Sunday, February 12, 2012


Another Year On Paper


February 2012 marks 18 years I’ve been zining about offbeat topiX. I can’t remember the eXact date of that freezing winter night when I sat down at a computer and roughed out a short four page issue, Ray X X-Rayer #1.

It was a way to get through the drudgery of the long winters around here. But as time has passed neither winter nor zining has become easier.

Back in those early years I was reviewed in Factsheet 5, the leading publication for zine reviews. That exposure did generate a few readers but nothing like the hundreds I have with my blog.

I think print zines suffer from the Poet Syndrome: for every 100 people who write poetry, only one reads poems by others on a regular basis.

So as another winter drags on − despite its relative mildness – I’m still putting out a zine, albeit in a much shorter form, one double-sided sheet, two pages total, for those who prefer paper over photons.

All four of them.


2 comments:

X. Dell said...

Here's to many happy returns. (Raises his glass of cola in toast.)

I dunno. I think it's quite an accomplishment to have done something that worthwhile for eighteen years. I've certainly enjoyed your writing in cyberspace, and want to read more of it.

Keep that in mind for whenever you feel burned-out.

Doug said...

Hold on--people still write poetry?

Congrats on continuing. In a disposable society sticking with anything for 18 years is very commendable.