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You have probably seen zines adorning the magazine racks of art stores, record stores and thrift shops alike. Zines are everywhere. The rise of zines in recent years has taken the self-publishing world by storm. Now a mainstream medium for distributing art, information, entertainment and opinions, the ease and availability of zine-creating has made it a trendy go-to for teenagers and creative men and women alike. It has gotten to be such a big community that annual zine-fests are held in Los Angeles, Denver and Austin (among others) for zine-lovers to meet up and bond over their mutual love of zine-making.
Maybe you’re thinking, “Hey I have some … art/photography/opinions/information/advice … that I’d like to share!” Perfect! You’ve come to the right place. Though you may pick up a zine and think, “I can do that!” it can actually be a little daunting to start your own zine immediately. You may want to hit the ground running, but here are some zine basics that will help you along the way.
The answer to this question is simple; anything and everything. The zine world is not judgmental nor does it have any stringent rules. Let your freak flag fly! If you love writing poetry about hiking, throw it in. Love dog portraits? Perfect. We would be excited to read that zine. It sounds very obscure. We dig that (and so will everyone else)!
For those of you who don’t create free form origami in your spare time (yeah, people do that), do not fret! There are plenty of methods and resources readily available for you online. If you don’t feel like scouring through folding techniques, go with the simple quarter-fold, hamburger-style method. We all learned it in elementary school and here is when it will finally come in handy!
Though you may be tempted to glue everything onto your zine at once and call it a day, this is not recommended. You want your zine to be beautiful, visually and aesthetically. To get your zine print-ready, you should rearrange your content in a variety of ways to figure out what looks best. Try using different colors, fonts, and mediums. Always be thinking about how to fill your space in the most purposeful and stunning way. “Maybe if I add pink stripes in the background it will draw the reader’s eye in…” Great idea!
Once you have finalized the format of your zine, you are ready to make your master copy. This will be the copy you take to the printer or copy store to use as the platform for the rest of your zines. Keep in mind how many zines you will actually want to be printed. If you’re planning on selling your zines, make a small batch to see how well they will sell. The last thing you’ll want is 200 copies of “Why I Love Lasagna” lying around your house.
You left the print shop with your stack of zines, strapped them into your car like a newborn baby and headed home. You flip through the crisp pages, admiring your handiwork. You’re thinking, “Times New Roman definitely came out better than Arial.” Now, what? You’re sitting at home with a stack of beautiful zines and no one has seen them. They’re burning a hole in your pocket. The world must know “15 Reasons Beyoncé Is Better Than Taylor Swift.” Get going, girl! It’s time to distribute your zines.
The different methods of sharing your zines are endless. Hit up your local record store and see if they have any magazine racks to spare. Look up local craft shows or zine conventions. If you think your zine is high quality enough to sell, sites like Etsy have a huge zine following. When pricing your zine, keep in mind that zines usually price in the $3 to $15 range, depending on the quality, materials, and theme. If you’re not looking to sell your zine, the classic “hand them out to friends and family” method works just as well! You can even share a downloadable PDF version of the zine on your blog or social media sites.
It’s time to share your zine with the world!
