Rough Draft #16 Off the Rails

Rough Draft #17 Sarah Becan

This week we talk with Chicago-based comics artist, illustrator, and author Sarah Becan [https://sarahbecan.com/]. Her new book Let's Make Cocktails [https://sarahbecan.com/lets-make-cocktails] is the fourth book in the comic book cookbook Let's Make series that included Let's Make Bread [https://sarahbecan.square.site/product/let-s-make-bread-/63?cs=true&cst=custom], Let's Make Dumplings [https://sarahbecan.square.site/product/let-s-make-dumplings-/59?cs=true&cst=custom] and Let's Make Ramen, [https://sarahbecan.square.site/product/let-s-make-ramen-/45?cs=true&cst=custom] and it's also her first solo book!   https://sarahbecan.com/lets-make-cocktails   In our "spirited" conversation about Let's Make Cocktails (OK, we couldn't resist), Sarah shares with us wisdom about disentangling the brainworms of imposter syndrome, thoughts about jumping into freelance food illustration, her philosophies on translating recipes into drawings, the things that make a graphic novel recipe book different than other cookbooks and so much more! Here's the brainworms print Sarah told us about, and here it is in all it's amazing glory: & Liz's replacement-ingredient Arnold Palmer during the recording:   Links and events for Sarah: Kenosha Book Fest [https://sarahbecan.com/events] 6/21 & ALA Artists Alley [https://sarahbecan.com/events] 6/25-6/29 sarahbecan.com [https://sarahbecan.com/] instagram.com/sarahbecan [https://instagram.com/sarahbecan] bsky.app/profile/sarahbecan.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/sarahbecan.bsky.social] Buttondown newsletter [https://buttondown.com/sarahbecan/archive]   Links and events for Keidra: ALA Zine Pavilion [https://www.instagram.com/zinepavilion/] 6/28 + South Side Zine Fest & Carnival [https://zineclubchicago.com/2026/06/07/date-announced-for-south-side-zine-fest-carnival/] 8/15 @keidrachaney [https://www.instagram.com/keidrachaney/] + @wildramppublishing [https://www.instagram.com/wildramppublishing/] + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social] + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social] + wildramppublishing.com [https://wildramppublishing.com/]  + keidradchaney.net [https://kdcstrategy.com/]   Links and events for Liz: ALA Zine Pavilion [https://lizmasonisawesome.com/upcoming-appearances/2026/6/26/zine-pavilion-at-the-ala-conference] 6/26-6/227 + MWPZF Pre-Fest Reading at Quimby's Bookstore [https://www.instagram.com/p/DZc6oNKqaPL/] 7/10 + Midwest Perzine Fest [https://midwestperzinefest.wordpress.com/] 7/11 + Flowstate Fair [https://blueislandpl.librarycalendar.com/event/diy-period-box-party-6528] 7/24 + Ridman's Coffee with Sugar Hijinx & Zine Club Chicago [https://zineclubchicago.com/] 7/26 + South Side Zine Fest & Carnival [https://zineclubchicago.com/2026/06/07/date-announced-for-south-side-zine-fest-carnival/] 8/15 @caboosezine [https://www.instagram.com/caboosezine/] + @sugarhijinx [https://www.instagram.com/sugarhijinx/] + lizmasonisawesome.com [https://lizmasonisawesome.com/] + linktr.ee/caboosezine [https://linktr.ee/caboosezine]   -- Got somethin' you wanna tell us about Rough Draft? What's your favorite cocktail? E-mail us at roughdraftchicagopodcast@gmail.com [roughdraftchicagopodcast@gmail.com]

Rough Draft #16 Off the Rails

Does a project going "off the rails" mean you have an unwieldy ball of cud you keep adding to or does it actually mean an off-road side quest that makes the project get bigger and better than you ever imagined? We know we probably say this about every episode, but this is one of our best. Stuff mentioned: Act Your Age zines [https://wildramppublishing.bigcartel.com/products?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search=Act+Your+Age] Caboose #7 BS 101 [https://www.etsy.com/listing/4353391972/caboose-7-britney-spears-101-zine?sr_prefetch=1&pf_from=shop_home&ref=shop_home_active_5&dd=1&logging_key=367b9bd3576748f647774c6b4317a92948f427c1%3A4353391972] Caboose #14 My Canadian Boyfriend [https://www.etsy.com/listing/1437054460/caboose-14-my-canadian-boyfriend-zine?click_key=a00341031591ed05ca7df591dec0079cdfa92466%3A1437054460&click_sum=ebf30073&sr_prefetch=1&pf_from=shop_home&ref=shop_home_active_6] soleheiress.bandcamp.com/album/1990s [https://soleheiress.bandcamp.com/album/1990s] https://soundcloud.com/keidra [https://soundcloud.com/keidra] Reflective and Therapeutic Writing Class [https://www.profwritingacademy.com/course/therapeutic-and-reflective-writing]   us!: We'll both be at the ALA Zine Pavilion [https://www.instagram.com/zinepavilion] at the end of June. See our social media stuff below for which days we'll be there. Keidra: new zines: So You Want to Start a Nonprofit (or Something Similar)? [https://wildramppublishing.bigcartel.com/product/so-you-want-to-start-a-nonprofit-or-something-similar] and Act Your Age: Heated Rivalry Special Issu [https://wildramppublishing.bigcartel.com/product/act-your-age-heated-rivalry-special-issue]e [https://wildramppublishing.bigcartel.com/product/act-your-age-heated-rivalry-special-issue] @keidrachaney [https://www.instagram.com/keidrachaney/] + @wildramppublishing [https://www.instagram.com/wildramppublishing/] + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social] + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social] + wildramppublishing.com [https://wildramppublishing.com/]  + keidradchaney.net [https://kdcstrategy.com/] Liz: @caboosezine [https://www.instagram.com/caboosezine/] + @sugarhijinx [https://www.instagram.com/sugarhijinx/] + lizmasonisawesome.com [https://lizmasonisawesome.com/] + linktr.ee/caboosezine [https://linktr.ee/caboosezine] + at these events: Midwest Perzine Fest [https://midwestperzinefest.wordpress.com/] 7/11  Flowstate Fair [https://www.instagram.com/p/DYF4ZxggTPs/?img_index=1] 7/24, Sugar Hijinx & Zine Club Chicago [https://zineclubchicago.com/] at Ridman's Coffee 7/26, South Side Zine Fest & Carnival [https://www.instagram.com/p/DY5W8etEWBe/] 8/15

Rough Draft #15 Ben Tanzer: God Damn Gem

This ep we welcome Ben Tanzer! Writer, a teacher, storyteller, and general force of positivity - we've both known him for years! Host of This Podcast Will Change Your Life [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-podcast-will-change-your-life/id564098800] and ambassador of well, introducing people to each other, Ben is one of our faves.  We talk about Ben's guidelines for hype and joy, the difference between hustle culture and diligence, and being comfortable with failure, among other things. We did an exchange program! Recently, Ben had us on This Podcast Will Change Your Life #382 [https://www.tanzerben.com/blog/this-podcast-will-change-your-life-liz-mason-keidra-chaney-rough-draft-podcast]! We talked creative roadmapping, work legacy and more. It was great, and like this episode of RD, super inspiring. Wanna listen to us separately on his podcast in 2015 before Liz and Keidra knew each other?!  Liz was on #110 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-podcast-will-change-your-life-episode-one-hundred/id564098800?i=1000343748316] + Keidra was on #127 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-podcast-will-change-your-life-episode-one-hundred/id564098800?i=1000362943454].   Where to find Ben!: Ben's most recent book! After Hours: Scorsese, Grief and the Grammar of Cinema [https://www.igpub.com/after-hours/] (ig publishing) Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-podcast-will-change-your-life/id564098800] tanzerben.com [https://www.tanzerben.com/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanzerben/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@bentanzer] Substack [https://bentanzer.substack.com/]   us!: Keidra's stuff: @keidrachaney [https://www.instagram.com/keidrachaney/] + @wildramppublishing [https://www.instagram.com/wildramppublishing/] + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social] + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social] + wildramppublishing.com [https://wildramppublishing.com/]  + keidradchaney.net [https://kdcstrategy.com/] Liz's stuff: @caboosezine [https://www.instagram.com/caboosezine/] + lizmasonisawesome.com [https://lizmasonisawesome.com/] + linktr.ee/caboosezine [https://linktr.ee/caboosezine]

Rough Draft #14 Zine Scenes

This time around we talk Zine Scenes! In other words, what excites us with zine distros, fests we like (or wanna go to!) and collectives. Plus, a new endeavor! Links of stuff we talked about: Distros Sugar Hijinx [https://www.instagram.com/sugarhijinx] Brown Recluse Zine Distro [https://www.brownreclusezinedistro.com/] Wasted Ink Zine Distro Zine Distro [https://www.wizd-az.com/] ilovezines.com [http://ilovezines.com] Antiquated Future [https://www.antiquatedfuture.com/] Portland Button Works & Spiral House Shop [https://portlandbuttonworks.com/] Fests The Sick And Disabled Zine & Craft Fair [https://www.instagram.com/sadzcf/] Grand Rapids Zine Fest [https://grzinefest.com/] Milwaukee Zine Fest [https://milwaukeezinefest.com] Black Zine Fair NY [https://blackzinefair.org/] Black Zine Fair Detroit [https://blackzinefair.org/detroit/] Festival of the Photocopier [https://fotp.online/] Grid Zine Fest [https://gridzinefest.org/] Madison Print & Resist [https://madisonprintandresist.wordpress.com/] South Side Zine Fest [https://zineclubchicago.com/] The Zine Pavilion at ALA [https://www.instagram.com/zinepavilion/] Collectives/co-ops/communities Razorcake [https://razorcake.org/] Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative [http://justseeds.com] Hallogallo & friends [https://www.hallogallo.rocks/] Dreamworldgirl Zine [https://www.dreamworldgirlzine.com/] ZapLit Zine Library [https://www.instagram.com/zaplitlibrary/] at Electric Lady Lounge [https://www.instagram.com/electricladylounge/] Crucial Comix [https://www.crucialcomix.com/]   us!: Keidra's stuff: @keidrachaney [https://www.instagram.com/keidrachaney/] + @wildramppublishing [https://www.instagram.com/wildramppublishing/] + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social] + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social] + wildramppublishing.com [https://wildramppublishing.com/]  + kdcstrategy.com [https://kdcstrategy.com/] Liz's stuff: @caboosezine [https://www.instagram.com/caboosezine/] + lizmasonisawesome.com [https://lizmasonisawesome.com/] + linktr.ee/caboosezine [https://linktr.ee/caboosezine]

Rough Draft #13 K-pop 101 in 15 Minutes

We set a timer for 15 minutes and Liz grilled Keidra, the resident K-pop superfan about the topic. Keidra killed it with a history of the genre, as well as some personal commentary about her interest in the bands and the fan culture. A mini-episode! Stuff we said we'd post!: SUPER JUNIOR [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFipx49muiJ8-d2YsnLlNVw] NCT [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwgtORdDtUKhpjE1VBv6XfA] SHINee [https://shinee.jp/] 2NE1 [https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCnsQjCVzmEd-YvlQZbo6zCg] TWICE [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzgxx_DM2Dcb9Y1spb9mUJA] BTS [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BTS] BLACKPINK [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOmHUn--16B90oW2L6FRR3A] thebiaslist.com [https://thebiaslist.com/] Keidra writing about K-pop Fandom at Prism [https://prismreports.org/2020/06/26/the-kpop-fans-will-save-us-narrative-misses-the-bigger-social-justice-picture/] Keidra on the Fansplaining Podcast on this very topic [https://www.fansplaining.com/episodes/128-the-k-pop-narratives] The book chapter Keidra wrote [https://www.academia.edu/71733070/Why_K_Pop_Will_Continue_to_Dominate_Social_Media_Jenkins_Convergence_Culture_in_Action]   us!: Keidra's stuff: instagram.com/keidrachaney [https://www.instagram.com/keidrachaney/] + instagram.com/wildramppublishing [https://www.instagram.com/wildramppublishing/] + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social] + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social] + instagram.com/caboosezine [https://www.instagram.com/caboosezine/] + lizmasonisawesome.com [https://lizmasonisawesome.com/] + linktr.ee/caboosezine [https://linktr.ee/caboosezine]