HOWIEZINE

Rules & Regulations

1. OVERVIEW

Communication about the zines generally takes place on the HOW Design Forum. Sign up takes place approx. 2 mos. before an edition's deadline for delivery of pages. Sign-up is first come, first served and will close at 60 people.

Each player prints/produces one 2-sided page per player. We know from previous HOWiezines that the total # of players (= # of two-sided pages to produce) will be around 35 but could go as high as 60; that means you will produce 35 or more two-sided pages. Pages are assembled into handemade books and each player receives a copy 2-3 weeks after the deadline. NOTE: Feel free to work ahead, just be sure to get to the sign-up thread when sign-up for that edition opens.

COST: Players fee is $10; $12 int'l (see #6 PLAYERS FEE below). This covers binding materials and return shipping. Any unused monies are reserved and used only for unplanned zine-related expenses and assistance, or additional zine mailings, at my discretion; I do not make any money from this project.
(The international payment button will be added shortly. In the meantime, use the contact form if you have any questions about international payment or questions about other payment methods.)

COVERS: If you wish to do the covers, the requirement is 2 outside, 2 inside. Ask for them when you sign up and if you do them, absolutely be on time or early.

NUMBER OF PAGES TO PRODUCE is always posted online and is the number of sign-ups plus 6 (one for HOW editors, one for archive, at least one for future calls for entry, several for possible repalcements should one or more get lost in the mail en route to players (it's happened)). I post deliveries that I receive in a thread so you will know your pages arrived. I cannot make a complete edition without receiving the same number of pages from everyone who plays, so please make and send the number of pages requested for a particular edition.

2. DEADLINE

Artwork is due on or before by the deadline. There is plenty of lead time for concepting and execution, and plenty of time before the dropout date to decide if you really can produce by the deadline. Anyone who does not drop out by the drop date (see below) is expected to deliver pages on time. Plan ahead, work ahead, save often, ship early. If your pages arrive after the deadline, they will not be used and will be returned to you.

3. DROP OUT DATE

If your pages don't arrive by the deadline, you forfeit the prepaid fee.

4. SPECS

Medium for artwork is your choice. Method of duping is your choice. Substrate is your choice. It just has to be hole-punchable material so it can be bound into books. No body fluids or food materials.

Pages can have fairly flat embellishments, die cuts, pull tabs, multiple folds, fold-outs, CDs, whatever works for your art. Any medium is allowed as long as it fits into the book physically and can be reproduced multiple times.

Bleed artwork into the binding area (download a page template) but don't put anything important there. Each edition is bound differently, depending on what kind of artwork comes in, and the binding allowance may or may not show.

***Please sign your artwork.*** Can be your actual name, screen name, by hand or machine, with or without contact info, as much or as little detail as you like. Identifying your work helps with collating and creation of table of contents and, given that the zines are viewable online, will mark your claim.

5. PRODUCTION

Download the page template for a guide
Pages are to be submitted trimmed to 7" square (that's 7" square). Binding styles vary from zine to zine, so, again, bleed artwork into the binding allowance in case it will show but don't put anything important there in case it doesn't. If your page is square and does not include the binding edge, understand that some live area will get lost in binding. FYI: Kinko's, etc., can trim your pages; not expensive. See notes above for any exceptions.

All dupes must be finished, fronts and backs together and ready to be bound. Use whatever means you want to make your 2-sided page: print on both sides, spray-mount 2pp together, print on oversize paper, fold and trim. A folded sheet can be glued together or not.

MAKE A JPEG OF YOUR PAGES and either email it to me or send it with your pages on a disc so we can compile a PDF of the edition and put it online.

SAVE YOUR FILES. You never know what you might need them for in the future - HOW Magazine showed off the work of several designers in the Oct/05 issue and several zine submissions were included in the first edition of Joshua Chen's book, Fingerprint.

6. PLAYERS FEE

Based on previous experience, first time players must prepay at sign-up rather than upon delivery of your pages. This is to discourage last-minute no-shows, so the final number of pages to produce will be accurate. Retreads can prepay if they wish or include the fee when they mail their pages.

$10 US, payable by PayPal (+ $1), check, cash, or M.O. International players are encouraged to use PayPal (shipping will vary depending on country; $12-14 is avg). The fee is used for return delivery and binding materials. Any leftover monies are reserved for future HOWiezine needs and have been used in the past to cover unexpected production costs like ink and additional mailing as zines have been awarded as prizes to other HOWies or submitted for publication consideration with permission of the artist(s).

7. SIGN UP

If you wish to join in, look for the sign-up thread in the HOW Forum lounge. New players, pls prepay the fee at the time you sign up.

All players are requested to send an email to howiezine@gmail.com even if I already have your mailing address. Include your HOWie forum handle, your real name, and your mailing address (preferrably work address for FedEx).

By signing up, you agree to make the commitment to your fellow designers that you will deliver your pages on time or drop out on or before the drop date. Thanks for your consideration, cooperation and interest in playing.