Hello and happy Thursday, zine friends!
It’s day two of ZineWriMo and, if you hadn’t noticed, I went for the slow rev up to actually making zines this month. Get a firm foundation and all that good stuff before jumping right into making things. (Of course, that doesn’t stop you from jumping right in and making things.)
Today the prompt is brainstorming zine ideas.
“What do I make a zine about?” is a variation of a very common question for creatives. There can be so much energy, but with no idea what to do with that energy, things can get frustrating. Hence brainstorming ideas.
How you choose to brainstorm is up to you. There are heaps of possibilities out there from mind mapping to writing down everything you can think of as fast as you can. You may want to write down or print out 51 Ideas for Your Next Zine as a way of getting started.
There’s no wrong way to do it so long as you find your way to inspiration.
How you choose to store your ideas also comes with many options. One fun idea I’ve always liked is the idea jar where you write down your ideas on slips of paper and stick them in a jar (or a box):
Whenever you’re ready to start a new project but aren’t sure what to do, you can pluck an idea or two out of the jar to get you started.
This is my version of the idea jar. It goes with me wherever I go and contains all the strange and wonderful (and not so wonderful) ideas for what to make zines about. Sometimes it’s an idea for a whole zine, while other things are rough sketches or small blurbs to include somewhere. Either way, this little notebook means I don’t forget any ideas I have.
I already have a pretty huge list written down today, so I don’t think I’ll be looking for new zine ideas anytime soon!
Be sure to share links to your posts/pictures showing off your ideas and where you keep them.