FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question? Please direct inquiries to magikarpzine@gmail.com

I. General

What is a zine?
Zines are self-published works, akin to artbooks or anthologies. If you're new to zine communities, check out Zine Baby for more info.What is Splash about?
Splash is intended to be a free SFW (safe for work) digital fanzine about Pokémon's magikarp! A .pdf will be made available for download. Depending on the volume of participant submissions (if file size permits), a digital copy of the work will potentially be hosted on FLIPHTML5 for free online viewing.Is a Twitter account required to join?
Nope! Even though our announcements are primarily posted on Twitter, a Twitter account is not necessary in order to contribute! A Discord account will be required in order to receive project communications, though.
♥ Special thanks to the supporter who asked this question!Can contributors take on multiple roles (i.e.: Illustrate and write)?
Yes. The Splash zine team would like contributors to be mindful of their time management, but otherwise we support contributors taking on multiple roles as long as they adhere to our page limits (see "What are the page and writing limits?" and "How will written contributions be formatted" for further insight).
♥ Special thanks to the supporter who asked this question!What mediums are allowed?
Written work must be typed. And any physical or digital medium whose final product is compatible with .pdf will be accepted as long as the final submission adheres to zine specifications (particularly zine dimensions).This includes, but is not limited to: illustrations, comics, crafts, cosplays, digital merchandise*, photography, fanfic, and/or poetry.*Digital merch specifications will vary according to product.Are NFTs allowed?
No. NFTs (non-fungible token) will not be permitted within this project. The Splash zine team does not support NFT endeavors due to their environmentally unsustainable model and their exploitation of creative communities.Informative resources on the topic:
• Why NFTs are bad: the long version (Antsstyle, Medium)
• NFTs Don't Work the Way You Might Think They Do (Ravenscraft, Wired)
• People Are Stealing Art and Turning It Into NFTs (Munster, Vice)What is my compensation for participating?
A free copy of the compiled works will be made available when the zine launches. No money will be exchanged or collected on behalf of this project.Any advice for people new to zines?
Have fun, support peers, be patient, and be kind to yourself and others. The Splash zine team aims to foster an encouraging experience where contributors feel comfortable developing their ideas and trying new things. Don't chase perfectionism and don't sweat too much about deadlines. Do your best and enjoy your journey!What language is this zine operating in?
English (American) is the native language of the Splash zine team. Social media promotions and internal communications will be conducted in English.Participants aren't required to be fluent in English, but some proficiency is recommended for improved communication efforts.What time zone is this zine running in?
For deadline purposes, please note that the Splash zine team is operating on Pacific Time (PT), UTC+8. Clock available here.

II. Expectations & Specifications

What are the page requirements?
Visual contributions must be formatted for vertical A5 page sizes (148×210mm, 5⅞×8¼in) with a dpi of 300 or greater.Physical printed copies will not be made nor considered as a stretch goal, thus feel free to use the color mode (CYMK or RGB) of your preference. The final compilation of works will be combined in a .pdf format, which ought to retain the color information with little to no changes for our digital purposes.Click here for optional templates via Google Drive here.What are the file naming conventions?
Contributors will be asked to title their final submission using only their preferred credit name.*Collaborative works are to use hyphens between each credited creator (arranged alphabetically). Insert hyphen (-) between names. Exclude spaces before and after hyphens (-).Writers will provide access to Google Doc files titled with their preferred credit name. Comment-only access must be granted. Editing access not needed.
• name
• name-name-name*Artists will provide a file titled with their preferred credit name.
• name.png or jpeg
• name-name-name.png or jpeg*examples:
• Koiking129
• Magikarpmaiden-SrPescado.png
• Fillet_Today-Surf and Turf-Whirlypoolz.jpeg
♥ Special thanks to the supporter who caught our spelling error!Will authorship be credited on our contributions?
Yes! The table of contents and the space in the lower left and right corners of visual contributions will be reserved for credit attribution and page numbers. And writers (and collaborating artists) will have their names displayed below the title of their piece.You are also welcome to add your personal signatures and watermarks on your work, but we advise you to avoid doing so in the lower 19mm or 0.75in space across the bottom for formatting purposes.Do contributors retain ownership of their own work?
Yes! Contributors retain copyrights to their own work. After the launch of the zine, feel free to use your own work however you deem fit.This project is meant to serve as a means to unite and encourage the crafts of creative individuals. The Splash zine team has no interest in claiming absolute ownership of participants' work.Can we publicly share our work prior to the zine launch?
We won't restrict you from sharing work-in-progress and development images to your social media accounts. But we ask that you refrain from sharing the completed work prior to the zine launch.1080×1080px and 1920×1080px sneak peek templates will be provided so contributors can give previews to their respective audiences prior to the launch.Are we allowed to collaborate with other contributors?
Yes. You're welcome to coordinate with other contributors regardless of your role designations. Teamwork makes the dream work!How will written contributions be formatted?
The Splash zine team will be formatting written contributions as follows:
• TITLE: Mochiy Pop P One, 12pt font size, 1.15pt line space
updated to 18–24pt for better online reading
• BODY & BY LINE: Averia Serif Libre, 11pt font size, 1.15pt line spacing
updated to 16pt for better online reading
• PAGE DIMENSIONS: A5 paper size, 148×210mm, 5⅞×8¼in
• PAGE MARGINS: 19mm or 0.75inNOTE: Writers are not required to format the content prior to submitting.What are the page and writing limits?
• If collaborating, teams share limits. Limits aren't combined for additional pages.
• Visual contributions: 1-2 zine pages.
• Fanfic contributions: 400-2500 words, 2-10 zine pages.
• Poetry contributions: 700 words or less, 1-3 zine pages.
• Visual work accompanying written works must stay within writing page limit.Are there content restrictions?
• NSFW (not safe for work, explicit, 18+) content not permitted
• Insensitive and disrespectful content not permitted
• Violent and macabre themes not permitted
• Shipping and romantic themes discouraged
✓ AU (alternate universes) allowed
✓ OC (original characters) allowedCan I draw other pokémon?
Yes! And magikarp does not need to be the focus of your contributed work. As long as magikarp is included in some shape or form in your work, the piece is acceptable.Can I draw crossovers or characters from other franchises?
Yes, as long as the franchise or characters don't conflict with Splash's content restrictions. If you're unsure whether certain characters might be problematic, it's better to avoid them altogether for your piece.Do I need a portfolio?
No. Due to the inclusive intentions of this zine, samples will not be required for applicant admittance. The Splash zine team encourages contributors of all skill levels and experience to participate!Are check-ins mandatory?
No. Although the Splash zine team will be designating time to give progress updates within the production schedule, it is not 100% required.Check-ins are highly encouraged, though. They can serve as great opportunities to request feedback or can help contributors with time management.Are you really accepting everyone?
Yes. All applicants will be admitted unless extenuating circumstances warrant rejection or removal from the project. Although the Splash zine team initially used the term "application", the term "registration" is more accurate for our intentions.Regardless of the reason, what if contributors want to leave the project?
The Splash zine team supports a contributor's decision to exit the project if they so choose. We recognize that participation in the project is completely voluntary and we understand if other priorities necessitate leaving the project. Communicating intention to leave the project to the zine team is appreciated, but won't be required if it is out of the comfort zone of the contributor.What are the etiquette policies?
• Treat others the way THEY want to be treated.
• Be courteous and respectful.
• Don't assume too much of others.
• Don't impose your ideals on others.
• Do not trace or plagiarize works.
• Refrain from mature, explicit language.
• Refrain from giving unsolicited critiques.
• Refrain from sharing gossip and rumors.The Splash zine team will do our best to address comments both big and small throughout the development of the project, but we ask that contributors also exercise some patience and understanding with both the operations team and your fellow artists/writers throughout the span of the project. Thank you.

Schedule

Tentative milestones

✓ Project announced Apr 22
✓ Interest check May 1–May 22
✓ Contributor registration June 1–June 22
✓ Onboarding July 1–July 22
✓ Check-in #1 Aug 28–Sep 3
✓ Check-in #2 Sep 25–Oct 1
✓ Submissions due Nov 27–Dec 3
✓ ZINE LAUNCH! Jan 1

Team

Operations directory

♛Kailani
She/They | Lead, graphics, layout, social media
I'm overjoyed to be promoting the magikarp agenda hosting this project! I'll do my best to make sure operations move along swimmingly!✎DrpyDrpMatthew
Cool/Hat | Assistant, copy editor, quality assurance
This isn't mahjong...