How To Make a Zine
Alanna Yaraskavitch
Ottawa, ON
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From the wild 3 AM photocopying break-in of Alanna Yaraskavitch:

Like independent music itself, zines are hard to define but easy to identify. Zines (pronounced “zeens”) are tiny, homemade magazines reproduced with the aid of a photocopier. There are two basic categories: fanzines (short for “fan magazine”) and perzines (short for “personal zine”). However, these categories certainly do not cover everything, as the magical world of self-publishing also includes mini comics, newsletters, chapbooks and much, much more.

So why would someone make a zine if they are essentially photocopied versions of a tumblr dashboard? Common reasons for zine-love include that they are personal, uncensored and portable. I like making zines because I find them therapeutic to write and read, as well as a great excuse to send and receive snail mail. Intimacy and effort (“Someone went through the trouble to actually MAKE this?!”) are also often stated as reasons as to why someone would go through the trouble of zine-ing.

Sometimes it is a hassle to actually create a zine, but as with anything, the effort is always worth the reward. Nothing is more fun to do than hold a stack of … Read More »