Challenges of a Zine Format: Should we pivot? A deep dive.

I explore why we may have to change up how we present content. Because are you going to share Issue 05 of Whatever Zine, or would you rather share Biden’s Secret Anime Stash? Also, a SURVEY!

First of all, some housekeeping. Remember to check spam folder or promotions tab if you’re not receiving your emails!

So, we are considering changing up the content presentation format so thatimportant or long form content are posted separately (the shorter pieces can be compiled together as a single post though).

If we do this, it will increase our posting frequency, as then we will no longer collect and format our content into bi-weekly issues.

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DEEP DIVE

The reason to change up the format.

1) Substack is not really designed for formatting content into a multiple section Newsletter, oh sure there’s “sections”, but they are in essence, independent newsletters.

It’s not designed for old fashioned zine formats. It’s a pain in the ass to be frank. And I have to do it again on my own website in HTML and the Gutenberg Editor (and I am no tech priest. Just a heretic).

2) I think more frequent posts, with multiple different ways of organizing content is better for discoverability.

I find that I personally refuse to click on content with headlines that don’t interest me. This is just a reality these days.

We are bombarded by so much information, at all times, that it’s serious ask to click on a link without a strong value proposition. So how do we communicate that value proposition? We do that through interesting headlines, blurbs, and thumbnails (tangent: boy, do I hate the unclear headlines, and ugly AI generated thumbnails plaguing the internet right now).


A super long email is also daunting to read. And having headlines makes content more sharable.

Are you going to share Issue 05 of Whatever Zine, or would you rather share Biden’s Secret Anime Stash? After all, I personally would want to share one specific article inside a zine, not necessarily the whole zine.

3) It may hinder my posting frequency.

I write a lot, whenever I want, whenever I feel like (my unfiltered thoughts go on my website, but the stuff I take effort to curate makes their way here to this newsletter).

But is my content presentation and distribution methods working with people’s online browsing habits, like are you more likely to click on Issue 03: Blah blah blah or an interesting headline that clearly tells you what the article is about?

By having to format content and consider what content to “sacrifice” for what I fear would be a subpar issue, I hold myself back from going all out.

I mean, if I worked for hours on an incredible piece of fiction and nobody reads it because it’s buried in the guts of random Issue X, whilst the shit post I spent 5 minutes on becomes popular just because it was part of a popular issue…that would be infuriating, no?

This might be a me problem though. HOWEVER, having the time to curate and decide on what to put into an issue helps me filter out lower quality content. But what guarantees do I have that it would be read, especially considering the problems I outlined above?

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BUT WHAT DOES THE MARKET* SAY? (not ring-ding-ding-ding, or wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow!)

It’s always hard to predict though, what the people want. Which is why I am going to ask you for your opinions! Please fill out our 10 second Survey [through Substack] to help me deliver content in a way that works for you.

I invite you drop a comment or two below to offer your perspective on this whole issue.

I understand we have a limited sample size this early on, so the surveys might not convey anything truly useful, but I have to try. My primary concerns being I need my methods to work with my natural inclinations.

Take the survey and help us out!

Start Survey

*PSA: Market Fundamentalism is a scam.