KAYLEE HODROJ
Flash Flood
A genre experiment in creative writing and zine making
Proposal
For my second experiment, I will endeavor to create something radically different than the first. Towards the end of the first experiment, I lost my interest in the themes and narratives I had set out with. So, in this new experiment, I want to create something more informative and entertaining using a zine format. Further, this experiment will push me to create something made for intended for sharing. At the end of this project, I will be displaying my work at an event called Zine Jamboree.
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The ideal reader would be those who can relate to difficulty in practicing self-love, self-esteem, and growing into their individuality. This is because the origin piece has a lot to do with struggling in relationships with self and others, feeling like giving up, and feeling totally alone in the world. My intended audience would be adults as these themes can be a bit mature. Like in my first experiment, I hope this sample will speak on ideas that I needed to hear back when I made my origin piece.
Genre Analysis
Zines, pronounced “zeeen”, are a versatile, built-your-own, independent publications known for being handcrafted and (often) pocket-sized. In defining them further, I want to lay out my anecdotal thoughts on them and outline some history and common tools and practices.
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I had my first experience a zine as a teenager; it was laying on the ground, as though lost and waiting for a seeker, just outside my public library. It was hot pink, a bit muddy, and all black text with some scrappy handwriting and pictures – and it was so strange that I immediately loved it. Just like that first read, there’s something ephemeral, mystical, and intimate about zines.
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As far as I’m concerned, this is the primary difference between magazines and zines. Think: mass-produced and mainstream versus limited and counterculture. Where magazines tell you what to think (or buy), zines tell you what the author is thinking (or cares about). Zines aren’t mass-produced because, first, that’s expensive, but more importantly, zinesters are primarily looking for connection, authenticity, and liberty.
Don’t take my word for it, here’s commentary from a contributor at International Magazine Center; “As vessels for activism, free speech, meaningful narratives, and good old-fashioned creativity—zines have the potential to affect the hearts and minds of both the creator and the reader” (Sawyers). This seemingly small, paper-craft art form is therefore much mightier than it may appear.
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Likewise, the variety of types and topics included under the umbrella of zine is vast. Some of the most common sub-genres include art, fanzines, mini comics, political, and diary (Purdue University Library). Some of the earliest publications were sci-fi fanzines which appeared in the 1930’s though their popularity expanded significantly during booms of the rock and punk scenes between the 60’s and 90’s (Sawyers).
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Zines are little booklets with a variety of colors and styles. Common means of production include collaging, hand-drawn images, and digital art which are then copied, or xeroxed, to create final prints.
Digital production is an increasingly common means of creation, though is still cost prohibitive for many. Software tools like Adobe’s InDesign are far too expensive for most, but an incredibly powerful tool for making consistent and elaborate publications. Some free alternatives do exist, like Libre’s Scribus and Canva, though all have their setbacks (Sawyers).
Sketch
I would like to make a creative writing zine. Something that’s not quite poetry but still prose that speaks literally and figuratively. I think I will explore the theme through the setting of a desert, which came up in the first experiment, to convey the messaging of the origin piece. There’s a lot to play into thematically here – loneliness, desperation, difficult environments, danger, defeat… And all of these can be expressed through the imagery of a desert. I think many are like me in often perceiving deserts as harsh and unforgiving environments, even envisioning the classic “lost in the desert, wandering helplessly in the heat” storyline. Right now, I keep coming back to the sensation of sand grating at one’s feet after walking for miles. So, I think this will be a good launching point for my creative writing.
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I want this piece to be succinct, powerful, and fairly easy to complete. For this, I’ll aim to complete this project into a mini zine. The mini zine has eight pages in total including the covers, made from a single side of an 8.5” by 11” sheet of paper. I also want to include some drawings that connect to the writing and, again, support the symbolism here. Additionally, I want the drawings to relate modally to the origin piece and draw out the setting around the character. For now, I’m sure a cactus or two will be involved.
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The narrative will be told from the first-person, a detailing of the characters thoughts as they wander through this landscape. Given the length of the piece, I don’t think there will be a need to gender or develop too much about the character. Their main function will be to serve as a relatable figure for which we can all see ourselves through the shared experience of feeling exhausted and defeated.