Zines and fanzines have always been a form of expression. They are about community and a celebration of what fans enjoy, to lift each other up and bond over a shared love of the fandom.
This is a gentle reminder that no one controls the fandom zine sphere. If you have an idea and you want to share it with the fandom, you can do just that.
There is no calling "dibs" on a topic. If two people have the same idea then that just means that there are now more zines for people to enjoy & support. There is no competition and nor should there be, as zines are for charity and created with the spirit of giving back.
Yes, some zines will get more support than others.
Yes, some zines are more popular in topic.
Yes, some zines don't even get enough funding to allow for physical books to be printed.
But they are still made.
They were still planned out and put together by a volunteer group of friends and strangers, who worked together with a common goal - to share their passion with the fandom.
There is no such thing as exclusivity in the zine community. No one has the right to say you can't create a zine on a topic because it was already done, or because someone wanted to do it first. There is room for all ideas and many of the same. It can be surprising if someone else announces the creation of a zine centered around a topic you wanted to work on yourself, but that is not a reason to tell them to stop, or to give up your plans either. Communicate. Support each other. There are many ways to work with such situations - timelines and schedules can be changed or join forces to make the zine together. In no instance is bullying an option or solution. Cooperation and coordination are much easier and simpler options, because fan projects thrive on the support and encouragement of the fandom. We are all here to celebrate and expand the worlds we have chosen to devote ourselves to with enthusiasm and passion.
