Last updated 10/27/2025
What is a zine?
My unhelpful personal definition is that a zine is a self-made publication that tells the world what it feels like to be alive.
A more helpful definition is that a zine is a self-made and distributed book or booklet. That's it! When you publish something yourself, you can say anything you want. You don't need anyone's permission, you don't need to follow anyone's rules, and you don't need access to any expensive or specialized equipment to make them. Put a pen to paper, slap it on a photocopier, give it to your friends, and behold: you are a publisher of your own work.
Here is a page from my zine book that describes the history of zines and why they're important!
Tiny Book Science is Tiny Book Magic
I made a zinemaking workbook! You can buy a physical version, a digital version, or view and download the worksheets inside for absolutely free.
Tiny Book Science is a book I made after four years of teaching zine formats and publishing. It's a culmination of everything I've learned and wanted to share with others. It's 60 letter-sized pages (for easy photocopying) of guides, instructions, and tips for making different kinds of zines. I organized the zine formats into different families to help describe the basic ways we make paper into books, which allows for lots of opportunities to customize and iterate those forms to suit your intentions!
Anyway, I want everyone to make zines. So here are some ways to access my book (which is specifically designed for you to copy and share and distribute and use to teach yourself and OTHERS about how to make zines! GO FORTH!!!)
- Buy the book in print here on bigcartel.
- Buy a digital version of the book (to use digitally or print out yourself!) here on ko-fi.
- Click here for free copies of the worksheets to print and use how you like!
My Zines!!!
I have published over 100 zines! Here is an index of every zine I've ever made! (Current count= 125!)
Below are a few of my favorites. You can't truly experience them online, since they're made to be held and read. The manner of unfolding, the size and shape and heft, the physicality of them -- that's all part of the art! But since I can't hand them to you physically right now, have some photos!
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Other Zine Resources
The Electric Zine Maker a free and radical computer program you can use to build printable zines!
Library of Congress Zine Resources Guides and Libraries
Zine Distributors
(These aren't ALL the places you can buy zines from, but these are places I recommend!)
Here's a picture of my cat making a really weird face:
I love you!