Make Your Own Zine by Hand
Zines are small, self-made booklets that turn your ideas into something you can hold, fold, and share. All you need is one sheet of paper, a pen, and a pair of scissors.
How to make one:
- Start with one sheet of paper (8½ × 11 in / A4).
- Divide it into eight panels. You can sketch, write, or paste content in each section.
- Fold the paper in half three times and make a single slit along the center fold.
- Refold until it forms a tiny eight-page booklet.
- Add a title and a back cover, and you’re done!
Zines can be photocopied, traded, or left in cafés, libraries, and mailboxes for others to discover. They’ve been part of DIY publishing culture for decades — quick, personal, and creative.
(For a visual step-by-step guide, see WikiHow’s How to Make a Zine.)
The ZineSmith Process
ZineSmith brings the zine-making tradition into the digital age. Our system uses large-language models (LLMs) and a custom-trained GPT to help creators design complete eight-page zines that follow established series structures such as Tiny Taxonomy Classic, First 100 Animals, and Elevator Pitch.
Each zine is produced with a consistent workflow:
- Topic setup and research
- Text and illustration generation
- Automated layout into digital and print formats
- Packaging as a ready-to-share HTML e-zine and foldable PDF
This process keeps the handmade spirit of zine culture while giving creators modern tools for accuracy, consistency, and speed.
Coming Soon — ZineSmith AI
We’re building an interactive authoring tool that lets anyone create a complete zine directly in the browser. You’ll be able to choose a series style, describe your topic, and receive a ready-to-print zine within minutes.
Interested in early access?
Enquire for beta participation at info@zinesmith.com