It’s happening today, folks! Come to us starting at 12 this afternoon. And we’ve still got interviews rolling through 🙂 Check out this great one from Sarah Rose.
Kindly give us a short description of yourself and the work you do.
My name is Sarah, I write a zine called “Safe Home” and have done a bunch of one shot zines, that I’ll have with me. I write about mental health, self-care, queerness, sexual abuse, addiction, and occasionally balloon twisting. I work in a bookstore, write a book review blog, and generally spend a lot of time thinking about books, publishing, and the hierarchy of genres.
What is your process for creating/assembling your zines?
I don’t really have any one set process. I’ve done solo zines that took months to put together, some that have come together within the span of hours or days from conception to creation. I’ve done compzines that were the collaborative effort of a dozen people and split zines that involved just a friend and I working together. The great thing about zines is that there’s no one “right” process or prescribed way of creating. We have only the boundaries of our imaginations to break through.
What is your favorite tool or implement for doing so?
I really like my saddle stapler and making a big mess with rubber cement.
What tips or thoughts would you have for folks who want to make a zine but aren’t sure how?
Do it! There are tons of tutorials online and if you can’t find one you feel comfortable using, ask someone whose zine you admire to point you in the right direction. Zine folks are the best folks and we are almost always happy to help/share resources and knowledge.
Do you have a “bad feminist” (a la Roxane Gay) moment? Has your relationship to feminism changed over time?
I can’t point to a specific moment, but there are things that I’ve written in earlier zines that make me cringe a lot. A lot of the things I did/said when I was on drugs is still pretty haunting. But I’m finding that the things I regret make me much more cognizant of the impact that my words and actions can have on the people around me. In that way, regret is pretty humanizing.
Finally, who are some of the other zinesters you’re excited to see at this year’s feminist zine fest?
I can’t wait to see the organizers and thank them for the hard work they’ve put into creating such an affirming event! I’m super stoked to be driving up with some of my favorite Philly pals (Katie Zall and Anna Melton, whose zines are mind blowingly great), and am glad to see JC Tributaries, who I think is one of the most universally talented writers in the world. I can’t wait to see what Rachel and Sari from Hoax have been working on. And I’m really excited to see Aus and Lauren, who are ridiculously great. I just went back to look at the list of tablers right now, and I have to stop gushing because there are so many cool people that I’m inspired by and in awe of coming to NYC Feminist zine fest.
NYC Feminist Zinefest 