Zines

About

A zine is a self-published, non-commercial, often homemade publication. They are generally the product of a single person (sometimes a partnership or small group compilation), and usually created with paper supplies, scissors, glue, a photo copier, and staples. Usually a zine is defined by editions of 1,000 or fewer copies, though many authors print less than 500.

The term 'zine' came from the word magazine. Pronounce it like that. (Like "lean" not "line.")

Zines are part of DIY (do-it-yourself) culture and many people have very specific ideas of what a zine can/cannot be. The concept of zines can be traced to the late 19th/early 20th century, and zines are historically any type of creative expression: art, poetry, activism, fiction, self-reflection, and so on.

Wikipedia notes:

The 1920s brought "little magazines" created by a group of Black creatives in the Harlem Renaissance - a literary magazine that allowed them to express freely.
In the 1930s-60s, science fiction fanzines made a rise. The term fanzine was coined in 1940 by Russ Chauvenet for his zine, Detours. This genre moved past sci-fi into comics, horror, and board games.
Punk zines emerged in the 1970s with the subculture along with wider access to copy machines and publishing software. Punk and DIY go hand in hand, so it is no surprised that many activist and music zines came out of this.
Zine-making continued into the 80s where zine folks began cataloging and reviewing zines, forming networking points for zinesters.
In the 90s, the riot grrrl movement welcomed DIY punk in zine-making. These zines generally held a more feminist edge than the zines in the 70s and adopt creative styles from "girl" hobbies like scrapbooking. In the mid-90s, e-zines came on the scene where zines were published on the internet and distributed globally without the constraints of postage/supply costs. The 90s also brought commercial adoption of zines as a "marketing theme" and commodifying the DIY culture for profit.
Zines still exist in the 2000s but they have been increasingly overshadowed by other forms of digital expression. Zines hold a very strong presence online now whether as distros or webzines and one can find zine communities or libraries via websites more often than street signs. However, you only need to go to one small press exhibition to see that zine-making is alive and well with no plans to stop. And I bet your city (or one close to you) has a yearly zine fest that over-crowds with curious and creative people.

My experience

I've been into zines since I was a teenager, 13 or 14 sitting on the floor in my bedroom sorting through the ones I got new in the last few months. Blue and red papers with words and images printed on them describing music, containing record store stories, reciting lyrical poetry, and opening my awareness to new styles, contexts, and lives.

I've been making zines since 2011, behind the game but never lacking in ideas. Zines have been an integral medium in my life documentation since my late 20s.

Current projects:

Free zines to print: Zine Library
Free self-directed alternative to therapy: Zine Therapy
Posting zines online for free at ko-fi.com/zinetherapy
Making seasonal zines in 2025
Doing Zine Therapy round 2

Past zines:

Fiction
- The Only Truth I Know: fractured fairy tale for Princess and the Pea
- The Three Divine Ladies and the Dark Stranger: fractured fairy tale for Three Billy Goats Gruff
- Kyoto Pond: Series of short stories set in a Japanese garden in the middle of a big city
- That Much Has Changed: Sketchbook project combined with Nanowrimo novel and made into a zine
- Abellion: A New History: History of a fictional fairy village
- SK Anonymous: Serial fiction about a serial killer
Perzines
- Letters to My Therapist: Series exploring mental health topics and my diagnoses
- When I Walk, I Walk With You: Family history and recipes
- Snow zines: A handful of zines about walking in the snow or how much I like snow
- Especially Captivating: Zine about aviation enthusiasm
Creativity and art zines
- Good Company: Mailing activity zine in celebration of snail mail
- Self-Care for Creatives: How to better appreciate your creative side
- Hunting and Gathering: Monster Hunter fanzine featuring papercut artwork
- Zines to Color: Coloring book type of zines of various topics (postage, Monster Hunter, horror movies)

Learn more

Zines 101

Link: guides.library.cornell.edu/zines101/home

Zines (pronounced like "magazines" without the "maga") are:

Made for the love of creating and not for profit!

Independently published

Can be physical (consisting of one sheet of paper to many, fastened together, generally with staples) or digital objects.

May be created by one person or a group of people (called "comp zines" or "compilation zines").

The contents can be about anything and everything you can imagine: personal stories ("perzines"), music-related writing, lists of things, political ideologies, photography, mental health and self-care tips, fiction, artwork, comics, and so on.

Are made by a diverse community of people around the world who are called "zinesters".

What is a Zine? Exploring the World of DIY Print Culture

Link: mixam.com/blog/education/what-is-a-zine

Unlike magazines, zines do not adhere to a strict publication schedule. They can be one-time projects or ongoing series, published whenever the creator feels inspired or has new content to share. This flexibility allows zine creators to experiment with different formats and themes without pressure to meet commercial expectations.

Everything You Wanted to Know About A Zine Fest (but were afraid to ask)

Link: zineworld.org/zine_fests.html

Zine fests exist to create a space where people can come together and share this awesome form of print media that can otherwise be hard to find. Even in the age of computers and postal mail service, zine fests bring forth a personal way to obtain zines. Not only can you buy, trade, or learn about zines, but you can connect with the actual zine creator or distro owner.

I read zines to escape surveillance and clickbait. It's the new teen rebellion

Link: theguardian.com/.../i-read-zines-to-escape-surveillance-and-clickbait-its-the-new-teen-rebellion

Zines are accessible, often friendly to the reader and easy and cheap to make. If you have a printer and a spare few hours and some ideas, you can become a zine publisher just like anyone else. The process of zine-making becomes meaningful when you realise how differently people engage with them – readers become more connected to the tactile experience of a booklet, often making for more mindful and considered consumption.