Zine-Making Night

Create tiny, handmade booklets filled with drawings, stories, lists, or anything that feels like you.

Materials & Shopping Links

Printer Paper or Lightweight Cardstock
Paper to fold into mini zines
Quantity: 5–10 sheets per person
Pens, Markers, and Colored Pencils
A range of tools for writing and drawing
Quantity: Shared set
Glue Sticks and Tape
For collage elements and layering
Quantity: 2–3 shared
Old Magazines or Printed Images
Materials to cut up and collage
Quantity: Small stack
Scissors
Comfortable, sharp scissors for paper
Quantity: 1 per 1–2 people

Welcome to Your Zine-Making Night

Zines are small, handmade booklets that don’t have to be perfect or polished. They’re a way to get ideas out of your head and onto paper, quickly and playfully.

Before You Begin

Best for 3–12 people
Good for living rooms, studios, or classroom tables
Let guests know they don’t need to “be an artist” to make a zine

Flow of the Gathering

1. Show the Form (10–15 minutes)

Demonstrate how to fold a single sheet into an 8-page mini zine
Pass around a few simple examples (even blank ones with page numbers)
Keep it light: crooked folds and messy pages are welcome

2. Choose a Theme (10–15 minutes)

Offer prompts like:
- “A day in my life”
- “Things I’m learning”
- “A guide to something tiny (e.g., making tea, talking to your cat)”
Invite everyone to pick a theme or invent their own

3. Making Time (45–60 minutes)

Let people write, draw, collage, or mix all three
Encourage experimenting: no one has to finish; the process is the point
Keep extra blank sheets available for second or third zines

4. Share & Swap (10–20 minutes)

Invite those who are comfortable to share a page or two
Offer an optional zine swap so people can trade their creations

Variations & Ideas

Prompt-based night: Everyone responds to the same prompt with their own zine.
Series: Meet monthly and create a new “issue” each time.
Copy and distribute: Scan or photocopy zines to share with a wider group.