Totally unrelated to questions about importing zines, but I am curious to know the functions of zines and how that worked back in the late 80s! And really, am interested to know how the culture of fandom was back then. I have always been curious about zines, but don't exactly understand them despite researching 😅 So many questions haha forgive me!
Still!! Thank you for importing these zines. I think its so important to preserve the history of fandom culture and see how it has evolved/changed/stayed the same over the years. Oh, to be a fly on the wall during fannish meetups back then 🤭
Hello, Hakvrei, and thank you for your curiosity about fanzines and fannish culture generally! These are some very broad questions, so I'll offer some answers - but if you have specific questions, please do come back with them. Meanwhile, the Zine page on Fanlore is very good and thorough, so that might help.
The internet has changed pretty much everything, as you're aware. Before there was social media, fans would keep in touch and share news via snail mail, newsletters, and flyers - and would meet up when they could, especially with local fans. Before there were digital archives and AO3, we circulated printed copies of fic (especially The Circuit in the Professionals fandom) and we edited, printed and sold fanzines full of fic and art. A fan would have an idea for a zine, probably based on what they and their friends were writing, and put it together. Availability was shared via flyers in the mail, presence at fan conventions, and word of mouth. The zine itself might include a Call for Submissions and a deadline for the next issue, so that the net of creators spread wider. Readers who wanted news of the next issue would send the publisher a Stamped Self-Addressed Envelope (SSAE) in order to receive a flyer when it was ready for sale. The amount charged per issue was usually designed to cover direct costs, but some of the fancier zines might never make their costs back - or might be so popular as to make a bit extra. Generally, zines were a labour of love!
Some of my favourite fannish memories are of my sister and I driving three hours to a friend's house for a weekend, where we printed my latest zine on their offset press, and then all pitched in to collate and bind the zines... (I'm feeling all nostalgic now...)
I hope that gives you an idea! Thank you so much for your support. ♥ If you want to know anything more specific, please do ask.
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