#self published zine

[artbyleoniejonk]

Can I tell you a little secret? 👀

When I was working on my piece for this I redid it so many times I almost lost count. Digital, no gouache, back to digital, no watercolour! I just wanted it to be *perfect* so I kept trying. I may still feel like a bit of an imposter that got to hang with the cool kids, I know that I did my very best 🥰

Check out Growth: an artsy zine in @citrus_saplings shop! https://citrussapling.com/products/growth-art-book Mine is the worst one, I promise 😂

[kyotocryptids]

Hi there!

Would you like to support small, independent artists, but you’re on a budget?

Here’s how you can!

Reblog and share their work! This helps maximize exposure

Leave a review! Good reviews help boost the algorithm to more people

Bookmark their work! That way you can come back to it later

If you have a few dollars and the artist you want to support has a Ko-Fi, you can give there to help with the costs of content creation!

If their work is available for pay-what-you-can, you can buy it for any amount you can spare, because every little bit helps! I’m sure they’d appreciate it!

Thanks for reading! If you’d like to read supernatural fiction about the cultural capital of Japan, check out our self published arts and literature zine, Kyoto Cryptids! It’s our best issue, and we’d love as many eyes on it as possible!

[misterpuca]

Hi, I'm dead is a zine based on adopted dead dogs.

I used to go to charity and antique shops and buy any abandoned photos of peoples pet dogs because leaving them alone felt bad. I

I feel like it's time others get to enjoy these good boys and girls.

Perfect for dog lovers, antique photo hoarders and collectors of the inane.

Don't worry, they may all be dead but they all made it to doggy heaven.

I did go on to have another living dog in my life, and I am very happy to not include him in this zine for many years.

Shop Link - Worldwide Postage Dimensions & Printing:

10.5 x 14.8 cm (A6) / ~ 4 x 5.8 in 12 printed pages. Saddle stitch binding (stapled). Covers are 200gsm card. Inner pages are 120gsm recycled white paper. Edition of 100 Published June 2022

[calcifiedred]

some spreads from my first zine, i hope i am someone else when i wake up.

[fanzines]

'Defend The Internet Archive' linocut print by Molly White. Donate to the Internet Archive (using PayPal through their site). [Image description] Black ink linocut print of a person in a dress reaching for a book on a large bookshelf. Above is “Free people read freely”; below is “Defend the Internet Archive”.

[anarchoherbalism]

Here's how I bind very thick zines with a bunch of random crap for tools and almost nothing that costs real money! There's a whole long blog post about it here which I really recommend if this is something you're interested in doing for a big project--I talk a lot more about the tricks and stuff I've learned from doing this for like, three years at this point?

(psssst and if the zine looks cool--you're in luck! it is free! digital / print)

[ari-grace-the-space-case]

I finished up my Tater Tot Hot Dish Recipe Comic!

[fuzzpetalz]

✶ WASP LOBOTOMY ✶

risoprinted, hand-bound mini comic

very happy with this guy :) i’ll have some copies at ocad artist ally if you’re around toronto, and some on my kofi soon if your not and would like one <3

[erieautumnskies]

Mini-zine in the making! I am currently working on a small, passion-project photography and literary zine titled "Noontime Passenger." The first volume will encompass poetry in varying forms, short prose, words that weave profound emotions to the daily mundane, and so forth!

It'll be free to read through my linktree as it is meant to inspire and ponder. In the meantime– however– before it comes down to publishing, below is the cover to this beautiful, train-ride relaxing zine:

Keep your eyes peeled for the link, as well as updates on my debut poetry chapbook, "Where Oceans Meet."

[hillbillyoracle]

So you want to print and distribute a free zine...

I wanted to throw together a short tutorial on how I print zines using this excellent COVID safety zine by @newlevant as an example.

Printing

First make sure you are clicking on the printable file. When you open it, it should look slightly jumbled. I always look for seeing the front cover and the back cover on the same page.

Then click "print" (usually a printer icon) and open "more settings".

The key things people tend to get wrong when they try printing zines is they forget to make sure that it is double sided and flips on the short edge. If you tried printing one and it came out looking wonky, make sure to check this.

Also, it will make your life infinitely easier if you use the collate option should you have it available to you.

Fit to printable area is a helpful setting to have on if you're printing zines who use a different paper standard than you. This zine didn't for me but I leave this on out of habit.

When you've got this all set up - print as many copies as you want to assemble.

Assembling

When you get them out of the printer they'll look like this. Just a big old stack. I highly recommend parsing out each individual copy before you try assembling any. I have made that mistake before.

This is how I stack mine.

I like to leave the cover side up as it makes for a clearer division as I'm assembling.

As you're flipping through these to parse and stack them, check them over for any issues with printing. I ran out of printer toner on the first three so I'm glad I checked.

Imperfections are fine but you're looking for anything that makes critical information unreadable.

To assemble a copy, get them lined up by tapping them on the table along a short and a long edge.

Both hands is a lot easier but I was trying to take a picture lol

Then fold them hamburger style and smooth down the spine as best you can. If you have a bone folder or similar use that.

Again, let go of perfection. We are looking for good enough here. Minor errors here should not make info unreadable so don't sweat the small stuff.

I recommend doing all your folding in one go to prevent errors. Or at least it really helps me.

Now it's time to staple. You will see my fancy stapler in the background - you do not require it and I would not recommend it. Unhinging a normal stapler is way easier to use in my opinion and this one gets jammed fairly easy. Use what you've got.

If you don't have staples, but you do have sewing supplies - check out this tutorial for a way to bind it with thread.

If you have no staples and no thread, you don't have to staple every zine. Smaller ones (~5 pages or less) do fine with no staple. They can be a little tougher for some people to use and don't hold up as well being taken in and out of places so I would consider that when thinking of where to leave them. They're still well worth printing and putting out.

This zine is small enough that one staple in the center should be enough to keep it together.

I opted to staple in two places - one about an inch in from either edge - mostly out of habit. It does add a little stability and will make them a little better for putting in Little Free Libraries and other places where they'll be removed and placed back.

Here is my partner looking over the zines to make sure my stapling didn't cut off any important information in each copy. It's a little tedious but it's pretty important. A quick flip through can mean the difference between someone getting the info you want them to have or not.

And here's the finished product

I made 15. I'm pretty privileged and have been making zines for over a decade now so it's almost like knitting or crochet for me. Feel free to make fewer copies or just one for yourself. It still counts.

I will stick some in each car and my bag. I have some medical appointments coming up so I will for sure be leaving some of these in the waiting room.

I'm also going to keep an eye out for Little Free Libraries and other place where people are looking for something to read. I might also toss some on the tables of a coffee shop I pop into sometimes (masked, take out only) and the library to pick up books (also masked).

I tend not to give them to specific people, even people I know, because people are way more open to information they've picked up themself than something it feels like someone is pressuring them to read. But if people bring it up in conversation, I'll be sure to offer a copy to anyone who is interested.

Hope this is helpful!

Go out there and print!

[kyotocryptids]

4th issue teasers are up!

Like what you see? Download here!

Rated PG-13 for whimsical horror and supernatural elements

[sc00pie]

finallyyy ive got that bitch available online!!! release will be staggered and i have a limited quantity rn but please take a moment to check it out!!! 1ink in b10~~~

(sh4res appreciated!!!)

[davidmahlercomics]

Woah this is so cool, my mini comic Food Magik in the G:Zines vending machine at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre!!

G:Zines is tied for my favourite zine fair, it's a monthly swap sell organised by a group of local legends who are doing so much for small press, zinemakers and emerging artists. I have such a blast every time I attend, and have been missing it so much the past few months while recovering from foot surgery! I'm zine deprived I TELL YA!

[apebellica]

I'd really like to make a liminal horror non-binary zine, if you want to help or collab dm me for details and we can talk about it more!🚪

If you want to contribuite with anything I'd be very happy, be that writing, random toughts, movie/music/podcast/books recommendations, essays, rants, illustrations, sketches, photos, memes, mixed media... whatever you want 📺

I bet It would be real fun to make a collettive work out of it!

Aaand if you like the idea share this so It can reach more interested people 👁️

EDIT: Hey y'all! There is an open call now! Check It on my blog of you are interested ☆

[buddiesquarterly]

Woohoo! The first issue of Buddies Quarterly is here! Issue #1 - Fall 2024

Buddies Quarterly is a zine featuring the works of some longtime buddies who just love to make stuff. There's no rules or themes for issues. It's a space for us to create and share whatever we wish to, as long as it fits a half letter page and comes in multiples of four. We're trying to print for cheap, lol.

Grab a digital copy here (PWYC) or find one in person at conventions around the maritimes.

Each buddy involved has access to this blog and will share bits of their work here. You might see illustrations, comics, puzzles, riddles, writing, who knows? You could. If you download our zine. So do it!

[wbmc666]

WBMC Submissions Open for 2024!

It's that time of the year again! We are looking for short comics and zines by trans/queer authors to publish in 2024! This is a paid opportunity and you don't need a finished project to apply. Apps are open till the end of the year!

We've increased author payment and doubled the size of zines we can print this year, thanks to our generous patrons!

Application and details: