a place for zinesters - writers and readers

Favourite how-to zines?

I like non-fiction, particularly those that describe how to do something. Some of my favourite zines in this category are CROQ (is that thing still printing?), Mixtape, and anything off Niku Arbabi. "Making Stuff and Doing Things" (though not really a zine) is all right too.

What other how-to zines would you recommend?

Tags: howto, recommendations, zines

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Permalink Reply by Dan 10things on September 3, 2009 at 2:20pm

Dwelling Portably for inspiration, although it had crap print and poor directions, I need full step by step instructions. Sadly, I find most how to zines to be lacking, from Soy, Not Oi! (the mother of all cooking zines) having some really bad recipes, to Stolen Sharpie Revolution pretty much covering the same stuff in "How to Publish a Fanzine" and what we've all written about and taught classes on over the years. Don't get me wrong, SSR is a great resource for new zinesters, but it's not exactly packed with new info and ideas. More often than not, the DIY concepts I see in zines have been explored better by hardcore hobbyists that have been working a craft for years, and those tend to come out as books rather than zines. Be it knitting, beer making, gardening or whatever. I am a big fan of that book Microcosm put out called "Make Your Place" with tons of DIY home tips from making your own cleaning supplies to gardening, but I think you'd be hard-pressed to call it a zine.

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Permalink Reply by Tiara Shafiq on September 3, 2009 at 2:37pm

Would you have any recommendations for books by hardcore hobbyists like the ones you were mentioning?

Dan 10things said:

Dwelling Portably for inspiration, although it had crap print and poor directions, I need full step by step instructions. Sadly, I find most how to zines to be lacking, from Soy, Not Oi! (the mother of all cooking zines) having some really bad recipes, to Stolen Sharpie Revolution pretty much covering the same stuff in "How to Publish a Fanzine" and what we've all written about and taught classes on over the years. Don't get me wrong, SSR is a great resource for new zinesters, but it's not exactly packed with new info and ideas. More often than not, the DIY concepts I see in zines have been explored better by hardcore hobbyists that have been working a craft for years, and those tend to come out as books rather than zines. Be it knitting, beer making, gardening or whatever. I am a big fan of that book Microcosm put out called "Make Your Place" with tons of DIY home tips from making your own cleaning supplies to gardening, but I think you'd be hard-pressed to call it a zine.