What is a zine?

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.
    • Physical zines are usually photocopied but can also be offset, mimeographed, letterpressed, or Risograph printed.
  • 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".

Examples of Zines

A selection of zines

A selection of zines

The Little Book of Affirmations for Survivors zine

"The Little Book of Affirmations for Survivors" by zinester Karina Killjoy

A selection of mini and quarter-page zines

A selection of mini and quarter-page zines

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