the-zine-directive

[the-zine-directive]

Hello everyone!

We are still in the process of trying to contact everyone we reached out to about being in the zine. Unfortunately, after learning from experience, it's not safe on Tumblr to send DMs too quickly, or DMs with links ever, so we're having some difficulty getting everyone on the discord server. This is going to be very important, as it will now be our primary method of communication with contributors.

If you were approached as a contributor and still wish to be one, please contact us via...

email: thezinedirective @ gmail . comORadd kat directly on discord: @ katruyck

We apologize for what probably looks a lot like disorganization. The shadowban situation has really forced us to jump through hoops to get everyone in one place. Thank you for your help!

-The Zine Team (Margot, Sim, & Kat)

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* ✵ * ˚ Meet Our Triumvirate! ✦ ⋆ ˚ ✫

The Zine Directive is being spearheaded by a team of three editors: Kat, Margot and Sim. We thought it was about time we introduce ourselves!

Pronouns: she/her Socials: spirk-trek on bluesky and discord, katruyck on ao3, @spirk-trek on tumblr (inactive) Starfleet Division: Probably command or security! I'm a black belt so I might even be a rare member of the red-shirt-survivor club 😏 Kirk, Spock, or McCoy?: Captain Kirk my beloved <3 Favorite OTHER Star Trek character: Chekov for the bridge crew, but I'm also obsessed with Vanna from The Cloundminders! Favorite episode: Operation: Annihilate! for sure. I love Shatner's acting in this episode, and Spock going blind for just long enough for McCoy and Kirk to be sick with guilt only to be like, "oh yeah, I have a second eyelid" is 10/10 writing. Philosophical dilemmas, silly props, shooting on location… Spock being in pain and trying to hide it the whole time... "Let me help" ... what’s not to love?! Least favorite episode: Elaan of Troyius, Wolf in the Fold, and Miri are honestly a three-way tie.  Favorite movie: For Star Trek movies, TMP all the way! For regular movies it has to be Forrest Gump. I've seen it over 100 times and can quote most of it from memory 🙃 Favorite fanfic trope: I love anything soft and full of whimsy. My favorite spirk-specific trope is probably accidental bonding! Anything else we should know? I've traveled a lot (25 countries, 30 states), I went to university in Scotland, I have 24 tattoos (including 2 Star Trek ones), my favorite color is yellow, and I have a history degree!

Pronouns: she/they, but it doesn't matter much to me Socials: ao3 booksrule123, tumblr @margottrek, youtube margot-forgot Starfleet Division: Probably engineering, or just chilling at a starbase somewhere. Kirk, Spock, or McCoy?: Kirk, but McCoy's a very close second. Favorite OTHER Star Trek character: Saavik! I also got very immediately attached to Tasha Yar while watching TNG. Favorite episode: The Empath is the easy answer, but I also love The Changeling a lot. Least favorite episode: The Omega Glory gave me such intense secondhand embarrassment for some reason lol Favorite movie: The Final Frontier is my favorite Trek movie. For a non-Trek answer, that'd probably be the Truman Show. Or one of the animated Barbie movies, for nostalgia's sake. Favorite fanfic trope: I'm a sucker for soulmate AUs, especially platonic soulmates. Anything else we should know? I'm a very tactile person. I like having physical things. so I'm really excited to work on a physical zine project like this! ❤️

Pronouns: ze/zir (or any pronouns) Socials: @self-made-purgatories on tumblr, simtrek on bluesky and selfmadepurgatories on ao3 Starfleet Division: Command gold for me! I would make an excellent helmsman. I am always the driver on road trips! I am planning to pull up a chair between Sulu and Chekov on the helm console and together we can exchange sassy comments about the romantic shenanigans of the captain and the first officer. (I also have a Doylist answer; when my t'hy'la and I cosplay as Kirk and Spock, I am the Kirk. Naturally, I have two Command Gold uniforms: an intact one and a lirpa-sliced one.) Kirk, Spock, or McCoy?: Oh WHY would you ever make me choose? That's just cruel. I'll take all three please preferably in those cutoff crop-tops from Bread and Circuses. If I REALLY had to pick just one, I suppose it would be Spock. He and I are kindred spirits. (Although, if Kirk's shirt is off, so are all the bets.) Favorite other Star Trek character: I adore Lt. Uhura. She is the smartest person on that whole ship. I absolutely love when a fanfic author sneaks in a little incidental "Uhura, you have the conn," as a treat. I also love Scotty, as well as Dr. Miranda Jones from "Is There In Truth No Beauty?" Favorite episode: The Devil in the Dark. It has everything! Big questions about who our enemies are and why. A philosophical exploration of what counts as "life." Protective Spirk! A very intense mind meld. Crying Spock. "By golly Jim, I'm beginning to think I can cure a rainy day!" THE HORTA. (Wait, maybe I will change my answer for "Favorite other Star Trek character" to Mother Horta.) Least favorite episode: Hard to say; maybe The Alternative Factor. The color trickery and the overlaid nebula and the spinning the camera upside-down are interesting effects for the 60s, but aside from Lt. Masters there is very little else happening in that episode. Favorite movie: TMP. It is a BEAUTIFUL film and I will die on this hill. (I am always saying that in order to fully appreciate this film you have to either ship Spirk or be in love with Spock, so either way I'm covered.) Favorite fanfic trope: Old Married Spirk! Vulcan hand kissing!! And Canon Compliant -- I love when authors find a clever way to retcon something that is canon but doesn't make too much sense, like continuity errors or weird dialogue. Anything else we should know? One of my favorite things about this fandom is its extremely rich and long history of fanworks. It's a genuine privilege to become a part of this legacy and help continue this tradition.

[the-zine-directive]

Welcoming the newest member of our crew...

Sim (@self-made-purgatories) !

We are so lucky to have not one, not two, but now THREE amazing editors to lead this project. Sim, a fellow fanzine enthusiast, was exactly who we needed to complete our command team.

A few months ago, Kat reblogged a post about the bygone days of fandom when fans rushed to their mailboxes looking for their next K/S fix in a mustard yellow envelope with floral stamps. "I was born in the wrong generation," Kat lamented in the tags. Sim has often felt the same. So, in a fit of nostalgia, Sim sent Kat an original Trek mini-zine in a mustard yellow envelope with several vintage stamps (one of which was floral). Although Sim is fairly new to the Star Trek fandom, ze is not new to the world of zines. Back in high school, Sim used to use the big copy machine in the school library to make poetry zines to swap by mail. These days, ze makes magazines professionally as a graphic designer and copy editor. We are so excited to announce that Sim is the newest addition to the editorial team of The Zine Directive!  Sim has a typewriter named Ursula (in honor of legendary science fiction author Ursula K. Le Guin, a fellow Trek fan), over 100 Star Trek books, and a fascination with Kirk's green wraparound shirt.

~ Welcome aboard, Sim! ~

[the-zine-directive]

NEW BLOG: Welcome! (again)

We apologize for the technical difficulties leading us to make a new account, but we want to thank everyone who has followed since the migration. We hope this will be the end of the issues we've faced.

To be safe from future shadowbanning, this blog will not accept direct messages. If you'd like to contact us, please do so via email:

thezinedirective@gmail.com

We have also created a bluesky account as a backup, or for those who would prefer to get updates there:

the-zine-directive.bsky.social

We're very excited to get back to business making this zine happen! Stay tuned for the next few days as we announce the incredible team we've assembled :)

[the-zine-directive]

WE'RE BRINGING FANZINES BACK.

-- original version of this post can be found here --

* . ✵ * . · ˚ . * ˚ ✦ * ✧ ⋆ ˚ ˚ ✫　˚ ·

ART you can touch.

FICTION written on typewriters.

LOVE on every page.

* . ✵ * . · ˚ . * ˚ ✦ * ✧ ⋆ ˚ ˚ ✫　˚ ·

Created in the 2020s, at home in the 1970s, The Zine Directive will be a publication that could travel back in time without disrupting the space-time continuum. A fanzine assembled, organized, and created with the same love that started it all.

Distribution will begin summer of 2026, just in time for the 60th anniversary of Star Trek. Contact us at thezinedirective@gmail.com with any inquiries, suggestions, concerns, or just to show some love!

Updates on the process will be posted to this blog. Join us :)

Editors: ✧ @margottrek (Margot) ✧ @spirk-trek (Kat) ✧ @self-made-purgatories (Sim)

We are also on bluesky!

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First Time Fanzine | Shelley Butler (1994-98)

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Contributor Spotlight: OneDamnMinuteAdmiral!🪐🌴🛸

As many of you know, a fanzine is only as good as its contributors. On no front is this more true than securing writing talent, which is why we're SO PLEASED to announce that the primary fic being produced for our zine will come from the author of Sha Ka Ree @onedamnminuteadmiral!!!! (therebewhaleshere on ao3)

Even more exciting, it will be set in the Sha Ka Ree universe! If you haven't read this fic yet, it's a must. If you have, then you know why.

* . · . * ˚ ao3 link ˚ * . · ˚ . *

We can't wait to travel back to the ancient world Jim and Spock found themselves stranded on once again to see more of their story.

And every zine needs some long haired Spock, am I right?

Shellie Whild, 1986-89 (source)

Thank you again @onedamnminuteadmiral for working with us. We're so happy to have you!

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The Zine Directive FAQ

We will update this information periodically, but wanted to "put some words on the page" so to speak. If we missed your question, please DM us!

So, what's going on here?!

Will the zine have a theme?

Will it be explicit?

What is the timeline?

How much will the zine cost?

How can I get a copy?

How do I become a contributor/Why wasn't I asked to contribute?

I was asked to contribute, but I haven't heard anything. Should I be worried?

How else can I help/get involved?

So, what’s going on here?!

We're making a fanzine with one mission: To pay homage to those who came before us in this wonderful, timeless fandom that is Star Trek. The goal is to produce something that will be directly comparable to the fanzines of old; Typed on typewriters, printed & copied at a print shop (yes, even those pages), bound by hand, and sent to recipients in the mail. There are some aspects that may not translate to the 2020s, but we will try our best to be as authentic as possible. Luckily, we've secured involvement from several of the lovely women who were actually there making zines in the 70s, 80s, and 90s to guide us :) More on this will be announced soon!

Will the zine have a theme?

Not exactly, but it will exclusively feature Star Trek: The Original Series (+ films). This is not done to exclude AOS, SNW, or other Treks, but rather to celebrate the one that started it all. However, it will be a K/S slash zine (mcspirk also welcome!) so if you're not into seeing Kirk and Spock smooch, this one might not be for you ;)

Will it be explicit?

Yes :) How explicit will depend entirely on our artists and authors. Purchase age will be strictly 18+.

What is the timeline?

The 60th anniversary of Star Trek is September 8th, 2026. So while the official release is TBD, it will be around this time. Fics (and other writing, like poetry) will need to be finished earlier than artwork so we have time to organize companion illos. We also need ample time to type everything by hand on our typewriters, leaving room for broken equipment and/or user error (both of which are equally likely to happen). We expect assembly to take several months since us editors are doing this for the first time and also have jobs/families/school to think about. Once we have a more concrete timeline, that will be shared directly with our contributors to include deadlines and check-ins.

How much will the zine cost?

To be perfectly clear, this project is 100% nonprofit. That is very important to us not just for legal reasons, but moral ones. This means the cost of the zine will not exceed what was put into the materials, assembly, postage, etc. Similarly sized zines in 1970 were in the range of $3-$5, which is about $25-$40 today. We will do everything in our power to keep the price as low as we possibly can.

How can I get a copy?

We will make several announcements leading up to sign ups. As of right now, it is very likely we will have to limit the zine to < 200 copies. After some time has passed we will release it digitally, so don't fret if you're not able to get your hands on one! If there’s enough interest we may also do a second publication :)

How do I become a contributor/Why wasn't I asked to contribute?

As of right now, we do not have an open submission process. We would love to include EVERY piece of art, but with a physical zine we are limited by physical space, so we will have to be more discerning than we might like. As time goes on and the table of contents is decided we will announce more opportunities to contribute, so follow the blog to be aware of those! You can always feel free to DM us if you're interested, but we can't guarantee there will be room for everyone who does this. If your idea doesn't fit exactly, we'll try our best to find a way for you to be a part of it.

I was asked to contribute, but I haven't heard anything. Should I be worried?

No!!! We are working diligently to get everything set up, we promise. We have not forgotten about you <3 Kat (spirk-trek) is dealing with difficulties on Tumblr at the moment, in that she's unable to send or receive messages. If you're trying to get ahold of her please do so through this blog or on discord (katruyck) until further notice.

How else can I help/get involved?

First of all, thank you for asking. This kind of question really warms our hearts! If we decide to take donations of any kind, we will share that further down the line. This would be to cover costs only, and any excess would be donated to fanlore or other archival efforts. We won't do this if we don't have to, and would really rather not. If you're interested in taking a more involved position in the process, please message us about becoming a mod, especially if you're good with discord, have experience making physical zines, have a working typewriter, or are really passionate about fanzine history like we are!

Thank you for reading, and for being here at the start of our journey :)

[the-zine-directive]

How else are you supposed to use a typewriter if not to honor the foremothers with a Star Trek slash fic?

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Are you ready to go where no fanzine has gone before?

Stay tuned.

[the-zine-directive]

This is Courtney. She was "born" in 1965, and yesterday I bought her from a lovely woman in a parking lot for $45. I explained to this unsuspecting woman what fanzines are, as well as some of the culture behind them, then- at her insistence- proceeded to show her a gallery of explicit Gayle F fan art until we got too cold to continue.

I named her after a gone-but-not-forgotten Trekkie by the name of Tim Courtney. I think of her often despite being born 26 years after her passing in 1970. Here is a short biography written fondly by Bjo Trimble:

"Tim's father wanted a boy, so he named his only child—a girl— Timothy! A person of fantastic energy and verve, Tim went from top honors in college to modeling, world travel and nursing. Completing her nurse's training, Tim went to Africa and started a clinic there. She returned to the U.S. in time to see Star Trek on TV, and fell in love with Mr. Spock. During the long nights on Special Duty, Tim learned to draw, and naturally drew more pictures of Mr. Spock than anything else. Soon she was amusing young patients, who clamored for her artwork. Friends encouraged her to send art to fanzines, also. Then tragedy struck; Tim died of cancer in early 1970. She left these Spock illustrations as her legacy to Star Trek fandom."

-Kat

Typewriter naming tradition inspired by Julia Howarth & Randy.

[the-zine-directive]

Are you ready to go where no fanzine has gone before?

Stay tuned.