Sep

22

USPS wants to rip you off

Filed Under mail | 4 Comments

The Consumerist reports (according to an anonymous tipster) that postal employees have been ordered to upsell pricey express or priority mail services to anyone sending anything more than a letter: “I was told yesterday by my supervisor (and I saw the written memo from the District) that stated we are not to offer first class, parcel post, or media mail. My advice is to always ask if there is a cheaper way to ship. Once asked we can tell you, but we won’t volunteer the information.” See the link for more details and tips on shipping.

Just one more reason why you should DIY — do it yourself. Buy a scale and weigh your envelopes and apply the postage yourself. Use the USPS website (”domestic” for First Class; “business” for Media Mail) or our  U.S. Postal Rates sheet to calculate your postage. If you have a PayPal account you can use it’s shipping feature to ship any class, including media mail. (How? Log into your PayPal account, then use this link: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now ).

If you must take your envelope/package to a postal counter, know the various options available to you and tell them exactly what you want:  First Class Mail (which has different rates for letter, large envelope, and package), Media Mail, or Parcel Post.  See the Zinester’s Guide to U.S. Mail for more info.

(Thanks to Nicole for the tip.)

Sep

20

special zine event this weekend

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From the SF Zine Fest Crew:

The SFZF has been invited to host a special zine space at the Treasure Island Music Festival, Sept. 20 +21. We are going to be setting up a fun, vintage-style library room stocked with some of our favorite mini-comics and zines for all you festival-goers to take a look at. Nothing will be for sale, just 100+ fantastic small press creations to “check out” and our staff of stylish zine librarians to help you find something fun to read while you take a break from rocking out! Drop by if you are there (tickets are still available… it’s a great line-up!) and say hi!

Sep

19

no more Bound Printed Matter for zinesters

Filed Under mail | 2 Comments

At the post office today, I got an ugly surprise: The Postal Service has discontinued Bound Printed Matter as an option for folks like us. I mean, they really discontinued it this time (not just telling us it wasn’t available like they have in the past). Here’s info from the USPS website (emphasis mine):

DMM Revision: Postage Payment for Bound Printed Matter Limited to Permit Imprint

In March, we filed a notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission for a classification change requiring all mail­ings of Bound Printed Matter be paid by permit only. The Commission agreed, and we are moving forward with the change.

Effective September 11, 2008, the Postal Service™ is revising the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 363, 364, 365, 366, 463, 464, 465, 466, and 604 for all Bound Printed Mat­ter (BPM). Postage payment for all BPM mailings: carrier route, presorted, and nonpresorted (single-piece) flats and parcels, regardless of volume, are limited to permit imprint. Mailers can no longer affix postage by adhesive stamps, postage meter, or PC Postage®. BPM will not be accepted at retail counters, in collection boxes, or by car­riers and must be deposited and accepted at the Post Office™ facility that issued the permit.

In other words,  you can no longer, as an individual, use Bound Printed Matter for individual mailings sent with stamps or printed postage. The only way you can use Bound Printed Matter is:

  1. You fill out an application for a mailing permit.
  2. Pay a one-time application fee of $180.
  3. Pay $180 per year permit fee.
  4. Pay a deposit into your permit account (postage costs are deducted each time you make mailings) or you have to pay each time you make a mailing.
  5. Prepare an imprint for your mailing, like this:
  6. Permit mail has to be taken to the post office where you applied for the permit; you cannot drop the mail into any mailbox or to any post office. There may be limits (days or times) on when such mail can be dropped off, but most cities should have at least one post office which accepts permit mail.
  7. Mail something using your permit at least once every 2 years, or your permit will be revoked.

Once you have a permit, you can either mail things nonpresorted or presorted. Presorted is cheaper, but you have to mail at least 300 pieces at a time, and there are a lot of rules about how the mail has to be prepared and presented to the post office. Nonpresorted can be used for individual mailings, but costs a little more (although it’s still about half the price of First Class Mail). BPM rates still vary according to zone (ie, how far away the zip code you’re mailing to is from your zip code).

You can (for now, at least) still use Media Mail with postage stamps — but some zinesters have reported more difficulty using Media Mail lately.  See the Zinester’s Guide to U.S. Mail for details about Media Mail.

Much like the changes made last year for discount mailings for periodicals (see Zine World #25 for details), these changes raise barriers for small publishers, and therefore inhibit dissemination of information by mail. If this ticks you off as much as it does me, I hope you will contact the Postal Service and complain:
1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) — select More Options

Policy and Program Development, USPS Headquarters
or
Postmaster General Jack Potter
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW
Washington DC 20260-0010

We will be updating our U.S. Postal Rates sheet and the Zinester’s Guide to U.S. Mail within the next few days.

Sep

18

calls for submissions & supporting indie press

Filed Under publishing, zine news | Leave a Comment

We’ve seen this in a dozen places — so we’re guessing you probably have, too — but just in case you missed it: Earlier this week Bitch magazine announced it needed to raise $40,000 in order to print its next issue in October. Over the past couple of years, several indie magazines have folded — many of them directly as a result of the closure of the Independent Press Association. (See Zine World #24 & #25 for more about this.) So the call went out for donations… and it was answered. In just 3 days, the magazine raised more than the $40,000 it needed to publish the next issue. Wow. Amazing.

If you love the independent press, $$ is a great way to show your support. From time to time, we’re all in danger of sinking because we’re short on cash. If you can, take a few minutes to order or renew a subscription and/or make a donation to the indie magazine or zine you love the best, be it Bitch, Zine World, or something other publication. Even $5 or $10 can make a big difference.

We’ve also seen lots of calls for submissions lately, including:

Sep

6

Zine World #26 now available!

Filed Under ZW announcements | 5 Comments

ZW 26 coverAt long last, the new issue of Zine World is now available! All pre-order and subscriber copies will go into the mail next week!

Zine World #26 is 62 pages, full-size, and contains:

It all can be yours for $4 US, $5 Canada/Mexico, or $7 overseas. Subscribe and get the next 3 issues (plus any in-between supplements) for $10 US, $13 Canada/Mexico, or $20 overseas. Cash, stamps, or mail order (to Jerianne, NOT Zine World), please.

Send in your pre-orders and subscription renewals now! Mail orders to: PO Box 330156, Murfreesboro TN 37133-0156. We love your mail, but if you want to PayPal, visit our ordering page for details. All subscribers will get a free Zine World 1″ button, made by our friends at Small World Buttons.

If you’d also like a free copy of the Zinester’s Guide to US Mail, please include a note with your order. This Guide covers the various options zine publishers can use for mailing within the U.S., including detailed information about the new First Class rules, Media Mail, and Bound Printed Matter. (You can also download a copy of this guide, in PDF format.)

Sep

4

new events, other cool stuff

Filed Under events, publishing, zine news | 1 Comment

Live in/near Portland? Do us a favor and go to the Multnomah County Library 4th Annual Zinesters Talking series! Each Tuesday in September will feature local zinesters reading from their work at one of the MCL branches. Featured readers incldue: Kate Lopresti (Constant Rider), Katin Imes and Diane Gilleland (Citizeen), and Kelly Froh (titles). Zines by the presenters will be available for purchase. Find out more at the MCL website. (Sorry for the late announcement of this event; things have been hectic at ZW HQ.) Find pictures of MCL zine events at the mclzines flckr page.

Fais-Le Toi-Meme (translation: Do It Yourself) Symposium will be held Sept. 27-28 at L’Hybride, 18 rue Gosselet, in Lille, France (between Paris and Brussels). The event will include zine and small press publishers, distros, silkscreen artists, crafts, t-shirts, toys, self-produced CDs, concerts, movies, and more. Admission is free. Find out more at www.fais-le-toi-meme.com/ or www.myspace.com/salonfaisletoimeme.

Fred Wright (zine publisher and, dare I say, zine scholar) has a new novel: Blog Love Omega Glee, now being serialized on wredfright.blogspot.com. He tells us: “It’s set in 2012, and about two bloggers who fall in love while the world falls apart.  One blogs on professional wrestling and the other on conspiracy theories and politics, but the plot’s mainly the skeleton to hang the silliness upon.  Originally the characters were going to be zine publishers, so I think zinesters will relate to a number of things as the novel still documents the pitfalls and pleasures of self-publishing.”

Received this announcement from France: “DIYzines is a community website about drawing zines (graphzines, artbooks, self produced edition, underground press…) and limited edition (1 to 500 copies). DIYzines is a way to share information and to follow the current events of european graphziners. For us, zine editors, distribution is the main problem ; it is difficult to make ourselves known. Together, we are stronger. Yo! More than a online bookstore, DIYzines is a free community website. Each artist or publisher is the author of  his or her article: new books, exhibitions, call for submission, link to his or her website… You are in control of the information and you can update your own page at any time. You can also sell your books by paypal or otherwise. DIYzines is a totally free website and no commission is taken on your sales, it’s your business! www.DIYzines.com

Sep

4

more from the RNC

Filed Under free speech, news | Leave a Comment

Radio journalist Amy Goodman (Democracy Now! host) and two producers arrested (with video).
First-person account from Goodman after her release.

AP photographer arrested.

University of Kentucky student reporters and a UK photo advisor pepper sprayed then arrested.

Charges filed against 21 protesters so far; eight members of the RNC Welcoming Committee charged with “conspiracy to commit riot in the second-degree in furtherance of terrorism.”

Added:
Reporters from the City Pages assaulted by cops & maced.

Twin Cities Fox News crew gets gassed by cops.

Sep

2

new websites, new stuff

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Several exciting things to share:

We Make Zines is a new online community for zine makers and readers, created by Krissy of PonyBoy Press: “Although there are many social networking sites out there, there is little that focuses on zines. We all have our myspace or blogs, but those accounts are filled with friends from work, from the third grade, people who don’t know what a zine is and some who probably don’t care. This space creates a place that focuses on the zines. I want this place to be less about personality and friends and more about the zines - what we produce and read. You can create a profile, list your zineography, post images of zines, partake in the forums, find other zine writers, read about new releases, read reviews from your favorite zine writers and leave comments about the zine you just read on the actual zinesters profile.”

Crabby Media is a group of zine-lovin folks who built a website to share info. Sign up to participate in their forum, which includes space for zine announcements, skill shares, comp zine call for submissions, and much more.

Microcosm Publishing has released new editions of two classic references on zines: Notes from the Underground: Zines and the Politics of Alternative Culture by Stephen Duncombe - a well-regarded, academic study of zine publishing, including their history and origins, and their importance within society and culture, originally release din the 90s — and Make a Zine! by Bill Brent — a solid how-to guide to zine publishing, also originally released in the 90s. We haven’t seen either book yet, so we don’t know how they compare to the originals, but their release — and the promise of a new edition of Stolen Sharpie Revolution — make this a great year for zines.

And: Taylor from Parcell Press tells us his revamped website (www.parcellpress.com) is finally online, and it looks pretty swanky. Also, he’s got a new address: Taylor Ball, 626 S. 8th St., 3rd Fl., Philadelphia PA 19147. We’re working on other updates to our stores & distros page; those changes should be online in the next day or so.