“Corridor” Zine Needs You!

Do you live along the I-5 corridor? Do you write poetry? Do you like to help people? Answer yes to any of those questions and we got lift-off!

I have a simple vision. A 12-page, 5×7, staple bound, free zine sitting there, waiting to be discovered. It is casual, it is no drama, it is free and it says “I love you, you got this.” You have coffee together and it follows you home. You become best friends. Then, a month later, another zine, a new zine appears… How will you break the news to last month’s friend that you found a new friend? Hey, it’s OK. Corridor the zine says, “We can all be friends. Love us all.” See. It’s easy. No drama. Just a little monthly collection of 10 poems to help us during this transition out of isolation. Easy.

THE DETAILS

What: a limited edition coffee house monthly zine called “Corridor”. It gets its name from the I-5 corridor that mimics how thoughts travel through highways of the mind.

Each edition will include 10 thought-provoking poems selected by the Corridor Collective. Each poem should be in a shorter format, no more than one page, with 12 point font maximum, please. If you have “safe for everyone” original print-ready art that would work on a 5×7 format you are welcome to submit it. Submission does not guarantee publication. Poets selected will be notified and receive an electronic copy of the final zine.

I am not going to mass email the zine. The zine is designed to be discovered in a local shop. The zine is stress and drama free.

-me

What is a zine: zines are non-commercial, self-published booklets that are typically reproduced using a copy machine. They provide a safe space for their creator to freely express themselves and share their art, words, and thoughts with a chosen (and often niche) audience.

Type of poems the Corridor Collective is seeking: Poems that provoke deep thought, offer encouragement, entertain, share a story. Content must be friendly to all ages and lifestyles. Poems and art must be original and created by the submitter. Submission does not guarantee publication.

How will people get this zine: The zine will be distributed by hand to various local shops around Whatcom County by the Corridor Collective. The first edition will be about 40 copies. These are Easter Eggs. These are hidden treasures. These will be cherished works of art beloved by many owned by few. Others are welcome to print, staple and distribute copies in their own town. If you want to spread some “Corridor” message me for the PDF here or shannon dot chickadee at gmail dot com.

What should I do when I find it? Please consider supporting the local cafe or store that has copies of “Corridor” when you stop by to get a copy. Even a purchase of $5 is helpful to the brick and mortar and other local businesses during this post-covid transition.

Where do I send my submission: Please send it to shannon dot chickadee at gmail dot com. If you have a specific form, such as a waterfall poem, I suggest sending it as a PDF. I will also take WORD or copy/paste it into the email. I will ask questions if any come up, but I want these zines to be quick, accurate, & easy. 
The poet must tell me how they would like to be acknowledged, how the poem is to be referenced and/or book cited, etc., otherwise it will be marked “anonymous”.

Is there a deadline for submissions: No, not really. Deadlines are so stressful and this zine does not subscribe to stress. The goal is to produce one zine per month and distribute them to local shops and cafes between the 1st – 10th of each month. Submissions that are not selected for one month may appear in the next month. However, if you can get your poem or piece of art to us by the 15th of the month, you have a good chance of appearing in the next month’s edition. Poets selected will be notified. Please send original poems and/or art anytime to shannon dot chickadee at gmail dot com. The Corridor Collective will try to put together random poems that “fit” well together. But that may not happen, and it’s OK. Why? Because it is a no-stress endeavor. We are trusting fate and happenstance, and the suburb science surrounding the coinkydink.

What if the poem I want to submit is old and/or was published: Many things get better with age. If you own the work, then please submit it. Also, remember to tell us how you would like it cited. Example:
Author last name, First name. “Poem Title.”
Book Title, Publisher, Year, Page number(s).
Used with authors permission

How rich will I get: no money is involved. There is no money.

How easy is this: It is easy. It is nice. It is fun. It is an opportunity for the right poem to find the right reader in some random act of kindness way. Easy. As easy as a cat falling asleep on your keyboard.