If you opened this article and you are wondering what a zine is, keep reading. This article goes in depth talking about the origins of zines in the punk scene and is a great primer on zine culture. For anyone who does not have another article in them, I will give a quick rundown. “Zine” comes from a shortened form of magazine, which is a decent explanation for what they are. Zines are small, mini magazines that anyone can make. They are made with no production studio or backing and generally are made with extremely simple materials like folded paper.
Zines offer a look into subcultures. Not just subcultures, but zines are localized and can help you learn not just about cool people and their perspectives- but more specifically cool people and their perspectives in your area. There are even academic papers like this one that argue this is a reason that zines should be archived and treated as important academic material. I would have to agree.
Getting to know people in a scene you want to be a part of can be daunting. Zines are a great way to get started. Many places have workshops on how to make zines, and have zine fairs where people can meet like minded craftspeople. You should make a zine.
There are a ton of reasons to do this. A zine can be about anything and I really mean anything. It’s like another form of journaling for some people, who use it to draw out their thoughts. For others it can be a way to spread a message that is important to them in an artistic way. It can be a mini comic about characters you invent, a fanzine about a musician or show you love, or a how-to guide for other crafty people. The sky is the limit and I have seen so many different creative ways of utilizing zines as an art form. I have seen mental health PSAs, foraging guides and music reviews all in zine form. It is a versatile art form that I think everyone could benefit from trying at least once.
“But DJ Sharkbite,” you say. “I don’t know how to make a zine,”
First of all, the great news is there’s no wrong way to make a zine. I’ve seen some folded hamburger, some folded hotdog, some accordion style, some stapled together unfolded pages. The edges are not cut evenly and the staples might be too close to the words on the page. In spite of all that they each get their message across anyhow. Each one of the flaws I listed is just an added part of the charm. Each flaw in a zine is how you can tell that a real person made it, which is becoming more important than ever.
Second of all, luckily for you I have a handy dandy template for you.
source: California Northstate University
Fold in half and cut along the dotted line, then unfold and fold again, this time pushing the two cut up sides towards each other. In case that’s unclear, here is a helpful video that provides visual aides.
If this article has not convinced you to make your own zine, at the very least keep your eyes peeled. I have found some of the most interesting zines in the most unexpected places, and they are always a pleasant surprise.