Chatting with a friend at the copy shop made me think about charging for zines

I was at Kinko's last Friday, you know, making 25 copies of my new poetry zine, when my friend Leo saw the price tag. I always ask for a dollar, just to cover the paper and ink. Leo said, 'You put 40 hours into drawing those little monsters by hand, and you're only asking for a buck? That's giving it away.' He thinks we should value our time and art more, and that even a few extra dollars helps keep making them. But I've always felt like the whole point is to keep it cheap and easy to share, so anyone can grab one. Now I'm stuck thinking about it. Do you think asking for three or four dollars for a thick, hand-drawn zine is fair, or does it go against the DIY spirit?

3 comments

3 Comments

paulperry2mo ago

Nah, your time IS part of the cost.

oliver2422mo agoMost Upvoted

Lol reminds me of the time I spent three hours trying to fix a free bookshelf.

riverwhite1mo ago

That free stuff always costs the most in the end.