Can we talk about whether zines should be free or not?

I was at a zine swap last Saturday in Portland and this older guy running a table told me he never charges for his zines. He said charging money turns a zine into a product instead of a conversation. Ngl, I've always charged $3-5 for mine to cover printing costs. But hearing him say that made me wonder if I'm missing the whole point of DIY culture. What do you all think, does selling zines kill the spirit or is it just necessary to keep making them?

2 comments

2 Comments

lily57421d ago

Selling a zine for three bucks to cover paper costs is hardly turning it into a corporate product. That guy with his "conversation not a product" line sounds like he's got way too much time to think about this. Zine swaps are fun but they're not some sacred ritual that gets ruined by a few dollars changing hands. Most people I know who make zines are broke and that three bucks literally pays for the next one to exist. Gatekeeping what counts as "real DIY" is just exhausting and honestly kind of pretentious. Let people charge a couple bucks so they can keep making stuff without going bankrupt, it's really not that deep.

kellymurphy21d ago

Actually, three dollars rarely covers paper costs anymore with how much prices have gone up.