Whether you’re unaware of zines, new to the scene or have been around for a while, there are plenty of books out there about the DIY publishing routes. Over my three years of making and being really excited in zines, I’ve added some titles – both text-heavy and coffee-table-like – to my library. Just one tiny bit in helping keep them alive! There is so much in these pages, it’s overwhelmingly good. Here are just a few to check out to get you started.
Stolen Sharpie Revolution by Alex Wrekk “A DIY Resource for Zines and Zine Culture”
Alex has created quite the encyclopedia of zine culture, and since 2002 she has been keeping it up to date IN PRINT! She’s currently working on putting out the 5th edition. This handy little pocket guide features tips on making & printing, postal fun, distros, events and more. A great introduction to zinesterdom.
Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine? edited by Mark Todd and Esther Pearl Watson “The Art of Making Zines and Mini-Comics”
I’ve heard it a lot — “what’s a …. zyne?” I’ve handled my responses pretty well, but sometimes you just wish you could actually hand something to someone, it’s the best example! Another great introduction would be this book, which would be great for classrooms if they’re looking to teach zines (heads up: are you a teacher & want someone to come teach your students about zines? Get in touch!). This book is filled with neat illustrations, too. It really helps to put the creativity of zines in perspective. Besides the basics, they go into history, different kinds of zines and formats, copier tricks (crucial), trading and so much more!
The Riot Grrrl Collection edited by Lisa Darms
Okay, first off: YES. Grrrl power. Secondly: this is an incredible collection, much of which was in a filing cabinet Kathleen Hanna (of Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, The Julie Ruin) curated. This book (the first edition sold out!) is packed with attitude and calls to arms, it’s so inspiring and badass. I had the immense pleasure of getting to see the collection first-hand at NYU. You can too – read my piece on Broken Pencil about my experience for details.
Do you have any favourite books about zines?