Anyone going analog in 2026? Then maybe your next venture is entering the world of zines – independently published small-circulation print booklets. “I see [zines] as archival – documenting, saving and passing information to one another,” says Melissa Mursch-Rodriguez, founder of Moody the Zine and one of the organizers of this month’s Milwaukee Zine Fest.
“In this world of Amazon and mass production, more personal things made in smaller quantities are really important.” Want to make a zine yourself? Here are a few tips for getting started:
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
- Pick a topic. “Just think of something [you] want to talk about,” Mursch-Rodriguez says, from sharing a playlist to a recipe for homemade detergent. “[Zines] always introduce me to something I never thought about – like a new person, story or skill.”
- Choose a format. “The one-page zine is the best place to start,” she says; find a template online. From there, cut and paste it all together – no fancy design skills needed. Make copies with a “cheap and fast” black-and-white copier.
- Share it. Zines are about spreading the word – via friends or local sellers like Lion’s Tooth and Woodland Pattern. “I get inspiration from other zines all the time and the cool way they’re doing it,” she says.
Milwaukee Zine Fest, April 18, Milwaukee Central Library, milwaukeezinefest.com.
