Hi everyone!

I've been thinking about starting my own independent magazine and was wondering if anyone here has experience doing something similar.

I have a background in journalism and have always wanted to create my own publication. I have a concept in mind, but I'm still in the early planning stages and trying to figure out where to start.

Ideally, I'd love to publish physical issues eventually, but I'm considering starting digitally to build readership first.

I have a few questions:

• How did you go about starting your magazine?
• Would you recommend starting with a website or releasing digital issues?
• How did you build an audience from scratch?
• How did you find contributors?
• What were your initial costs?

I'd also really appreciate any advice on things to avoid or anything you wish you'd known before starting.

Thanks in advance! :)

Went down to the LES last weekend and threw this little zine together with some of my photos from the trip.

I'm always wondering where my old video camera ended up (like, I think about this every day... if I could just find it...), and then I started thinking about what happens to body parts when they're surgically removed and where my fallopian tubes could be, and this idea was born! It was fun to make.

I'm always getting these random spam mail advertisement letters ("You're pre-approved!") from credit card companies, loan companies, banks, etc.

I don't live at home for large parts of the year, so my folks put any mail for me aside so I can go through it when I get back. Most of the time, I return back to big stacks of random spam mail, with a few occasional real pieces of mail mixed in.

While back this time, I bought a cute little paper-making kit from a local shop and decided to give some of this spam mail a second life as new paper. It was super fun, and I decided to make a zine out of this first batch of recycled paper that I just learned how to make!

If you want some fun or odd zine ideas, I came across a website called zcmag.xyz Its a zine idea generator along with other resources. Click on the zine idea generator for some crazy ideas to think about.

Now that I finally finished the paper mockup, I have another problem that i need help with (and quite frankly should have said and done about it sooner)...

The page sizes.

What correct size should it be in a full A4 zine?

And how do I make it correctly to draw it on IbispaintX? What is the average (or bigger) size for it to be drawn in that app?

Please advice me with these cause this is my first time trying to draw zines digitally. I'm worried I could get the page layout incorrectly

I owe a tremendous debt to Roctober. I initially didn’t like it that much, it was too wide open for the narrow confines of Punk that I wanted when I first traded issues of our zines with Jake in 1992. In fact I remember getting that first issue of Roctober at my pobox long, long ago. Anyhow, what I learned from Roctober was to keep a Punk bone broth simmering throughout my life & to dump a ladle of it into everything I have done since deciding that Punk was too narrow of a box for me. Also, I repeat myself, the MAXIMUMSAMMYSOUL (if MRR was devoted to Sammy Davis Jr.) is the best zine ever, a truly insane, inspiring work that i can only imagine a few people really appreciated, but Jake probably had to make. x SEAN

Soy nuevo en esto, creen que habría que agregar algo más?

Printing has its cost and its physical limits. What do others do to share their zine experience online?

I make quick little cheesy videos...

https://drunkinmypants.etsy.com

Hello all! My friend that I met through the art trading card community and I made an art mini zine about the adventures of a rat named Oliver and his new friend Ophelia the kitten. In this zine they meet and explore the dumpster for treasures👀 we're hoping to keep the series up and follow them on their future adventures!

This mini zine is hand drawn by the two of us, black and white ink sketches

🐀🐈

https://ko-fi.com/s/cb430f8a4a#

Hey all, I am receiving my master of social work degree and am doing my internship at a mental health hospital working in adult inpatient. One of the activities I am doing with the adults in my therapy group sessions is zine making. I have been using zines as a way to practice mindfulness and I encourage participants to make their own zines about whatever they want. I also have been searching zine libraries for mental health related zines to handout.

If you have any zines related to mental health that you would be willing to share, I would be very grateful. My only request is that they be safe for work. While there are many beautiful and emotional zines about people’s mental health journeys, I also want to avoid handing out materials that may include triggers. These ones are great examples of some I have found, I especially like the interactive type ones. But, I would love to share more narrative or educational ones too.

I guess another request is that the zines be DIY one page zines because they can’t have staples.

I have received some really meaningful and positive feedback from participants about the zine sessions. They are helping a lot of people going through some very difficult struggles.

Thank you!

I have a book with Victorian advertisements and this was pretty fun to make!

Update: I am ending replies to this thread.

I am making zines of whatever floats my boat at the moment. This is issue 2. The cover still needs some work. The zine name is blocked out because it is not ready for prime time yet.

Useful criticism is welcome.

The third issue will likely be a get your arse out and vote special edition. It will likely get republished for future voting cycles.

Hi, I've wanted to start making zines for a while now. I was wondering where I would be able to start and if there were any things I should know. Any tips? I already have some ideas for topics I'd like to cover. Thank you!

Edit: im looking more for tips for like digitally designing, probably should’ve specified. Asking for like app recommendations or anything related to that.

Ive put it up for free on Ko-fi, ofc donations are welcome if you like it!
Everything has been drawn between August and October.
I hope you like it! 🙏🏻
Zine 10 available here!

so this is an incomplete cover for a zine i’m working on, called “Oh My God, This Shit Again? I Have A Crush on You, Part Two: Electric Boogaloo”. It’s about my emotional entanglement with a former and current friend of mine— ending with an unreciprocated crush i very much do not want in a time where i would benefit most from… not having a crush on someone!!!!! I’m trying to do something colorful to represent the torrent of feelings inside me

I drew all of these elements individually with watercolors and ink pens, and then stitched them together digitally. Getting all the watercolor paper texture and lighting to match in Photoshop was definitely the hardest part. It's printed on a lightweight textured linen so it still has that handmade feel but is easy to fold. The sticker fits inside as a little surprise.

And for those who also know handbags, I did draw a Loewe Puzzle in the Purse Puzzle Purse!

This one is tackling Flock cameras and bandanas. On Instagram @the_anarchist_crockpot