It’s IZM2017, and that means 31 days of zine-related activities. Starting us off on day one…
1. Make a Top 10 List of reasons why you love zines.
1. I like to pet them. Ahem.
- Zines are DIY. Like a lot of people, I see all the pretty craft projects and want to make them but can’t because I don’t have blah blah blah. Zines? Zine are DIY. They’re a piece of paper or a word document. A marker or a pen. A collage or a carefully crafted layout. Have at it!
- Anyone can make them. There’s no membership fee, no minimum age, no secret handshake… If you want to make a zine, you can! A lot of people make zines before they’ve even heard of the word zine. It’s a party, and everyone is invited.
- If you can’t find your genre/topic, you can start it. Last year I spent a lot of time looking around for a zine on PCOS. Not finding one, I decided to go ahead and make my own! Even better, someone who saw my zine pointed to me to another zine about PCOS. Win win.
- Zines bring people together. I have met such amazing people through zines. If zines were personified, I would give zines a big hug, some Tim Tams, and my neverending thanks. Whether I introduced them to zines or they introduced me to something zine-related, I truly adore so many people I have connected with through zines.
- You can express yourself without permission from the mainstream. When I was growing up, I thought that mainstream publishers were the only way I’d ever express anything. The trouble was that I had so much to say that would never sell enough to make a publisher interested. Finding zines was a true ‘mind blown’ moment. Years later, I still get soooo excited about the prospect of being able to write about anything.
And read about anything, too! - They come in unlimited varieties of shapes and sizes. Binding and buttons and printing and paper. Okay, so I don’t know about the buttons, but I like alliteration. I have read zines folded like origami and seen zines the size of posters. There’s no limit for what and how you create.
- They’re not expensive. I feel a bit squidgy mentioning this one, but it really is a factor. I can get a brand new, lovely, handmade zine to read for a dollar or two, and it’s mine to keep. Or share.
At those prices, I’m less precious about keeping it to myself. (Only a little, though. I’m a zinehoardercollector.) - Zines make me feel challenged and safe at the same time. If you’ve been reading here for a while, y’all know I’m a squishy marshmallow person. Zines help me to explore the world through others’ eyes and challenge my perspectives while making it possible for me to stay comfortable at the same time.
- Zines are great teachers! Yes, there’s the grain of salt thing, but there is so much to learn
- Because I do. Before you start yelling ‘cop out!’ for my number 10, I just want to say that there are wordless ways to love and appreciate, and I have that kind of love and appreciation for zines.
Other Zinesters Top 10 Lists (Let me know if you’re joining in, and I’ll add you to the list!):
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Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!