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History of FACTSHEET FIVE magazine
(1) How did you get started doing Factsheet Five/short history.
Back in 1982 I had recently moved from the West Coast, where I had been
active in science fiction fanzine publishing, to the Boston area. I
stayed in touch with a lot of people by letter. I also found a few new
interesting things to read -- INSIDE JOKE, STARK FIST OF REVIVAL -- and
wanted people to know about them. SoI repeated myself in letters a lot.
One day I decided it would be more efficient to mass-produce these news
leads, and so I wrote and printed FACTSHEET FIVE #1: 2 pages, about a
dozen reviews.
Within a year I realized I had something here people wanted to see,
since circulation was going up and folks were willing to pay (the very
early issues were free). Within five years I realized that this could be
my life's work. Now I've been doing nothing but this zine for over a
year now, and so far managing to make it work. With the October 1990
issue two partners (Cari Goldberg and Jacob Rabinowitz) are joining me,
and I expect we'll be doing some pretty impressive stuff in 1991.
(2) Did it just start out with reviews for a certain type of zine?
My early emphasis was on science fiction zines, because that was where I
had the most contacts. But it quickly grew to encompass everything under
the sun that was willing to send me copies.
(3) How did the other people involved in Factsheet Five eventually
get involved?
Some people, like Shane Williams (my first music reviewer) happened to
come along and offer their services when I could use them. Others, like
Anni Ackner, I pursued. Most of the folks who write for FF are people
I've known for a while and know I can trust to do a good job.
(4) Well, this is something I have always been asking myself. Where do
you keep everything you get?
We own a five-bedroom house. So far there is FACTSHEET FIVE stuff in
three of the bedrooms plus one of the big rooms downstairs. It's getting
up around 100 file drawers worth of material, not counting records,
tapes, t-shirts, computer software and other stuff. If we stay in this
house, we'll eventually have the basement waterproofed and move
everything down there.
(5) I haven't seen to many "hate" zines reviewed in FF, do you try to
exclude them?
I don't try to exclude the hate zines, but neither do I pursue them.
I'll review everyone, but there are some folks I do not care to chase
down. If they find me and send me a copy, they're in.
(6) I noticed there are no photos in FF, is that mainly cause of
printing costs?
Printing costs and space limitations. The constant struggle for FF has
been to be able to pay enough to print all the material we have. So a
lot of effort goes into a pretty efficient layout, with small type, no
photos, and so on. Some day we'll have the luxury of photos, maybe.
(7) This is something small but I was just wondering. In each issue
you have a different amount of copies printed, what factor decides on
how many copies will get printed?
I try to set the press run so that the stock of each issue will run out
just as the next one is coming out.
(8) Have you ever had any problems with crazy people who have wanted to
attack you for your reviews?
I have had one death threat and several threats of legal action, as well
as numerous angry letters and the occasional harassing phone call.
Nothing serious has ever come of any of this. Review writers quickly
learn to develop thick skins.
(9) What's your preferences of zines to read?
I like almost anything; that's why this is the ideal job for me. Every
day I find at least a few things I really like in the mail. In general,
the presentation and passion of writing are more important to me than
the particular subject.
(10) Closing comments?
There are a couple of projects in the works that people might like to
know about. In October we should be printing the 4th edition of Merritt
Clifton's book THE SAMISDAT METHOD, all about low-cost offset printing.
In December we should be releasing the first FACTSHEET FIVE compilation
tape, MUSIC FOR THE TERMINALLY PERPLEXED. The in early 1991 we'll be
putting out the revised edition of my own book HOW TO PUBLISH A FANZINE.
Later in that year there should be a collected book of short fiction
from Misha and another Kerry Thornley collection.
FACTSHEET FIVE samples are $3.75 from me at 6 Arizona Ave., Rensselaer,
NY 12144-4502.
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