A New Year MDZS Fanzine, set to be produced and shipped by Spring 2021!
Status: Project Complete
↑ Click the above icon to download your free copy of a thousand lights! ↑
About
Ring in the New Year with your favorites, starring in this P4P zine celebrating the world and characters of MDZS! A Thousand Lights Zine is a fandom zine that will include both fanart and fanfiction from Mao Dao Zu Shi, along with several merch items, set to be produced and shipped by Spring 2021.
Schedule
Our tentative schedule is as follows, and is subject to change:
Artist and Writer Apps: August 10 to September 10
Shortlisting: September 10 to September 15
Contributor Invitation: September 15
Creation Period: September 20 to January 5
Pitch Submission: October 1
Check In 1: October 15 (Outlines and Sketches)
Check In 2: November 15 (25%-50% Complete)
Check In 3: December 15 (50%-90% Complete)
Final Submission: January 5 (100% Complete, Submit to Beta)
Design Production: January 10 - 24
Zine POs: January 24-February 24
Print Production and Shipping: March to April
Zine Mods
Please give a warm welcome to the mod team working on this zine! Read more about them and their experience below!
Introducing Mod Yaba, our knowledgeable and well experienced head mod, who is also handling shipping and finance.
Mod Experience: Design/Graphics and Beta for Datte Atashi no Hiro Zine, Design/Graphics for Wonder Duo Rising: Training Camp Anthology, Head Mod and Finance/Shipping/Design for The Inotan Zine and The KakaIru Zine.
Yaba is a graphic designer with over ten years experience in publication production with several fandom zines under her belt. She loves all things fluff and hurt/comfort, is an avid fan of ghost stories, and probably relates a-little-too-closely to Wei Wuxian.
Introducing Mod Remi, one of two co-head mods, and also an incredibly talented graphics and art mod!
Zine Experience: Contributor for Aspera Ad Astra, The Inotan Zine, Datte Atashi no Hiiro Zine, Shinobiyoru, BNHA Writers Zine, Kitchen Kinks.
Remi didn’t want to write this blurb at all, but after multiple threats from Yaba at knife point, he will reluctantly admit to being a freelance illustrator who spends too much time flipping between 79% and 78% on his overlay layers.
Introducing Mod Magnus, who is one of two co-head mods, and also our obsessively organised social media mod.
Mod Experience: Social Media and Co-Head for The KakaIru Zine, Head Mod and Social Media for the KakaIru Mini Bang & Head Mod for several other closed fandom fic/art exchanges and events.
Magnus is a self confessed fandom weirdo and writer, with experience organising and running fandom exchanges and events. They enjoy all things (body) horror and supernatural, and thinks that Wei Wuxian would make for an amazing eldritch horror.
Introducing Mod Alex, our wonderfully talented beta mod!
Zine Experience: Contributor for All Good Things, Body Heat, Bloom Vol.2, and The KakaIru Zine.
Ary is one of our beta mods, self-proclaimed angst gremlin with a passion for all things fandom. They’ve contributed to several zines this year and are very much looking to working with our contributors.
Introducing Mod Kika, our lovely and super knowledgeable beta mod!
Kika has over ten years of professional experience in writing and editing, and has been in fandom for even longer than that. She loves angst (with a happy endings!), get-together fic, and honestly just wants Lan Xichen to be happy.
Introducing Mod Moony, our super sweet and wonderful cultural consultant mod!
Cobaltmoony has been in fandom for more than a decade, has contributed to Not Without You Stucky Anthology and Cryptid Zine for venom fandom, both as an artist. Moon was brought in as a cultural consultant for her cultural background and language ability. Angst, Yunmeng siblings and LWJ are her favorite things from CQL/MDZS.
Introducing Mod Abby, our super sweet and brilliant art mod!
Zine Experience: Contributor for Shiro + Keith: Everyday (personal zine), Across Realities, Eclipse, Divine, Together + others.
Abby is an artist who likes drawing tiny things and crying about the Yunmeng brothers. She has been in the zine scene (haha) for a while now and makes merch for fun.
FAQ
1) Is this a for-profit zine?
We are a P4P (pay-for-production) zine, meaning that there will be no profit made, and that the cost of purchase is to cover the production and shipping costs of the zine and merch. Essentially, people buying the zine and merch, are buying the items at wholesale cost, with no profit being made. Tipping is appreciated, but not required, and will go solely to getting the contributors free copies!
2) What is the theme?
Our theme is the Lunar New Year festival to celebrate the coming year and new beginnings!
3) Who are the mods for this zine?
We’re a seven-person team made up of Yabakuboi, Hamlinfly, MagnusTesla, Alex, Kika, CobaltMoony, and Shabbylines.
4) What are your requirements for contributor applications?
Please create a Google Drive folder containing your portfolio, and make sure that all the links work and that the permissions are set to be viewed by anyone with a link (this can be found in the share settings). SFW examples are preferable, but we will accept NSFW pieces, too. Your portfolio submission must contain at least one MDZS piece.
5) Do you have guest contributors?
We do! The mods all discussed guest contributors they’d like to see, and after a vote was cast, we invited them on board. We’ll announce them at a later date!
6) How will contributors be compensated for participating?
All contributors will at the very least receive a digital copy of the zine, but we would really like for them to also receive a physical copy of the zine, a full merchandise bundle, and free shipping. Due to this being a P4P zine and no profit being made, we would very much appreciate tips through our ko-fi , which will be used to get zine bundles to our contributors!
7) When do the contributor applications open?
Contributor applications will open August 10 to September 10. We hope to see you apply!
8) Who is allowed to apply?
Everyone is welcome to apply: artists, writers, merch designers, cosplayers! If you have questions about which application you should apply to, please reach out!
9) Can contributors apply for more than one position?
Yes, sure! But please note, if accepted, it will only be for one position chosen at the mods' discretion.
10) What will be the minimum and maximum word count expected for writers?
The min word count is set at 4.5k, with a maximum of 5.5k.
11) How many pieces of art will artists be expected to create?
Each zine artist is responsible for one page of artwork, and two comic artists for three pages.
12) How many pieces of merch will merch artists be expected to create?
Between merch artists, they’ll be creating: 1 bookmark, 4 prints, 3 acrylic charms, 3 buttons, and 2 sticker sheets. The numbers listed here are tentative until merch artists are chosen.
13) Will you be emailing applications, regardless of being successful or rejected?
No one likes being left in the dark, so of course everyone will receive an email with their application status. We’ll endeavour to get them sent out as scheduled, but please do bear with us if we’re a little late.
14) How many contributors are being allowed into the zine?
34 artists, 2 comic artists, 5 writers, and 10 merch artists. These numbers are tentative, and may be subject to change based on the number of applications.
15) Will you be shipping internationally? What will the costs be?
International shipping will be available, but we cannot guarantee rates until closer to time for preorders! We will keep customers informed of that information when it is time to order.
16) Will the zine be available as a digital copy as well?
Due to the zine being a P4P, and no profit being made in order to respect the author, we will not be offering individual digital copies for sale - instead all physical sales will include a free digital copy of the zine.
17) Will the applicants be able to request critiques?
Mods will provide a critique upon request. If you have more questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out via ask on tumblr, twitter, or email us at [email protected].
Contact
Find us over on Twitter, Tumblr, and Curious Cat!
Got a question? You can reach us through any of the socials linked below, or alternatively, you can email us at [email protected]