Category: Uncategorized

Organise a zine event! Any size big or small!

Hello, zine friends!

We’ve done a great many zine activities this month, and that’s certainly not stopping today. It’s time to get our zine on with zine fests, workshops, 24 hour zine things, and everything else you can think of.

I’m in the midst of organising an interstate house move, birthday drinks, and quite a few other things, so I’m afraid anything I tried to organise at this point would be… less than organised. Haha. However, I am more than happy to shout out about your zine events!

If you are hosting, participating in, or know of any zine events, please let me know!

That’s me for the day! Until tomorrow…

Other Zinesters Joining In (Let me know if you are, and I’ll add you to the list!):

*@eintervital
*@dre
*@queerarcana

Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!

Teach yourself a new zine skill

Hello, zine friends! Today for our zine activity, we get to learn something new.

…and I’m stumped.

I feel a bit weird saying this, but I really don’t know what to teach myself. I’ve learned a few things over the years and am pretty satisfied with the way I do things. I don’t mean to imply that I have nothing to learn – not at all. But I’m really not sure where to take this one.

Do you have any suggestions, friends? Help your brain foggy friend Nyx with some ideas. ^_^

What are you learning today?

Other Zinesters Joining In (Let me know if you are, and I’ll add you to the list!):

*@eintervital
*@dre
*@queerarcana

Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!

Make a one-page mini-zine

Hello, zine friends! We’ve done plenty this month, but today we get back to the core of the thing we love: making zines! I joined in today from my friend Wing Nut’s place. An afternoon of cut and paste? Yes, please!

I had no idea what I was going to do when I started out, so I just started cutting up bits and pieces.

There’s nothing like taking inspiration from the actual materials.

I ended up with a little zine about moving to South Australia that will also serve as a ‘new address’ announcement (just as soon as I get my new post box). I had even more fun than I thought I would just going full on with adding bits and bobs onto the pages. My handwriting leaves something to be desired, but I think we can ignore that for now.

If you made (or are making) a mini-zine today, link to the pictures in the comments!

Other Zinesters Joining In (Let me know if you are, and I’ll add you to the list!):

*@eintervital
*@dre
*@queerarcana

Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!

Send your zine to a zine library

Hello, zine friends! Yesterday we celebrated International Zine Library Day, and today we’re continuing the celebrations by supporting zine libraries with donations!

As I mentioned yesterday, many zine libraries start with personal collections. But it’s through donations that they truly thrive and grow.

I got in a little early by sending my whole Sea Green Zines ‘catalogue’ to Copy and Destroy (IG) a while ago.

Will you be sending your zines to a zine library? Which one(s)? Let me know in the comments.

Other Zinesters Joining In (Let me know if you are, and I’ll add you to the list!):

*@eintervital
*@dre
*@queerarcana

Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!

Visit your local zine library

I’m afraid I don’t have a local zine library I can just pop into – at least not one that I know of. I really love the idea of zine libraries and being able to borrow zines. I’d also love to send my whole ‘catalogue’ of zines to various libraries around the world.

Many zine libraries are borne out of personal zine collections that individuals wanted to share with the world. I know of a few that work as travelling or ‘pop up’ libraries that often introduce people to the world of zines – and that’s only part of why they are so important.

If you have a local zine library, do pop in to say hello, read a zine, and let your zine librarian(s) that they are doing an important job. ^_^

Other Zinesters Joining In (Let me know if you are, and I’ll add you to the list!):

*@eintervital
*@dre
*@queerarcana

Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!

Give away a copy of your zine

Hello, my wonderful zine friends! We’ve traded our zines, we’ve left them out in public for people to find, and how it’s time to give them away!

Because I’m too lazy to take a new picture, I’ve decided to use this one and give away two of my zines. The same things apply as trade day in that you need to leave a comment here, send me your mailing address to theauthor@inkyblots.com, and have to be okay with a ‘lucky dip’ in that you don’t get to pick which zine you get.

That’s all! If you’re keen on a free zine from Australia, you know what to do. ^_^

Other Zinesters Joining In (Let me know if you are, and I’ll add you to the list!):

*@eintervital
*@dre
*@queerarcana

Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!

Zine Shop Appreciation Day!

Hello zine friends! Today it’s time to show our appreciation for zine shops!

Okay, so I’m not the authority on this, but I have given it a think. Yesterday we ordered from a different zine distro than normal, and today we’re appreciating zine shops. So what’s the difference?

I’m thinking distros have a large variety of zines whereas shops sell one person’s zine? As in my Etsy is my zine shop, but I’m not a distro because I only sell my own zines…

I could be overthinking things – I’m very good at overthinking – but that’s what I’m going to go with.

So if you have a zine shop rather than a distro – be it on Etsy, Big Cartel, somewhere else, or self-hosted – share it loud and proud in the comments! I want more zine spaces to share on my Zine Resources page. 🙂

Other Zinesters Joining In (Let me know if you are, and I’ll add you to the list!):

*@eintervital
*@dre
*@queerarcana

Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!

Order from a different zine distro than normal

Hello, zine friends! It’s time to get those monies out to order some zines from a distro different to normal. It’s been a while since I’ve ordered from a distro, so I don’t really know if I have a ‘normal’ as such. Sticky is my usual for in-person…

Anyway, I’m ordering from Sober Bob Monthly!

Technically I think Sober Bob’s is a zine shop rather than a distro, but if I’m going to break my ‘no spending until after the move’ rule, then I’m going to go for a little somethin’ somethin’ that I’ve had my eye on for a while. That covers a lot of things, but Sober Bob also has a few things on sale as well, so it’s my lucky day.

What are you ordering today?

Other Zinesters Joining In (Let me know if you are, and I’ll add you to the list!):

*@eintervital
*@dre
*@queerarcana

Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!

Review a zine online or write a review to share

Hello zine friends! Well, anyone who has had a peek around this site knows that reviewing a zine isn’t exactly a new activity for me. 😉 Check out the zine review index if you’d like to see what I’ve been up to for the past few years.

That’s why I figured I would share the love by sharing your reviews! I know, not that exciting, but if you share the link(s) for your review(s) below – regardless of whether it’s your first or your fiftieth – then I will share them in various spaces and places so your thoughts will be amplified.

You never know when a little will go along way, and zines could always use a little more love. 🙂

Put those links in the comments if you have them, and have a wonderful day!

Other Zinesters Joining In (Let me know if you are, and I’ll add you to the list!):

*@eintervital
*@dre
*@queerarcana

Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!

Send your zine to a distro for consideration

Hello, zine friends! It’s a chilly Sunday here in my local corner of Oz, and I’m a bit jealous of my northern hemisphere friends enjoying summer. But you didn’t come here to read about the weather. It’s time for today’s International Zine Month activity!

Distros are a very important part of the zine world, helping people get their zines out to the world and likewise helping zine fans find zines they might otherwise not come across. One thing that helps them to keep going is to get fresh, new, and different zines in.

My biggest tip when it comes to submitting your zine to a distro (or submitting anything to anyone accepting submissions) is to read their preferences. It can save a lot of time and confusion all around. 🙂

I’m afraid I have to duck out with this one thanks to a zine launch with plenty of contributor copies going out and saving for a house move. Very exciting stuff, I know.

Happy zine submitting!

Other Zinesters Joining In (Let me know if you are, and I’ll add you to the list!):

*@eintervital
*@dre
*@queerarcana

Play along with 31 Days of International Zine Month Activities here!