Though magazines and independent zines will always be around, more and more publishers are moving to the web. On-line magazines are becoming extremely popular. Many writers today are often published on-line before making it into print. On-line magazines also offer many benefits to publishers themselves. They are often cheaper and easier to maintain in an era where production costs are rising and subscriber numbers are dropping.

There are many types of e-zines out there. Those started by people who are interested in writing and seek to publish the work of themselves and their friends on-line as a hobby and e-zines run by professional writers as an extra means of showcasing their work are two of the most common. Also, most major print publications have e-versions not only as an extension of their print magazine but also to reach the cyber-space audience.

According to an article in the 2001 Writers’ Market, there were over 120 million e-zines in existence as of last January 2001, and that number is growing everyday. Genre specific e-zines like those devoted to science fiction or horror are leading the way, but many more traditional literary journals and newspapers are also switching to e-format.

Bob Strauss, a cataloguer for Western Carolina University, edits an e-zine. Strauss spends his free time working on Delirium Books’ on-line magazine of extreme horror fiction. Steve Eller, a former resident of Asheville, serves as an editor for the Chiaroscuro (Chi), a professional web-zine of horror fiction sponsored by Leisure Books.

Eller and his fellow editors of Chi  Brett Savory and Trish Macomber  took time to talk about their own e-zine and the world of e-publishing.

SMN: How does Chi differ from print publications? Is editing an e-zine different than editing a print zine?

Eller: Publishing on the web is entirely different. With print publications, the ability to pay the contributors comes from selling the magazine on a stand or by subscription. On the web, access to the work is immediate and free. So the income necessary to acquire stories comes from advertising and sponsorship. Chi, specifically, differs from print in its scope. There are all sorts of things text and graphic, always available. That would be hard to do with a paper magazine. As far as the actual editing, there’s no difference. But some writers are still a little leery of having their work put out on the web. They’re a dying breed, though.

SMN: How do you as editors explain the new popularity of publishing on-line?

Macomber: It’s a lot more cost-effective than print and allows for more freedom of expression. You can use things like music and video on an e-zine, whereas you’re limited to just static visuals for print zines. Now, some purists might say that the word is the thing and you don’t need all that hoopla. But it’s nice, occasionally, to spice things up with a bit of drama or background.

SMN: How does Chi work? How do manage to survive and pay your writers?

Eller: Chi is sponsored. We were getting by on advertising, but we weren’t able to pay the minimum professional rate for the genre. Now we can. And the main reason we survive is thanks to the quality of the stories we receive. It’s wonderful to know that writers trust us with their work to such an extent. As far as logistics, the three editors take turns on issues. They winnow the stack and then the three of us brainstorm on a line-up.

SMN: Is it easier for a writer to find a home for his or her work on-line than in print?

Eller: I don’t know about that. There are a lot more markets where a writer could place their work on-line. But in terms of a quality print magazine versus a quality web magazine, I think both are equally difficult to get into. The main advantage of on-line magazines is that most of them are run by writers. So there’s a little more empathy on the web, I think.

Macomber: I think ease of publication has a lot more to do with the editors than it does the medium. I know a lot of print zines that are damned easy to get into and a lot of e-zines that are damned hard. It’s all a matter of taste and timing in my book.

SMN: Has Chi won any awards?

Savory: The first issue of the ‘zine we did, back in July of ‘99, featured Brian A. Hopkins’ “Five Days in April,” which went on to win the Bram Stoker Award and was a finalist in both the Nebula Award and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award that year. It wasn’t OUR award, but we published the story that had won/been nominated for those awards, so that was pretty cool to do right outta the gate. The following year, we (Macomber, Eller, Sandra Kasturi, and myself) won the 2000 Bram Stoker Award for editing ChiZine.

SMN: What do think the future holds for Chi and e-publishing in general?

Eller: I think web magazines will continue to flourish. I’m not so sure about e-books. People are still skeptical of them. But Chi has set something of a standard with our corporate sponsorship. That may become the new paradigm.

Macomber: I think Chi will be around for quite some time. It’s found an amazing popularity among readers and writers alike. As for e-publishing, the weeding out process is almost over. The “My Cat Fluffy” pages have fallen by the wayside, and now the more dedicated publications and editors are left. I have a few ideas for Chi’s future. But I’d like to keep those to myself for the moment.


SMN: What was it like working for Chi in North Carolina, Steve?

Eller: Well, that’s one of the things about e-publishing. It doesn’t really matter where you are. Although I no longer live there, I really like North Carolina. And there are a number of talented writers in the area.

SMN: BrainBox, the anthology of horror which you edited last year, was an e-book. Do you think e-books are also a part of the future of publishing, and what made you decide to use that format?

Eller: I think e-books are wonderful in theory and unappreciated in practice. People still prefer paper, I think. The technology really isn’t there yet to win people over in droves. But I wouldn’t count it out yet. I chose e-publishing for the direct control it gave me over the project. The concept seemed to lend itself toward a more grassroots effort.

SMN: How successful have Chi and BrainBox been?

Eller: Well, I’ll speak strictly about BrainBox. The anthology was quite a critical success, and it made it all the way to the final ballot for the Stoker Award. That’s even more amazing when you stop to think that it was an e-book. It has been re-released recently as a paperback, and it gained enough recognition for me to do BrainBox II.

So I guess the answer is  as successful as it could’ve possibly been.

Macomber: Well, we have a great sponsor. One tiny little website has grown to the point where I can speak on a college campus and they know exactly what Chi is. We constantly get new members; we’ve published some new talent. All that considered, Chi has been a giant success and we’ve accomplished what we set out to do.

Well, there’s that rich and famous thing ...

For those who wish to know more about the Chiaroscuro or its editors, check out: http://chizine.com/contact.htm or http://www.dorchesterpub.com/features/horror_Webzine.htm