#zine help

So you're wanting to run your first fanzine and have absolutely no clue where to start huh? Don't worry, we've all been there! Some of us have run zines and still have no idea how we did it. I've put together this 11-page 'guide' if you want to call it that, to help you get started.

This is by no means the holy grail of fanzines and I cannot promise it will help everyone, but it's things that I learnt through my own zine experience both as a mod and a contributor. It's also free~

So go forth and create that good fandom content! (And please message me if this helps because I want to cheer you on in your endeavours!)

Available here for FREE 

Reblog to help a baby mod, gods knows I’d have done some questionable things to have had some advice before I started.

For one of my final projects, the medium that we choose is our own prerogative. I would like to make a zine for my final project, with this being said. The last time I made a zine (loved how it turned out), I used Word because it was the most accessible software to me - but this time, I would like to really step up my game. With that being said, what programs do y’all recommend that are (super cheap/free) that would allow me to accomplish this? I am sure Adobe would work really well for this; however, from my understanding Adobe is incredibly costly - and not really something I would want/need to invest in. 

Thanks so much! Yes, having an effective portfolio is very important for getting into zines! There was a bnha zine mod team that made an excellent post about this (which I can’t seem to find but if someone else has, a link would be great!) but I have give you some basic tips:

1 - Make sure the platform your portfolio is on is free of clutter and is easy to look at. Basically, don’t just link your twitter where they would have to actively scroll to find your art. If you are using a personal portfolio website (which I recommend), make sure your images load properly and are proportioned to the screen.

2 - Keep it short and sweet. I’m pretty guilty of not doing this one, but mods are not going to want to look through 30 different pieces in one portfolio. In this case, less is more. Show your best work at the beginning and end, and throw in your personal favourites in the center. You want your most competent work to be the first and last thing they see.

3 - Avoid sketches/unfinished work. While yes, sometimes sketches are some of people’s best work, there are generally not appropriate for zines. Remember what you are applying for, and the requirements of the zine when choosing pieces. Find out what they are looking for and draw more of it. “Zine-like” pieces may be time consuming, but it’s generally what mods are looking for.

4 - Treat it like a resume, and cater, cater, cater. There may be pieces in your arsenal that are great, but just don’t match what the zine is looking for. Be aware of the theme of the zine, the source material, etc., and cater your portfolio towards it. Most of the time with “anime zines” in particular, they are looking for specific styles. Put those front and center.