is, a least buy the letterzine and read other people's letters
From the Essay
The letterzine is only one of the many types of publications fandom produces and is often a hybrid— part article, part fiction, part poetry, part illustration, but always, at the very heart of the publication, are the letters. Letterzines can be formal, conversational, critical, inspirational, antagonistic, informational...but a good letterzine is seldom, if ever, dull.
What should I write about?Read an old copy of the letterzine and check out what other people have written. The best advice is to write what you'd like to read. Would you like to read over and over again how cute a certain actor is, or would you prefer to find out when the series he just finished will be on the air? Are you interested in discussing the storyline of an episode, the sets, the acting? Do you have information someone else might not know and want to share it? Do you want to talk about a zine story you've seen recently and how it compares to the series, or let others know that a story in a certain zine just shouldn't be missed? Or how about the artwork you saw at a recent convention — was the show represented?
Take your cue from the letters in the zine. A letterzine is a delayed party-line [1] of sorts — everyone takes turns talking, asking and answering questions, bringing up points of inquiry and/or contention, and sharing information. Sometimes a letterzine can be a rallying point to save a program and disseminate information on who to talk to about keeping it on the air, at others it is a place to mourn the loss of a show, or celebrate the creation of a new one.
An editor cut some of my letter, what should I do?Look at the portion removed and ask yourself why. Did it answer a question already answered by another letter and in basically the same way? Could it be construed as offensive? If you have any questions, ask the editor.
It could be something as simple as length and/or repetition, or as complicated as possible libel. If you don’t like the editor’s format, or control, don’t write to that letterzine anymore. It’s someone else’s sandbox, so you either play by their rules or get out.
A lot of the problem can be avoided by watching what you write — don’t say anything that you can’t back up, avoid personal accusations. If you wouldn’t say it to the person’s face, don’t put it in writing. And if there’s an objection to what you’ve written, be prepared to put your pen to paper again — you needn’t be annoyed because you started it. A letter written with good intentions can easily go wrong, but not if it’s written with courtesy, clarity, and charity. Don’t be vindictive or petty.
Other Essays in This Series
- The Seven Deadly Sins of Fandom
- S.A.S.E. or You Want an Answer When?
- Telephone Courtesy OR How to Make Enemies Without Even Trying
- A Buyer's Guide to Fanzines OR How to Not Drop $200 in a Hurry
- Ordering Zines by Mail OR Waiting by the Mailbox
- The Letterzine OR The Gift of Gab
- Research, OR Ignorance is Not Bliss
- Pseudonym
- Simultaneous Submissions, Resubmittals, and Reprints, or, Where I Have I Seen This Before?
- The Fanzine Bill of Rights
- L(etter) O(f) C(omment) or How Am I Doin'?
References
- ^ A "party-line" is a reference to a long time ago when people shared phone lines.