Contributor tracking is pretty important, and this is one of the things I think can be the toughest to do, just because of the amount of communication needed not just from the mod to the contributor group, but also especially when you're following up with contributors who have not checked in or responded to your reminders/notices.

While you shouldn't expect to get perfect check-ins for every check-in (and you shouldn't be militant about cutting people out if they miss deadline by a minute, lest you'll be left with only a handful of contributors at the end!), you should still have a general idea about where your contributors are at progress-wise. The key is that you are keeping an open line of communication and contributors know when hard deadlines are.

A few things to keep in mind when looking at check-ins:

• Pieces are within the specs as far as size/color/page count and the progress made is within reason
• Pieces are within the theme (it might be surprising but I've received some zines around a certain theme but there are pieces that stuck out because they didn't seem to fit, like a piece featuring one character on a zine centered around a different character)
• If there are any similarities between pieces, it is worth bringing this up with creators as early as possible to ensure they are comfortable with this

The sample sheet on the left is for contributors to reference deadlines, templates, and ideas. The "Contributor Info" sheet up to Column J is for their reference, but once it is filled out I suggest copying the sheet into a mod-only file so that you can track Columns K-U discreetly.

Notice it isn't just the check-ins we're tracking. There are other things to keep track of before and after the creation period.

Use this for guests and regular contributors alike once they've been accepted to the zine. Some questions might be redundant for people who applied, so just remove them once all your guests have filled out the form.

Contributor Samples. This section is to get sample blurbs/art from contributors if you plan to feature them during the creation period. I like including them in this form now because, as a rule of thumb, try not to ask too much too often from your contributors. They are bound to miss a request, so if you need something from them, be sure you are asking for everything you need in one go.

Contributor Agreements. The first zine I ever joined sent me a contract. While I don't think zines need anything that formal, it is a good idea to lay down expectations and obligations (from both parties) at the start of the project. Spell everything out that you need to now! People may forget over a long period of time, but you will at least have the form to refer to later.

This one is more straightforward, but because people move and addresses change, there is no need to send this form out until you are closer to shipping. I'd time this around the same time you start sending address confirmations to buyers.