Mythical Type

Here’s what I do for test printing zines, which is the stage in my zine-making process between text and images are done and everything looks good to go.

Step 1

I realize I’m done with writing and visuals. I do a little happy dance (in my head) because the hard part is over.

Test prints are tedious. Folding zines can be tedious. But I don’t consider that hard work. The hard work is going from a blank page to a page that’s covered in Stuff, in the ways you wanted to cover the page with Stuff.

Step 2

I print one copy of the zine on standard copy paper. Plain white, 20lb paper. Nothing fancy. I don’t adjust any settings.

I fold the zine and look at each page. In this step, I’m looking at spacing. Is anything cut off? Anything that needs to be moved a bit? If I have something centered, does it actually look centered on the folded zine?

Next I’ll read through the zine once, front to back. I read out loud so I can hear if a sentence sounds awkward or too long.

I look for spelling and punctuation mistakes.

I mark up edits with a pen, so I know what to adjust when I’m back on my computer.

I should note an important thing: I try not to make edits on paper and on the computer at the same time. I make edits on paper first. Then I go to my computer and make edits to the file.

Step 3

I make edits on the computer, following the notes I marked on paper.

I print another test copy and fold the zine.

This time I’m looking for anything at all that needs to be tweaked. Wording, spacing, alignment.

I read the zine in reverse, back to front, bottom of each page to the top. It’s a tip I picked up in college to help catch mistakes – read your work sentence by sentence, but in reverse. From the end to the beginning.

I mark up changes in pen.

I repeat step 3 as many times as I need to, until I’m happy with everything in the zine.

Step 3.5 (optional)

Sometimes I decide to rewrite at least half the text at this point. The outcome is better writing, a better zine. But ugh, rewrites can feel tedious. Maybe I have to re-do spacing or re-think images I’m using.

I keep telling myself, this will result in a better zine.

Go back to step 3.

Step 4

I print one copy of the zine on the paper I want to use for all the copies. For mini zines, that’s usually 24lb paper. Just a little thicker than standard copy paper, so it feels nicer. Sometimes I bump up to 32lb paper. That feels like a special occasion.

I fold the zine and do a final check that everything looks good.

Then I print copies. I usually make 10-15 copies. I give away some copies to friends. I end up trading a few copies. And I put 5 copies in my Etsy shop.

And then I’m done.

Pretty straightforward process, as long as I don’t get caught in too many rewrites.

This week I’ve been making minor edits to my new mini zine, Left-brained art.

After I drafted text and images, I printed a test copy. Then I used a red pen to mark edits and changes.

Back to Canva to make edits and then print a new test copy.

More red pen.

Repeat until I’m happy with how everything looks.