… big mistake…. let the floodgates open!!!
Here’s said interview:
1.Why do you self publish?
Because no one else will do it for me, plus it’s a way to remain in control of the whole product from start to finish and where it is sold. Signing a contract to let someone else publish your works is saying, “you deal with this, because I’m not interested or able to do it”. Right now I’m interested and able so why not do it?
I self publish because the work I put in, in my eyes, adds worth to the final product. More work = more worth = the happier I am and I guess the more proud I am of it too.
2.How do you see the internet affecting self publishing?
The internet is pretty good for all things, obviously if your talking about the general idea of self-publishing then the internet is the easiest and most widely accessible arena to do it in. The internet is perfect for self-publishing. But if we’re talking about self publishing physical things like books and zines then there are two ways to look at it:
If I’m publishing my own physical zine for example then the internet is a big help as far as getting the word out and contacting possible vendors, it also provides a platform from which you can sell directly.
But the internet has had a negative effect on the publication of old style ‘punk’ zines which I love(d) so much (as far as numbers of different titles available goes anyway), but it is easy to think of the old punk zines as just a way to communicate new info and opinions about bands and the ‘scene’, the decline in numbers of old punk zines is simply because there is now an easier and more effective way to communicate those opinions.
As for the effect of the internet on the self-publishers of the future, it’s hard to say, i think self-publishing now is more of a statement because the internet does exist, choosing to self publish in a format that isn’t ‘net compatible says to the audience that the publisher has not published in the easiest and cheapest way. It leads them to ask why? What are they trying to say here? It engages you more. In that respect self-publishing in a physical form now is almost the antithesis of the ‘punk zines’ of old. It’s an interesting paradigm shift that I’ve only just become aware of since answering these questions.
3.What are the advantages of publishing online instead of a physical Zine and vice versa?
The main reason I publish in a physical format is because it lasts in its original form. Sure you can download an eZine and back it up and copy it from machine to machine as you get older but your children won’t find it in the attic, hurry downstairs with it and ask you what it is. With a real zine you’d smile as it reminds you of days gone by and you’d say, “oh, I forgot I had that”. I don’t think that would happen with an old computer file. The nostalgia factor is a big part of it for me. On the other hand, publishing on the net is so fast it’s immediacy cannot be overstated. It’s easy, cheep and you could do it without ever owning a computer, a pen or a peace of paper (providing you have some sort of access to a computer).
I have no experience of trying to sell online work but I can see why publishing physical press would be potentially more lucrative if you were inclined to make profit. Putting a limit on the amount of physical copies available allows you to bunk up the price. Basic economics so it is: reduce supply, increase demand. It makes it more collectable and I don’t think that’s a bad thing – I always do limited runs (but I don’t bunk up my price – I bunk it down as much as possible. bunk. bunk.). But if i saw someone advertising a limited number of downloads I would just think it was a bunch of wank, no matter how good the piece was.
4.What do you think young people prefer?
I can’t imagine anyone who is truly interested in the art giving a toss where it’s published, bearing in mind spray painting your thoughts onto a public wall is technically self-publishing… and kids love graffiti right? I really don’t know actually. But I do know that I’m not a fan of the term ‘young-people’ simply because there are young people who are past it and old people who are children, if you know what I mean.
If you were to force an answer out of me then I’d say (in hope more than any sort of knowledge) that all people prefer non-internet based self publishing, firstly (and mainly) because they own it, maybe it’s nostalgia again but I would save my real albums in a house fire way before my hardrive of downloaded music even though there’s more of it and it would be easier to carry. And secondly because it’s far more rare, permanent and transportable (don’t talk to me about iPhones and 3G because until you can access the internet from the top of a hill or in the middle of the countryside, their functionality is only semi-portable, as far as i’m aware a book still works anywhere). I’m not one of these people who prefer books over a kindle because they ‘just love turning the pages and feeling the book’, fuck right off. But for photographs and illustrations paper is a far better medium than a screen. If I’m honest, I love the net but i’d prefer to read your grafitti, your home made zines and your self-published books than your crappy blog.
[ends]
Kevin Allen is an amazing artist.
Tags: Kevin Allen, self publishing
