A few years ago, I started talking about developing a mailed zine of work and sending it out once a month.
It has not launched yet and won't until early 2026.
But within that discussion, amongst various other things, I said "we should all make zines"
and
"when I figure out how I'm going to do it, I'll offer the details for any other artist / shop whom wants to follow."
Please feel free to do with this information what you will -- copy it directly and/or modify it to meet your own needs.
There are no affiliate links in this post.
There is one -- just one -- link to the shop, because this is 99% public service, "I think we should all do this" and 1% "...and I run a shop, too, and that means talking about it."
WHY MAKE ZINES?
WHY SUBSCRIBE TO ZINES AS A FAN OF SOMEONE'S WORK?
Social media is changing.
Everyone gets a lot of emails.
For 15-20 years, social media has been a playground for artists and writers.
Good, bad, and indifferent, it has been a buffet for "I make a thing" and "Oh neat, I want one, here is a few bucks.'
Now it's time to pay the check and the manager is quietly motioning for us all to do so quickly.
"Is social media dying?"
No.
"Okay but what about emails?"
We all get a lot of emails. That's it, that's the entirety of that point, there are a lot of emails.
"Is email dying?"
No.
"...okay... so...? I should care... why?"
Your pocket change, offered occasionally, is the line between a writer / comic artist / painter / musician / etc. >>>
going out of business or surviving or thriving and making more stuff you like
I want to be very clear.
Your pocket change. Offered occasionally. Builds the ladder upwards. And builds safety platforms as new heights are reached.
If you like a creator, when you toss them a literal few coins, it adds up, very very very quickly.
ONWARDS TO THE PLAN
HOME PRINT (and HOME PRINT in blue)
2 sheets of brightly colored paper printed at home with a laser printer. This ensures that an order that comes in can go out the next mail day, and that inventory stock is practically zero.
I say "practically" because blank paper, envelopes, etc. will linger. But they can be used at any time, for any month.
The second "HOME PRINT" is in blue to indicate it is a duplicate of the line above.
Printed front and back.
This costs about $0.03/sheet for the paper, the printer toner cost is so low per sheet it gets mixed into the rounding of various items.
They will be folded in half and stapled.
ENVELOPE
6 x 9 standard manilla envelope.
They are about $0.10 when purchased in a box of 250, and are often available in smaller quantities for a few cents more per envelope.
When I first start this project, I'll pay more per envelope to buy batches of 20 or so, in case there are no orders. I'll scale up to buying boxes of 250 when production needs it.
I'm calculating the lower cost, because I will (probably) get there, keeping in mind that there is 1 envelope for this project.
If I get 50 subscribers, a box of 250 lasts me 5 months.
If I get 125 subscribers, 2 months.
...if I get 10 subscribers, I'll be thankful I started with a pack of 20 or so.
ORDER BASE
This is the base fee per order as charged by the payment processor. It is typically $0.30.
Your platform may charge more, or less, but mine (and most) charges $0.30 + a percentage. That percentage, and taxes, are processed in "PROFIT" (lower right hand corner)
BIZ CARD PROMO
Here is where your zine can save a few cents if you want to alter this plan for yourself.
My monthly zine is going to focus on Halloween, mail, and Halloween mail.
It is not a sales pitch.
It is going to be practical and/or fun rambles.
Because I have someone's attention, I'm dropping in a business card, "Here is what we're up to."
This will be professionally printed, and likely on letter weight paper, not business card thick paper, because this is a few cents cheaper (because it is not a business card, this is fine).
It will feature whatever I am doing that month. New releases, blog post teaser, etc.
I'm doing this with professional printing because I have access to that on a regular basis. Business card size printing is especially cheap so it makes sense.
Letter-sized printing is significantly more expensive, and, I specifically want my zine to be a old school style produced zine.
STICKER SEAL, DYMO LABEL
Sticker seal is a 1-inch blank white sticker to seal the back of the envelope. These are stupidly, stupidly cheap (several hundred for a handful of dollars) so they do not even round into $0.01. The cost is mixed into a rounded number elsewhere.
If you want to get super precise in your numbers, add a line item, $0.01 for rounding.
I hate licking envelopes.
I enjoy the visual texture of "white label on a manilla envelope." Some manilla envelopes self-seal, so this may not be necessary for you.
I will rubber stamp them after they go on the envelope with a stamp bigger than the envelope, so it overflows, and has even more visual texture.
Dymo label is the mailing label. I have a label printer for the addresses.
My return address will be rubber stamped. For a few cents more, you can do return address labels -- this will be a bit faster and will add more visual texture. I love rubber stamps and want to use them more often.
USPS POSTAGE
1 first class stamp. This is the price as of writing.
COSTS
Retail: $2.00, free shipping within the USA
Gross cost: $1.36
Net (retail - gross): $0.64
Profit (net - order processing % - cash set aside for taxes): $0.38
Gross cost is how much all this costs to produce month-to-month. It does not include start up costs, as I have all of the basic equipment that does not get used up.
I specifically love making mail and booklets and having giant piles of mail going out the door on a regular basis, so I'm working to keep this as cost effective as possible.
It is my business goal --
(this is not a bad thing -- look at me, look into my beautiful eyes -- this is not a bad thing, you should have a business goal if you are in business, it is not only okay it is necessary)
-- is to make this as accessible as possible.
The profit generated is designed to absorb future postage cost increases and the occasional mailing problem.
Your goal might be to generate profit and cover your base costs. Or profit because this IS your business. Change numbers accordingly.
MY GOALS
If a subscriber comes to the site and places a small order once a year, then this is worth it.
If a subscriber places a medium order once every few years, then this is worth it.
If a subscriber never places an order in the shop, it is still worth it, because they got something neat (zine) and I got a few coins to toss into the overall shop operating costs, while making something (which I love) and then mailing it (which I also love).
Generally speaking: It lets me spend more time on making stuff and less time trying to figure out the latest algorithm shift / platform / network / whatever.
I have specifically made this as CHEAP as possible to make it available to the maximum number of people while making it as EASY for me as possible to ensure it helps, without hindering, the overall operation.
SOCIAL MEDIA, MAILING LISTS, AND NETHERWORLD POST'S LINK
I am not going to diminish my posts online.
I am actively working on a blog so I can write more, and longer, and broader, freely available.
I email once or twice a month with "This is what I'm up to! Here is new stuff!"
None of this changes with the above plan.
The entire purpose is to give people whom like my stuff something fun, Halloween and/or mail oriented, in the mail, so they can enjoy it, it costing them very little, and it being very manageable for me.
If social media shifts -- either platforms, what I post, and/or their reading -- then it's fine, we are still connected.
If email shifts -- they say "i'm getting too many emails, unsubscribe" -- then it's fine, we are still connected.
If they say "I don't want to pay for this," then social media and/or email newsletters remain. Or we shake hands and depart until/if they return. This is totally fine!
I appreciate attention / support and wish to provide something of incredibly high joy for very low costs.
I am completely and publicly neutral on what others should do with their shop and/or art projects.
Make yours more complicated, cheaper, more expensive, more frequent, less frequent, I don't care, I am exiting art feuds and discourse, do what works for you and your audience.
I have A Lot of Experience doing this sort of thing
I have A Lot of Raw Material to do this sort of thing laying around
so I'm doing things My Way
I have a lot of desire to see more independent art things in the world, so I am Rambling Here.
NETHERWORLD POST OFFICE celebrates Halloween, mail, and Halloween mail year 'round.
The above zine launches early 2026.
The shop is open now! Silly and spooky greeting cards, $3.00 each
Cheap shipping on orders $9+ and free shipping on orders $24+ (USA)
The link is netherworldpost.com
Thank you for your attention!
