What is a zine?!

Let me introduce you to a zine! Zine | Definition of Zine by Merriam-Webster! Note that it is pronounced like the end of “magazine” -- it does not rhyme with “vine” :-)

Growing up, I was familiar with zines but I got really interested in them again when my sister Lynie was taking a class at UWM taught by Lane Hall. That year, we went to Zine Fest at the Polish Falcon where she sold and traded some of her works and we went to a few readings. I love how zines can help people share things they know & care about and it's a medium that makes sharing them as easy as just putting those pages into a scanner or copier!

In 2019, I realized I was having a lot of conversations about fundraising as more and more friends were being asked to help as part of their volunteer work or serving on a board. I thought it would be easiest to put my thoughts together in a zine… and that is how “How to Raise Funds for the Amazing Causes You Care About” came about. That year, I was able to get a table at Milwaukee Zine Fest and present… It's such a fun community affair with zinesters from across the country who are fascinated by all different topics. My tablemate had created a series of zines about soda, for example.

Since making my first zine, as inspiration has struck me, I've created five more on a number of topics. I start by thinking about a subject and what I want to share, then making a page outline and then a first draft! Most have come together pretty quickly. With my most recent zine, “How to Be Wrong”... I’m working to make a new edition in collaboration with a friend who is an illustrator.

Through the pandemic, I’ve gotten a lot of joy out of making more zines and sharing them with friends. At the start of 2021, I made a challenge to myself to get one to every US state and with the help of friends, I was able to complete it in just a week!