Most zines are written by creating a master copy (be it hand-written/drawn, typewritten, or printed from a computer) which is then duplicated using a photocopier.
This is not your only option, though.
*If you have a digital file of the zine, and easy (and free/cheap) access to paper and a printer (like the office printer, or your school printer), printing the copies can keep you out of Kinkos (and may be utterly free, which is always nice). If you enjoy subversion, free things, or the smell of toner, this may be for you.
*You could use carbon paper to make duplicate copies, though you’d be limited to however many sheets you can cram into your typewriter. If you enjoy Mad Men, purple fingers, or the delightful frustrations of typewriter use in general, this may be for you.
*You could create each copy by hand. If you like your style to be pre-Gutenberg, you want to be an 11th-century monk, or you want each and every zine to be hand-made, this may be for you.
*Back to the ol’ copier — again, your school or work may have one you can use. You can also take your master copy to a shop that lets you produce copies using their machines. In the US, Kinko’s is king, though you might find a mom-and-pop shop to give your hard-earned dollars.
If you’d like to think more about how to hatch your zine, I recommend . Alex writes about how to copy and distribute your zine, amongst maaaaany other things zine. It’s a staple of the canon, if you want to get all serious about it. It’s some of the best $6 you can spend. Go find it at a zine/infoshop, or buy it online if you have to.
Thanks to modern technology (thanks!), we have many options for how to put your brain juice down on paper to make a zine. Here’s an overview of options you may have (find a pen on the ground, use a computer) to create the content for your zine:
Here’s one place to get started on how to turn pieces of paper into Your Very Own Zine!
, featuring different ways to fold, different ways to compile multiple sheets, and several different ways to make a zine out of one sheet of paper.
(via Wikibooks)
If you’re feeling intimidated by the process of making a zine, one of the easiest formats is a one-sheet, eight-page zine. There’s this clever way of folding and cutting so you don’t have to bind it with anything else (like staples, thread, chewing gum). The total amount of white space is that of one side of one sheet of paper, which means you don’t have to figure out how the printer/copier does two sided copies so one’s not upside down (the bane of my existence).
Eight pages gives you plenty of space for a small zine. I find it’s easier to fill in small pages rather than trying to cover a half-sheet of paper with text. The downside to an 1/8ther is you might find that it’s too small for you. Fold up a piece of paper, and look at the amount of space you’d have to work with (don’t forget to give yourself a little white space on the edges of the paper, so the copier doesn’t accidentally cut off some of your work) and decide if this size could work for you.
The wonderful folks over at in Rotherham, England interviewed me about the 24 Hour Zine Thing, and asked some really great questions. You can read the interview ! Check out the rest of their blog, which features tons of great zine reviews, or if you are in the area, stop by!
July is all about zines. With the 24 Hour Zine Thing (which is in its 6th year!) and International Zine Month issuing the challenge to create and celebrate zines during the month of July, a handful of bookstores, distros, and other individuals in the zine world has issued another challenge that will last the whole year.
started from all those stories about technology taking over and making print and publishing a thing of the past. The challenge presented is to put down that e-reader and bust out another issue of your zine! A has been created along with discussion forums so you can interact and share your creation, ideas, and resources with others. Distros and review sites are encouraged to post contact information, and individuals are encouraged to contact these sources and share their zine out into the world!
If you have already created your zine, then you have already completed this challenge as well! But don’t let that stop you from creating more. If you have not yet created your 24 hour zine, right now is a great time to start! And if you have not signed up yet, head over to the “signup” tab, fill out the form, and get started!
Congratulations to the first participants to complete this year’s challenge!
1. Food Issue by Rachel
2. On A Sugar High one point five by Kirsty
3. Missouri Jam Bomb by Michelle
4. Pixelated issue 1.5 by Brandy
5. Undestructable number one by Hannah
There are over 70 participants signed up, and there is still plenty of time to get started with making your zine!
The Toronto Zine Library 24 Hour Zine Challenge is currently happening at the Tranzac Club (292 Brunswick Ave). Check the Calendar tab for more information, and the .
Speaking of events, have you organized or attended a 24 hour zine event? I’m looking to put together a resource for anyone interested in hosting/organizing a 24 hour zine event and would love to hear some stories about what worked, what didn’t, and any ideas on how to organize a great event! Feel free to post them in the comments on this post, on the Facebook page, or e-mail them to me at 24hourzines[at]gmail.com .
Many of you have been posting on the Facebook page about your progress, and we have even gotten a few sneak peaks of zine covers! If you are completely finished with your zine and ready to send you lovely little creation out into the world, you can send your zine, as well as your contact information to:
Raven / 24 Hour Zine Thing
PO Box 2001
Abingdon, VA. 24212
USA
Also! Don’t forget that all pin designs for the 2011 Participant Pin Design Contest are due by midnight Friday! The creator of the winning design will receive a bunch of the printed pins, as well as a goodie bag from Avocado Tree Distro!
I’m going to go ahead and say that Rick Silva may be someone you want to watch out for. Given only 24 hours and a backpack full of materials, Rick was able to create an absolutely wonderful zine jam-packed with text, pictures, and collage… on the go! This is the only zine submitted to the 24 Hour Zine Thing that was created “on the road”, and it is definitely worth reading!
Caravan #10.5: 24 Hours of Pure Geekery by Rick Silva
Name: Rick Silva City: Osterville, MA Zine Goal: Digest sized. My usual zine is more of a newsletter, so
I’d like to do this one in a more “traditional” zine look, with more
collage stuff and minimal white space.
Rick Silva took a really interesting approach to his 24 hour zine challenge – he worked from the road! Armed with a laptop, some zine-making materials, unread comic books, music and maps, he headed out for an entire 24 hours of “pure geekery”, which included attending “Harry Potter Day” and taking part in many of the events, as well as participating in a Magic:The Gathering tournament! He writes about each of his experiences, and even has time to add in reviews of the comic books and music that he read/listened to that day! My absolutely favorite component of this zine would have to be “During these 24 Hours”, which lists several interesting events that took place during the 24 hours it took to complete this zine. The last few pages of the zine feature a “Photo Gallery” of all the places Rick visited and saw that day. Rick definitely met his “zine goal” with this gem, and has cemented his place in the Hall of Fame of 24 Hour Zines.
Mae Undead of created a wonderful zine for the 2007 24 Hour Zine Thing Challenge. You can read a review of her zine and see a picture of the inside below!
Name: Mae Undead City: San Jose, CA Zine Goal: I wanna try to write a fiction zine this time. I usually
write personal zines.
The 24 Hour Zine Challenge asks zinesters to create a 24-page zine
from conception to final product in 24 hours straight.
Zines should be of suitable size and technical difficulty
so that this truly is a challenge for individual zinesters.
