Interested in making a zine? Here are some great resources to get you started.



1. Get inspired! Check out some other zines to get ideas for format, style, content, etc.



Rock Paper Scissors hosts a zine library that is available for you to browse 12-7pm Wed-Sun and they also sell zines in their store during those same hours.

Rock Paper Scissors Collective

2278 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

rpscollective.com

The Long Haul Infoshop has a zine library and zines for sale from Mon-Thurs 6-9pm and on the weekends from 3-9pm.

The Long Haul Infoshop

3124 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley

thelonghaul.org

The San Francisco Main Library has a Little Maga/Zine Collection with more than 1,200 titles and an emphasis on Bay Area publications.

Little Maga/Zine Collection

San Francisco Main Library, 5th Floor

100 Larkin Street, San Francisco

sfpl.lib.ca.us/librarylocations/main/bookarts/zines/zines.htm

Goteblud is a vintage fanzine store and gallery located in San Francisco. The owner is friendly and knowledgeable and you can make copies of any pages you’d like for free. Open Saturdays and Sundays 12-5.

Goteblud

766 Valencia, San Francisco

goteblud.livejournal.com

Needles and Pens has plenty of zines for sale and they also let you hang out and browse for awhile.

Needles and Pens

3253 16th St, San Francisco

needles-pens.com

2. Getting some help

If you’d like a reference book check out these titles:

Make a Zine by Bill Brent and Joe Biel

Stolen Sharpie 2: A DIY Guide to Zines and Zine Culture by Alex Wrekk

Or if you’re looking for a workshop:

Rock Paper Scissor’s Zine Library holds two free zine making workshops a month! on Sunday afternoons.

rpszinelibrary.wordpress.com/rps-zine-workshops

The annual San Francisco Zine Fest (usually held in the summer) has workshops in addition to vendors.

www.sfzinefest.com

Sometimes art galleries also offer zine workshops so be on the lookout, and also check our website to see if we’re offering any. Getting a group of people together to work out ideas and to get started can also be a great way to motivate.



3. Making your master

The Longhaul Infoshop has a zine making space complete with saddle stapler, waxers, glue, sharpies, and a copier, open during Infoshop hours. They ask that the copier only be used for making a master copy, rather than multiple copies.

The Long Haul Infoshop

3124 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley

thelonghaul.org

Sometimes zine making layout can be a bit tricky and counter-intuitive. If you’re feeling stuck or confused check out our chart for how to do a basic layout for a 5.5″x8″ inch zine.

4. Printing

Make copies at work, have a friend make copies at work (or if we’re publishing your zine we’ll make copies for you.) If you need to pay for your copies, stay away from large copy stores that will charge you a ridiculous 10 cents per page. If you look hard enough, you can find small local shops that will print for 3-5 cents a page. Remember to make a trial copy first before printing 100!

5. Distribution

You can give away copies to your friends, leave them on the bus or hide them for people to find. If you want to sell your zines, the following Bay Area stores sell zines on commission, usually at a 50/50 rate with you selecting the price of your zine. Zines aren’t exactly money makers, you’ll probably just cover the cost of making it, but the advantage of selling them in stores is that you can get more exposure for your creation. (If we’re publishing your zine we’ll do this distribution work for you.)

Needles and Pens– 3253 16th St, SF

Modern Times– 888 Valencia Street, SF

Bound Together Books– 1369 Haight Street, SF

Rock Paper Scissors– 2278 Telegraph, Oakland (take a look in their zine library)

Long Haul Infoshop– 3124 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley (take a look in their zine library)

SubRosa– 703 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz



6. Get started on another one!