Zines_And_Computational_Publishing_Practices_A_Cou.pdf
Duncombe explicitly states: āOne could plausibly argue that blogs are just ephemeral (ā¦) zinesā.
Why zine? Easy, quick, cheap and not bound by the conditions that are inherent in the idea of a book in terms of itās catagorisation or stylistic concerns. I have friends who make zines because you can photocopy pages at work without worrying about expenses or external ideas of quality - it is what it is and what it is, is cheap:
This can often be seen in misspelled words, furious scribbling and haphazard cut-outs with the idea of professionalism and perfection being disregarded in favour of a more enthusiastic and raw output.
Zines are commonly crafted by individuals from vastly diverse backgrounds, but one thing that links them all is their self-proclaimed title of ālosersā.
Similar to fanfic? The process of it is somehow shameful/embarrassing, despite it being very popular and in some cases moving into the mainstream, and influencing the original creations (we made it canon).
A particular genre of zine called the personal zine, more commonly known as the āperzineā, is a type of zine that outweighs the subjective over the objective and places the utmost importance on personal interpretation. In other words, perzines aim to express pure honesty on the part of the zinemaker.
Look up more about perzines? Talk to Hannah and Clara about their experiences zinemaking?
Authorship - zinemakers and fanfiction writers often go by psuedonyms. Is this because what they share is very personal, taboo?
Zines, instead, display these multiplicities as a way to connect with their audience, placing emphasis on the flexibility of identity as opposed to something fixed and marketable
Voices and identities being plural and inconsistent, fragmented:
What makes their identity authentic is that they are the ones defining itā (Duncombe 45). Zinemakers aim to use zines as a mean to recreate themselves away from the strict confines of mainstream society and instead occupy an underground space in which this can be explored freely
What does it mean to cut and paste from existing works? Operating out of copywrite, more of a floss approach?
In the contemporary landscape of increasingly AI-generated media, the homogenous nature of digital content can be oļæ½set by these DIY practices, which carve out alternative spaces that celebrate diversity and individuality. AI-driven algorithms tend to prioritise content that aligns with dominant trends and consumerist interests (Sarker 158)