Mishmash: Independent publishing often provides a greater artistic freedom compared to mainstream media.

There is no shortage of topics out there for any aspiring writer to explore. But what if the one you’d like to write about is so niche no mainstream publisher would pick it up?

For most writers, going down the route of independent publishing may be the obvious answer, as seen through the number of zines out there covering topics ranging from indie art to feminism.

Yet independent publishing is not without its hurdles.

Sonja Eismann, cofounder and coeditor of the bimonthly feminist journal Missy Magazine, shared her insights on what prospective zine makers need to get started in the scene.

Eismann, who started making zines during her time as a university student, said her first ever zine only had one issue because the people behind it “ran out of energy”.

Talking point: Sonja Eismann, cofounder of feminist journal Missy Magazine, shares her own experience during a workshop in Jakarta.

“[The zine] came out of long discussions with my best friend. We were interested in popular culture and we read a lot of magazines on popular culture, but we felt it was a very ‘male’ perspective that was presented,” Eismann said during a recent workshop on independent writing held by the Goethe-Institut Jakarta.

She added they also felt older people seemed to have an “authority” on the subject.

“So we thought, we wanted our own perspectives, that we were sure a lot of other people shared, to be heard and seen as well. We wanted to be radically subjective, because we had a feeling what was passed on as being objective was also subjective in many ways.”

Eismann said one of the benefits of independent media was that it allowed writers to control the pace of the content while the presence of social media enabled creators to instantly put their work up for the world to see.

“On the other hand, if you go the more traditional way like journalism, you have few outlets you can choose from,” Eismann said, noting that creators might also not like the singular writing style of mainstream publications.

Sharing moment: One of the subjects being raised during the workshop includes dealing with burnout among writers.

“This is what I like also about independent media — you can find your own voice. You can say things with the way you want to say; you can be poetic, argumentative, radical. You can be whatever you want.”

The most important question any writer should ask themselves, for her, is “what do I want to write about?” and why they want to write about the topic as well as why the topic matters.

“It’s because you have to have a reason to write. If you don’t, it won’t be very inspiring. For me, I have this burning urge to write about feminism and popular culture because I felt like the perspectives that were out there are predominantly male, white and heterosexual.”

Another question that is equally important is for whom the writing is intended for, be they people in a community or others with differing opinions on the subject.

“There is the phrase ‘preaching to the choir’ that’s meant as a criticism, but I don’t think it should be, because it can be as important to strengthen your own community. Maybe you don’t want to reach millions of people and you just want to spark discussions in your own community, and that is valid as well,” Eismann explained, adding that one should plan accordingly depending on the scope of the audience.

Get busy: Participants get busy learning and taking notes on independent publishing at the Goethe-Institut Jakarta.

Other questions should also be taken into account, such as whether there are other people or media one can work with, the dangers of exposing the opinions to a public sphere as well as how to prevent burning out from constant work.

The subject of budgeting is also an important aspect to consider in independent publishing.

Eismann suggests aspiring writers look for ways to fund their project, such as through crowdfunding, which is becoming an increasingly common method of funding for independent content creators with the aid of the internet.

“Convince people that your perspectives, your vision is necessary and needed. [...] It’s not like ‘you should pay for this content’, but rather ‘if you want this perspective to exist, you should buy a magazine or consider subscribing’. Let them know even if it is really small, it is important.”

— Photos ourtesy of Goethe-Institut Jakarta