🚂 winter '24 zine out today!
Hello there!
The first batch of train_songz winter '24 zines is in the mail!
I had a ton of fun making it over the past few weeks, and I can't wait for you to get it.
(Here's a video of how I make it!)
Please read the rest for important updates!
I'm sending this later than I wanted it to, because Billy's Winter '24 tour ended early March and I had dreams of turning it around a week or so after that. But I decided to slow it down and keep it fun versus stressing myself out for an imaginary deadline + not getting (too) behind on the day job.
I underestimated that having double the signups of last time would, in fact, take me more than double the time. (Funny how that works...)
For future editions, if subscriptions grow, I'll get help on some of the more time-consuming parts.
Donations
My goal isn't to take a profit on the zine, it's to re-invest in future editions + affording some production help, like working with a print shop on printing/folding/binding.
Zine materials + postage + stickers cost me about $2500 to make at the scale of 1050 zines, which maths out to about $2.38 per envelope sent. (I didn't spend a dime of my own money, this was made possible from generous contributions from the first edition and those of you who donated ahead of delivery for zine 2.)
The zine is "pay what you can" and I hope to always keep it that way.
The way to keep it that way is to contribute something, even if it's just a dollar or two. (If all 1050 subscribers gave a few bucks...I'd be able to afford help on the next one!)
If you're in a spot where you're able to give more to allow me to invest in future editions and speeding up my process, like spending more money to work on a print shop, that's very generous and appreciated.
(This donation link will also be a QR code on the cover of the zine, and it's totally fine to wait to donate until you have it in your hand! I actually sorta prefer it that way, because then you have it in your hand and can pay what you think it's worth.)
Merch
This issue has a QR code to buy merch! I only want merch to be accessible through the zine, to keep it exclusive to y'all.
Merch will be priced at about a $10 profit per item, and that will be put towards future editions of the zine.
(I'm lucky...I have a job, health insurance, and all that. I'm truly not trying to make a profit with the whole operation, it's all about re-investing toward making the zine better and easier to make, so I can set myself up to not have to limit the amount of subscribers and to send 4 per year, while keeping it a fun and healthy side project.)
Note: The zine says the store will close "early April," that's not true anymore because I'm late delivering it. The store will close later in April, and I'll send an email a week before it closes to remind you and give you the chance to order in case yours has a delivery issue.
Delivery timing
I say "the first batch" is in the mail because I'm spacing out my trips to the post office over the course of a few days, and I need the weekend to finish the last few hundred envelopes.
I'm putting them in the mail by the order of the time you signed up.
From the last zine, I noticed it took as short as four days and as long as 2.5 weeks for letters to get delivered. This is a basic USPS stamped letter delivery...no tracking. I ask for your patience! Your zine is in Train God's hands, now.
Note: If by April 12th (2.5 weeks from today) you haven't gotten anything, please email me at conductor@trainsongz.net.
Beware of imperfections...
My printer was printing a lot of blanks this time around, and I did my best to quality control the finished product as to not send out any blank interior pages...but it's very likely I missed a few! (Oops!)
If you get a zine with a blank interior page, I will send you a digital version so you can read what's missing and mail you a new one ASAP.
If this happens, email me at conductor@trainsongz.net and I'll take care of it.
Where do I sign up for the Spring '24 zine?
You'll do that on the QR code on the front of this one :) and I'll send another email around about it eventually, but I recommend signing up sooner than later.
I signed up for the electronic version. When will I get that?
In about a week...once enough people have started to get it in the mail.
I always wanna hear from you!!!
I try to get back to all DMs on Instagram, and that usually requires a little delay. I'd love to hear from you when you get the zine, either there or at conductor@trainsongz.net!
Your thoughts and feedback are incredibly valuable for improving future editions. This zine is for the community, by the community. Please let me know what you think!
Thank you for signing up. I love making it, and I hope you love reading it.
-train_songz