Introducing Zine School: A Practical, Six-Week Hands-On First Zine Program

Registration Now Open for Cohort 1

I’m opening registration for the first cohort of Zine School — a six-week, small-group program designed to guide you through creating, printing, and publishing your first zine.

Zine School Origins

Over the past year, I started making zines myself: first pasting small prints into cheap notebooks, then creating hand-folded, laser-printed prototypes at home, and eventually publishing my professionally printed Chicago zine. Selling out half of that run in the first week was especially meaningful. It was the first time I’d ever offered my photography for sale, and having people I’ve never met choose to buy it was a powerful milestone. Along the way, I learned a lot about the different approaches to making zines, the tools that can make the process simple, and how to push through the moments where people tend to stall.

I heard from a surprising number of readers who said that seeing my process renewed their interest in creating a zine of their own — and it was clear some had been thinking about this for a while:

I have been looking at making a zine with Blurb. Seeing you do it makes me think it may happen.

That’s when I realized something: many people want to make a zine, but they get stuck in the same places I did at first — too many decisions, too many tools, not knowing which steps matter, chasing perfection, or simply lacking a structure or accountability that keeps the project moving. Another realization was that people don’t need complicated software or expensive materials. Simple can be better.

Zine School grew directly out of these realizations.

Six Weeks to Done

The first Zine School cohort will run in January and February and include three one-hour Zoom sessions plus ongoing online discussions. It’s designed as a small, supportive cohort built around simple tools, hands-on work, and practical guidance. With a maximum of six people, everyone gets attention, encouragement, and momentum — and by watching each other work, we help each other move forward.

The goal is simple: finish your first zine and get it out into the world.

This zine is a great example that a project doesn‘t have to be huge or something you work on for a very long time. I love that you turned the trip to Chicago into a zine, Josh!

No Fancy Tools Required

Zine School is built around the simplest tools available. If you already use InDesign or Scribus, that’s fine — but the core workflow will use: Apple Pages (the preferred tool — free on Macs, surprisingly capable) or Google Docs (for Windows/Chromebook users or anyone who prefers it).

We’ll embrace the simplicity of these programs, understand their limitations, and learn how to design around those so your zine looks intentional and well-crafted.

A home printer (laser or inkjet) is helpful for prototypes, but not required. Black and white is fine — and if you only have access to a printer at a library, workplace, or copy shop, that works too. Zine-making is about using what you already have and making the most of it.

Who It’s For & What We Will Create

This program is designed primarily for photographers, but anyone who wants to create a zine is welcome. Zines are wide-ranging: Some are handmade with images pasted and spines stitched. Others are printed at home, at a local copy shop, or produced through an online print service.

In this cohort, we’ll focus on preparing a file to send to a printing service, but you’re free to choose a different approach based on your project.

What You’ll Learn

• How to define the concept for your first zine

• Editing, sequencing, and shaping your narrative

• Choosing size, orientation, paper, and page count

• Layout using simple, accessible tools

• Page flow, margins, borders, and aspect ratios

• Creating prototypes at home

• Preparing a print-ready PDF

• Working with Mixam, Blurb, or DIY printing

• When to order proofs and how to revise effectively

• Pricing, selling, trading, and promotion

• Strategies to overcome decision paralysis

• How to keep the process joyful rather than overwhelming

Why I Created Zine School

I’m doing this because I’ve learned how powerful it is to give your work a physical form. Finishing a zine changes how you see your own photography, and seeing someone hold it and respond to it is even better. Making a zine doesn’t need to be complicated — it can be simple, clear, and genuinely enjoyable. I want others to experience the satisfaction of turning an idea into something real.

Intro Price

Zine School introductory rate: $49
Future cohorts: $149+

How to Join

Zoom meetings will generally take place on Sundays, late in the day. Final dates and times will be set in December. A registration link will be on zineschool.com shortly.

If interested (or curious), send me a message at josh@weinbergphoto.com, and I can save you a spot if it's right for you.

Lets Go

If you’ve been wanting to make a zine but never quite made it past the idea stage, this is the moment. Let’s make something real.

Warmly,
josh

Basic tools are all that’s needed. Generally, scissors and a stapler. A paper cutter and saddle stapler (or long stapler), and a few other things can be helpful… but, to get started, you probably already have everything you need. You shouldn’t need to buy anything, and definitely nothing expensive. More and more local libraries have maker spaces with tools that might be helpful.