How to Make a Zines to the Future! Zine!
You want to make a Zine to the Future! Good idea! First we we'll talk how to make it, then what to put in it! You can make a physical paper zine (submitted by taking pictures and sending in a PDF) of make an ezine (submitting by sending the link). We'll start with the paper zine....
MAKING A PAPER ZINE:
Do you already know how to make a zine? Then you know that zines have no rules! If you are an experienced zinester, you can design your zine however you want. But we want people who have never made zines before to be able to do it easily, so here's a short set of instructions , with explanatory videos by Jie Tian, Reference Librarian at the Pollak Library (involved in the creation of the Library's new "Makerspace"), on making a basic Zines to the Future! zine, with some advice if you want to do more, or just something different, as you get into it...and find it's not hard!
THE PAMPHLET. This is the basic Zines to the Future! zine! We like print and wanted, before the pandemic, to work with paper. The idea is simple: two-three sheets of 8 1/2" x 11" paper folded in half to make eight or twelve zine half-pages (remember, there are two sides to each sheet!). Add a sheet of thicker grade paper as a cover folded to hold the other two or three. Use a hole punch to make three holes evenly spaced along the fold and tie the sheets together for binding. (You can also staple if you have a stapler that can reach!) That's it! You have a zine to fill. In the end, you will submit it by taking pictures and sending them as a PDF.
Below is to a video by Jie Tian demonstrating how to make a Pamphlet zine. (Called "Part Two--The Pamphlet.") She uses a small awl to make neater holes, but you can use a hole punch. She binds her zine with thread--string will work as well. A ruler helps keep things straight and can be used to help fold if you can't find the bone folder she describes.
THE "HOT DOG" ZINE. Like to work in an even smaller space? The "Hot Dog" zine takes one sheet of paper and folds it, makes a strategic cut, and leaves you with a tiny zine to fill that fits in the palm of your hand. These are bite-sized. Make two or three! You can unfold and copy them, then refold, your zine. Take pictures and submit a PDF!
Here, in "Part One--the Classic 'Hot Dog' Zine," Jie Tian shows you how to do the Hot Dog zine's fold and cut, using an exacto knife--but scissors works just as well. Then we have a bonus video where you can learn to do the "Accordion" zine, and begin to think about how simple paper folding can make for a more interesting zine design, in Tian's video "Part Three--The Accordion Variations."
Check out the Pollak Library's even more extensive Guide to Zine-making pages, created by Tian, which includes longer tutorials on making zines and curated links about zine history, science fiction, making art zines, and more!
MAKING AN EZINE: for our students at CSUF making zines who want to concentrate on content, we recommend using Adobe Spark, currently free to use. Spark comes with a choice of templates for a title (with image), and then you scroll into the content. You will simply need to do equivalent content to the 8 page pamphlet zine above...
Below this section is a new video for CSUF students by Pollak Library's Digital Literacy Librarian helping them access the premium version of Adobe Spark...and other tools in the Creative Cloud, for free (you already paid!).
Software downloads and request forms can also be found on the CSUF Student Software website. We recommend the free (to you) ADOBE INDESIGN if you think about doing “zine-making” template design, though this is not required if you just use Spark.
HERE IS A LINK TO A GREAT RESOURCE, An Introduction to Zines, an online zine on zine-making by The Public, an activist Studio. They go into depth, but not too much depth, on design both on paper and online, and specifically give instructions on using Adobe's InDesign. Lots of good advice here overall!
CONTENT: What Should Be In Your Zine?
We like stories and poems, and our theme is "Imagining Diverse Futures." But zines began as "fanzines" with articles/reviews/rants and what have you. Do what you want! Our theme is built for thinking in a sf way, but we submit that any dreams of the future are sf. All Social Justice Movement are sf. (See our discussion on our theme page!) Don't let the theme slow you down. Talk about yourself, what you like; make art, make a collage, find copyright free images online (there are lots of works released now from museums and elsewhere). Be free.
Here are the basics of the format and things that normally appear there:
--On the Cover: title, issue, author/illustrator names, theme, an image or images
--Inside words: stories, poems, essays, commentary, reviews, points of view, word art, lists, manifestos, opinions...or maybe no text at all!
--Inside pictures: drawings, photos, collages, paintings...or maybe no images at all!
--Inside back cover: tell us who you are and how to reach you! How can someone else get another copy of your zine? This is a good place for information about you.
What else?
Zines often include....marginalized voices, edgy styles and topics, comics, handmade feel, "cut-and-paste" look of collage, notebook look, political topics, personal narratives...anything really!
Zines are often collaborative! Join with others to work on a larger zine as a group! Put writers, and illustrators together! Or just do your own thing!
Follow the links below to much more information on zines and how to make them from our Library's Makerspace. Or head over to think more about our Theme. Or head home.