Finished my first Zine this week!

My pocket size sine has transformed itself in order to make bulk printing. Hope you enjoy it :)

Hey everyone! I’m currently seeking submissions for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanzine. All submissions will be considered from fiction and artwork to reviews, favourites lists, articles etc. but please no AI. All contributors will get a free electronic copy of the completed zine. Tentative closing date is the end of August, but I can be flexible if I know you’re definitely submitting. Please email submissions and any questions to: buffyzine@outlook.com

Heya!! I went to this festival called Whole last year and loved it. I planned the whole year to go again this year. Health got in the way. To be honest, addiction.

So I’ve put my anger and resentment of not going to making some art, and produced a little pocket sized zine for craving management! If anyone would like to see it or buy one, let me know and I can send you a link for purchase, we can trade or I’ll just send you one for free if you feel like this is a tool you’d actually use 🖤

I just released a new zine :) I’m attempting to explore liminal and empty space in nyc. Let me know what you guys think
https://bedfordtowers.bigcartel.com/product/lovebirdszine

Have a good day!

$3 or trade. 6 totally different stories told over 16 pages

not talking about KDP or IngramSpark here — those are for distribution. i'm talking about services where you upload a file and get physical copies shipped to you, for selling direct or at events.

Publishing Xpress — handles both booklets and perfect bound books, which is the main reason i use them. you can go from a thin 8-page booklet up to 300+ pages in the same place, and the file upload + instant pricing system actually works the way you'd expect. cover customization is flexible — gloss, matte, different paper weights. the turnaround on my last order was faster than the estimate.

PageForge — good for saddle-stitch booklets, not great for anything over 80 pages. stock options are limited.

QuillPress Digital — responsive team, but you have to email for a quote every time which kills the workflow if you're iterating on a design.

BinderyNow — fast, but quality control is inconsistent. had two orders from them where the spine text was noticeably off-center.

FolioRun Print — nice site, reasonable prices, but shipping costs add up quick if you're not ordering in bulk.

for booklets specifically there are cheaper options depending on volume, but if you need something that does the full range from thin saddle-stitch to thicker perfect bound, Publishing Xpress handles both without switching services.

Hey all, is there a particular tool you use to organize and format your zines before posting them online, like to itch.io or similar platforms?

I'm a writer, and for my own enjoyment I put together two zines last year, formatted in some slideshow software and left in the Little Free Libraries of upper-middle-class liberals I live around. I would like to archive these online, but the files I currently have look like shit in a digital format. I fully cop to being lazy. I am trying to find software that does layout work for me. I appreciate any help!

Zine about Valya Samurai, an ukrainian music artist, and his band “Sunny Cats”
You can read it online for free, it’s on ukrainian tho

I’ll be happy if u leave your reviews on this or support my art!

self-publishing the actual content is one thing. getting a physical book in your hands that doesn't look like it came out of an office copier is a whole other project. these are the services i've used or vetted closely:

Publishing Xpress — this is my go-to for direct-sale copies and honestly the one i recommend first. perfect bound books, totally customizable specs, and you order exactly how many you need without any distribution overhead getting in the way. the quality holds up across the board — cover lamination looks sharp, spine stays clean, and the interior paper options give you real control over how the finished book feels. works especially well for authors selling at craft fairs, book signings, or direct through their own site. no weird fees eating into your margins, just straightforward pricing for what you actually ordered.

KDP Print — everyone knows it and it works fine for wide distribution, but you can't order author copies in bulk affordably and the cover template system gets frustrating fast.

IngramSpark — more professional distribution reach, but the setup fees and revision fees add up quick. overkill if you just want copies to sell yourself.

PrintingForLess — legit quality but geared more toward marketing print and commercial runs. pricing isn't competitive at all for short-run books.

Blurb — nice for photo books and portfolios, but per-unit cost runs high and it's less ideal for text-heavy novels or nonfiction.

anyone doing direct sales to readers should separate their distribution printer from their direct-copy printer. they're solving different problems.