October 15, 2025
Are you looking into printed zines? If you’re a writer, artist, community activist, or someone with an offbeat niche interest, it can be hard to find places to publish your work. Some artists have solved that problem by creating printed zines. These small, self-published versions of magazines let you express yourself, share your work, and reach like-minded readers.
Printed zines—as the name suggests—are a type of magazine. Unlike traditional magazines, they don’t follow set rules about publication dates or topics. They don’t sell advertising, and they don’t worry about circulation numbers. They’re aimed at a specific market of readers who share the zine creators’ interests.
Most printed zines are handmade, self-published, and small in circulation. Typically, the creators craft them by hand, although some are printed in larger quantities. They may follow a regular publication schedule. They may be single-issue editions available in limited numbers. There is a lot of flexibility. Anyone can start printed zines on any topic.
In recent years, printed zines have seen a resurgence. In seeming defiance of the digital-only trend, artists and writers have embraced these small publications. There are several reasons for this.
Are you ready to start writing and printing your own zine? The best part about starting a zine is that it doesn’t have to be perfectly polished or professional. Everyone knows a printed zines are an amateur publication, so focus on the fun.
Before you start writing and printing zines, consider these questions.
1 How often will you publish? Some printed zines are monthly, some are seasonal, and others appear twice a year. Many zine creators pour so much passion and energy into each project that they can only create one or two a year. Whatever choice you make, it’s important to let readers and subscribers know. They appreciate knowing when they can expect to see the next issue. A regular publication schedule will help your zine present more professionally.
2 What will your zine include? You can decide to include pictures, graphics, photos, or other artwork.
3 Will you have contributors? Part of writing and printing zines is the decision about focus. Some printed zines focus on their chosen topic by inviting contributors with unique takes on the subject. Others focus on new artists and writers by featuring a new one in each issue.
4 Who’s in charge? If you’re the sole editor, that’s you. Otherwise, you may have to ensure the whole editorial team is on board with the chosen articles and artwork.
5 How will you share your zine? You can find zine readers at fairs, conventions, or zine swaps. Some small publishers offer printed zines for sale to the public. You can share them online through a third-party seller or your own website.
Zines can be about anything. They are based entirely on the interests of the publisher and editor. That might be you, or it might be a team of like-minded contributors. Here are some ideas.
As you see, anything can be the subject of a zine. If other people share your interests, you’ll have readers and subscribers.
There have always been publications that set themselves apart from the mainstream press. Creators wrote and published alternative magazines, brochures, and broadsheets for people who shared their political or artistic views.
Zines really took off in the 1930s, when the invention of the mimeograph machine made it fast and easy to make multiple copies of a document. Readers of science fiction magazines produced their own “fanzines,” which became so popular and influential that they had their own category in the Hugo awards. Zines were instrumental in popularizing the punk rock movement in the 1970s. They exploded further when photocopy machines came into widespread use in the 1980s.
Today, there are zine festivals, zine libraries, and zine conventions. You can buy individual copies of zines from their creators, on Etsy, or from zine sellers like singularpapers.com and Microcosm Publishing. Here are some current zines available in 2025 that show the range of creative possibilities in zine printing.
Vampthology by Eric Clift-Thompson: This anthology of vampire short stories was Clift-Thompson’s thesis project for his Master’s in Fine Arts. It combined his love for writing, drawing, and graphic design. Since then, he has published zines on art history and on serial killer Belle Gunness.
To Akeji by Tatyana Palyga: Palyga discovered an abandoned artist’s studio in her neighborhood near Paris. The studio belonged to an artist named Maitre Akeji. She rescued the papers and other art supplies, and she used them to create a limited-edition publication, illustrated with her cat paintings, as an homage to an artist she never met.
A Thousand Hours in the Sun: Skateboarding and Community in North Portland by Per Bejesse and Amelia Bjesse-Puffin: This album of photos and essays pays tribute to a group of friends who skated at Portland, Oregon’s Pier Park and other places. The team that produced this also produces the regular zines “The Swim Cure” and “Smash the Skatriarchy.”
Not So Creepy Crawly: A Bug Lover’s Guide to Insect Horror Films by Emma Alice Johnson: This tribute to bugs in films gives details about spiders, flies, ants, and more that terrify us on screen. The author also produced the zines “Alternatives to Beekeeping” and “Unholy Passions: Musings of an Unrepentant Danzig Fangirl.”
Zines come in a vast variety of formats, from photocopied and stapled pages to zines that use special papers and handcrafted binding. If you’re creating zines for fun on a limited budget, it’s fine to stick to the photocopied version. If you want a more polished presentation, work with a professional printer. It’s an affordable way to elevate your zine.
Zine printing is for everyone. Use these tips to produce an attractive, appealing zine, even if your budget is tiny.
Writing and printing zines is an absorbing hobby. It stretches your creativity and puts you in touch with people who share your interests. Once you have a concept, contributors, and a publication schedule, you’re on your way. Search for people who enjoy the type of work you create. Reach out to them through meetings, fairs, and zine events. Zine printing, like self-publishing, puts the creator in charge of the publishing process. Have fun, stretch yourself, and find your people. When you are ready to print your zine, contact Publishing Xpress.
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