Just thought of the funds for writers website.

http://www.fundsforwriters.com/grants.htm

Okay, so I have twenty double sided pages, plus a table of contents-single sided and a front cover and back cover both single sided. It is full size as opposed to quarter or half page. I believe it worked out to $2.50 a copy for roughly thirty. Um, I haven't run it yet so I'll go pick up the original and call around. We are pretty strapped and I don't want to waste all my paste up and design work so, if you'd like a copy send $5 and I'll throw in a free compact disc of my original acoustic folk songs...it's a good album and a great deal. Thanks for all the words coming my way.

E.

Motherload online:
www.motherload.indiegroup.com

Life is short, do it now.

Just echoing everyone else here--that does sound pricey! How many pages is your zine? Are you having it specially bound?? Cause if not, that's just insane. I could probably help advise you on this (I do a lot of print consultation since I'm a designer) but I'd need to know more about how you put your zine together first....

And sorry to hear about the layoff. My husband, Chris, is worried about his job security right now and is frantically looking elsewhere for something. Alas, the jobs are few and far between for what he does.

i heard on an email list recently that UPS stores (used to be Mailboxes Etc) sell pre-paid copy cards, and if you buy 1000 copies' worth, the price is $40. (4 cents a copy, pretty darn cheap.) i didn't even know they *had* copy machines, i'm going to try them for my next issue.

but i think it's for the self-serve copiers only - and who knows what their quality would be. (you can just google "UPS store" to find their home page and see if there's a store near you.)

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Tenderfoot: a compilation zine about firsts ~
www.tenderfootzine.com

Elizabeth, I'm sorry to hear about the lay-off. That is so stressful and upsetting for your SO and you. I hope you won't be in that position for long - that something good will spring out suddenly.

Re the zine - even by Kinko's standards that it is just way, way too expensive. I've never paid more than $30 for 20 issues when using their laser printing - even when Caryatid was folded 8.5 x 14.

I've had good experiences lately at Staples. Granted, I have moved more towards black and white illustration rather than photographs of late so I don't know if you would have to compromise quality (which I know you wouldn't want to do.)

When you *are* able to print, I am happy to pay for my copy. I can't see when I'll be able to print my zine(s) again, and I'm more than glad to contribute and help out other ziners.

Good luck to you both. G

There must be a cheaper way to do this. I will ask a friend of mine in your town how she did all the copying for last summer's conference and if she knows of any good, but cheap, copying places.

Because $4 per copy is just too damn much.

$80 for 20 copies! That's four bucks just to print one copy,wow. Maybe for the next run, and I understand that it's not an option right now, you might consider the Small Press Publishing Co-op. I think for 500 copies it costs $299 (32pages),which breaks down to like $1.67 a copy. Of course you'd have to be comitted to selling enough copies to at least cover your cost, no easy feat. It sucks being broke, I truly know how you feel. Maybe later in the year things will be better financially, and this also might be an option after you've built up a subscriber base where you know you'll get the zines out.

Can you print the 20 copies at home? I used to do this...what helped with the ink cost was that I'd get those ink refill thingys, one cost like $9 dollars (depending on where you get it) and I'd get 4-5 refills from it. For the covers you could start with a pack of Card Stock, get a pack of regular copy paper (in the color you prefer) and see how many zines you can get from that.

Mama Specific Productions
trula.org

Here in my town, the small, locally owned print shop is 2/3 the cost of Kinko's - so that may lower your costs considerably.

You could have pre-paid orders from your web site ala Brain,Child.

Would an indie bookstore (if there are any left in your town that B & N and Borders didn't eat) would they pre-order some?

I low on money ideas right now. I can think of a few ways to make 80.00 pretty fast, it IS yard sale season, and either having one yourself, or going to others, buying stuff dirt cheap and re-selling it to consignment shops is one of my favorite ways to make some extra cash. It is, however, very labor intensive.

I hope you get some better suggestions - I am sorry you are having this trouble!

mox