What is a "chapbook"?


Whenever I tell folks about Autumnbridge Media and our first publication, The Boy From Reseda , I almost always get the same question:

"Just what IS a chapbook??"

I'll admit that five or six years ago, I would have asked the same question. But since buying my first chapbook at a science fiction convention in 1999, I've been hooked!

According to Wikipedia :

A chapbook is an item of popular literature, as would have formed part of the stock of a chapman, i.e. a pedlar, hawker or other itinerant trader. The term itself was coined by the bibliophiles of the nineteenth century; it can cover different kinds of printed matter, such as ballad sheets, pamphlets, tracts, and children's literature.

By their nature these tended to be cheaply produced ephemera, often flimsy and badly printed. Interest in them is as sources for popular culture, nursery rhymes and folk tales in early forms, popular politics and so on. Collectors such as Peter Opie created collections for purposes that were essentially scholarly. Political pamphlets were probably sought after first, by historians.

Chapbook is also a current term, for low-cost hard copy production particularly of poetry.
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So basically, a chapbook is a relatively low-cost publication, filled with stories, art, poetry, etc, that is often published independently. It's an exercise in free speech and open publishing. Poets and writers will often create chapbooks of their work in order to get it into the hands of their audience faster than they could through other publishing means. Many times, the making of a chapbook is an art unto itself, as there are many methods of printing and binding.

subversive chapbooks
Some small "subversive" or "guerilla" chapbooks I found at the Black Dog Cafe in Saint Paul


Like the zine, chapbooks are an evolving artform with extremely broad topics. From a historical perspective, a zine may be a type of chapbook that grew out of popular culture in the 1980s and 1990s. The lines between content in chapbooks and zines blur as both can be both literary or provide strong social commentary. It seems more common in literary circles, however, to use the term "chapbook" rather than "zine" when describing a collection of writings, stories, or poems.

Either way, a chapbook or zine is a great way for an artist or writer to get their creative product out quickly! Because it is a lower cost and evolving format, artists and writers don't face the same constraints or obstacles as those of traditional publishing. Smaller Presses (like Autumnbridge Media) are often more willing to assist with chapbook publications, or they can be a great "Do it yourself" project.

I like reading chapbooks because you can normally absorb them in one sitting, then go back and read it again to get new insights. They don't require large numbers of hours to read, and you don't have to put them on your list of "What I will read on my vacation". They can easily be shared with friends who come for dinner, and can act as conversation catalysts. A lot of times they spark some great imagination.

A favorite chapbook series I get is called "The Drabbler", from Sam's Dot Publishing . A drabble is a small story of exactly 100 words that often has an unexpected twist or punchline just before the end. The last two themes of this publication have been "Alien Candle Shop" and "Alien Brothel", with art and writings centered around those themes. Some are richly funny, while others are strangely macabre!

At any rate, they are treasured gems that I collect and share with friends on a regular basis. My secret wish... I would love to see chapbooks become increasingly popular! As popular as blogging! Hmm..I should someday make a chapbook with the topic of "Blogs about Zines"... :)

Happy reading everyone!


Posted: Wed - April 6, 2005 at 03:28 PM        

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