Have you ever wanted to get your message out there, but never quite knew how? Are you handy with a pair of scissors and a glue stick? Or perhaps you’re a worker of words; an artist with a pen; a feminist with an idea. Is your voice just dying to be heard? Fear not because no matter who you are, or what you aim to teach, publishing your very, own zine (pronounced “zeen”)—a small, DIY magazine that is photocopied, mass-printed and then independently distributed—could be the very thing to heal that aching, activist heart. Let’s get started!
Step 1. Choosing your topic!
One of the best things about zines is that they can truly be about anything. Since they’re 100 percent homemade, and completely unfiltered due to the self-published nature of their distribution, there’s nothing in the way of you speaking your truth. So, the most important question to ask yourself before tackling this first step is: what are you passionate about? Cats? Abortion rights? Poetry about boy bands? There’s no single, right way to make a zine, so choosing a topic that you’re passionate about undoubtedly leads to the best material to put in your project—which leads us to our next step!
Step 2. Gathering and designing the material you’d like to represent your topic!
Another great thing about zines is that no two zines are identical. Each is made by a different mind, and a different pair of eyes. Because of this, the styles and methods of design are all over the place. What’s cool about this? It allows for utmost creative freedom! One of the most common design of zines is the classic cut-and-paste hodgepodge from magazines, newspapers, and other publications that feature interesting images and text. Think of it as a multi-page collage that’s going to represent your chosen topic. So if you do end up pursuing your love of cats, flip through a few issues of Meow Monthly, and snip out whatever catches your eye. Grab a few sheets of 8 ½ X 11 paper, fold them in half and number the pages. After you have your base ready to go, whip out that glue stick, lay out the images, draw a few pictures of your own—just let those creative juices flow! Consider adding some poetry, prose or any other written expressions that will help your idea come to life, as well. The goal of making your own zine isn’t about putting together something neat and orderly; often, the goal is creating something haphazard and raw. The latter aesthetic is usually what best facilitates a zine’s guerilla-style of spreading information. But don’t get discouraged if you are a fan of order because as we mentioned before, there’s no one right way to make your own zine. If it feels good, go with it. Use markers, colored pencils, photographs, digital art—anything! Remember, your zine is your message, idea or thoughts on paper; it’s okay to let them represent you, too.
Step 3. Assemble, scan and copy!
Once you have the pages of your zine all laid out, arrange them in an order that best presents your topic. Keep in mind that some zines are meant to provide very specific information, and therefore have an obvious chronology to its contents. Other zines are a beautiful mess of chaos, and have absolutely zero direction to their order! Once you’ve figured your own, hit the scanner and get that baby into one, solid, booklet-resembling piece. You can do this step at home, or take a trip to your local print and copy store to let the professionals take care of it (although this sort of lessens the DIY-aspect to the zine, trust us—the cost of printer ink, figuring out which way to position the pages and taking 45 minutes to find the button that prints double-sided is very easily avoided by simply going to Kinkos). Once you’re there, you can print off as many copies as you’d like of your newborn publication. 10, 50, 100—the amount is up to you (and your wallet). Arrange, fold, bind with staples, and the first issue of your zine is complete!
Step 4. Distribute (and let your voice be heard)!
The next question to ask yourself is: who do you want to hear your message? Is it everyone? The fellow students at your school? That cute boy in the coffee shop you always go to after class? Depending on your audience, your method of distribution definitely varies. If profit isn’t what you’re after, a common way to distribute a finished zine is to leave stacks of the issue in random places—newspaper stands, library shelves, bathroom stalls. This method expands on the “guerilla-style” we mentioned earlier, and allows whoever stumbles upon it to read as they please. Another common method is selling your zine at an appropriate price to whoever is interested. This can be done in an online shop, at a local comic book store or at conventions and gatherings held specifically in the name of zines! If you’re new to the zine-world, starting out by sharing your zine with friends, family and classmates is the perfect way to get your message out there. From here, you have countless opportunities to grow. So get zany with those zines, collegiettes; the world can’t wait to hear what you have to say!