Q. What’s a zine?
A. A zine is a magazine. It is usually independently made and published and tends to look less formal than a traditional, store-bought magazine.
Q. Why are you called Zeenalini?
A. We wanted our name to be as fun, original, and creative as the kids who create and read it. The –alini ending is “little” in Italian, which reflects the age of our contributors and the size of our publication. The zeen- prefix is how the word zine sounds when read aloud.
Contributing
Q. Who can be published in Zeenalini? A. Any kid, any age, anywhere. You do not have to attend Chester-Andover Elementary School to be published.
Q. Do I have to attend meetings to be published? A. No.
Q. Where do I hand in my work?
A. There is a "Zeenalini Box" in the C.A.E.S. library. (It is located on the new book shelves directly across from you as you enter.) If you have an electronic file (e.g. a Word file, PDF, or JPEG), please email it to zeenalini@gmail.com.
Meeting & Workshops
Q. What happens at a Zeenalini meeting?
A. We brainstorm issue themes and ideas, determine production and publication schedules, type text, layout and design elements, set files for publication, and promote Zeenalini.
Q. When and where do you meet?
A. Zeenalini 5th and 6th grade editors will be working with Media Specialist, Jeannie Phillips, throughout the school year.
Q. What is a Zeenalini Workshop?
A. From time to time we have Z-Workshops. We focus on one aspect of our craft. For example, a professional comic strip illustrator would discuss his or her work and teach an activity.
Q. How old do I have to be to go to meetings and workshops?
A. All our welcome at our meetings and workshops. However, students should be able to focus on tasks and have a fundamental understanding of reading, writing, and drawing (generally speaking, kids from 8 to 12). Parents also are welcome to attend and/or assist a younger child.
Selections
Q. What kind of work will be published?
A. Original literary work, such as: short and long stories, poems and songs, non-fiction essays (e.g. how-to articles and recipes; reviews of books, songs, movies, or video games; biographical or personal narratives)
Original art work, such as: drawings, paintings, mixed-media collages, photographs, puzzles (please provide answers) and comic illustrations
Q. What if my work is not included in the above list? A. Contact zeenalini@gmail.com. We’re already intrigued!
Q. What if I like to express myself through videos, songs, or live performance pieces?
A. We are looking into adding audio and video technology to our zine. At that time, you will be able to submit your performance pieces.
Q. How long can my written work be?
A. Long stories and non-fiction essays should be 450 words or less.
Q. How big can my artwork be? Can it be three-dimensional?
A. All artwork should be no bigger than 8.5x11” and must be two-dimensional. (If you would like to submit a clear, good-quality photograph of your sculpture, pottery, invention, or other 3-D work, we will publish it!)
Q. Will I get my work back?
A. Yes. C.A.E.S. students will have their work returned to their classroom teacher. Home-school and/or private school students should include their street address or P.O. box on their submission form, if they would like their work returned.
Q. Will my work be edited or changed?
A. Younger students (ages 5–7) will not have their written work edited. Older students who submit written pieces may have grammatical errors corrected. Artwork may be altered to eliminate names, dirt, or for design purposes.
Q. Can I enter more than one piece?
A. Yes! We hope to publish at least one piece from every student who submits. Some selections may be saved for future issues.
Q. Why do I need a submission form?
A. We need your permission to publish your work. Since you are under 18, we also need the permission of a guardian (e.g. mom, dad, grandma, grandpa).
Q. Where are the submission forms?
A. There are copies of submission forms next to the "Zeenalini Box" at C.A.E.S. library. You also can download a form from this web page. See "Zeenalini Entri Form" and "Submission Forms".
Q. Does my name have to be published?
A. No. But you still need to give us written permission to publish your piece.
Publications
Q. How do I get a copy of an issue of Zeenalini?
A. Zeenalini is created entirely electronically. This means copies can be shared through email, Facebook, and Web sites. They also can be downloaded and printed. Once an issue is published, Zeenalini will announce the PDF link on the C.A.E.S. web site (http://caes.wswsu.org/), our Zeenalini blog site (http://chesterandover.shutterfly.com/zeenalini), and in the C.A.E.S. newsletter, The Beating Drum. Hard copies will be available at the C.A.E.S. school library and at Whiting Library in Chester.
Q. How many issues a year will there be?
A. Zeenalini hopes to publish at least two issues a year.
Supervision
Q. Who is in charge of the Zeenalini?
A. Zeenalini is a joint venture of C.A.E.S. parent volunteers, Wendy Svec & Jana Wunderle, and Media Specialist at C.A.E.S, Jeannie Phillips. The Zeenalini would not be possible without the technical, creative, and administrative support of a host of talented folk at C.A.E.S: Becky Plunkard, After-school Activities Coordinator, Brenda Sheere, School Art Teacher, Lauren Baker, School Technology Coordinator, Cindy Cole, School Administrator, and Principal Scott Gray.
