A Creative Bunch: Making Zines With 8th Graders

by Marlaina

Throughout the month of May, Wasted Ink Zine Distro facilitated a three-part workshop series for a local eighth grade English Language and Arts class. Students learned what zines are, what advantages they have over other publishing options, and how zines can be composed and formatted. The workshop series culminated in each student presenting the zine that they made about a topic of their choosing. 

The first day of the workshop introduced students to zines through sharing a sampling from our library. We brought zines that represented a variety of subject matter, form factors, and perspectives. Students’ hands rose quickly after receiving our overview of zine history and what sets zines apart. The eighth graders asked about where zines are found, what topics zines cover, and why people self-publish. They were quick to understand why a creator might choose not to publish through traditional channels. Day one ended with students learning to fold and make a one-page zine.

The second day of the workshop series focused on the contents of a zine: layout, subject matter, scope, materials used, and artistic medium. Previously, some students worried about the environmental impact of using trees to make paper for creating physical media. We discussed making zines out of materials that would otherwise be thrown away or recycled. Students generated a huge list of ideas for reusing and transforming materials. Ideas included: junk mail, paper scraps, movie tickets, clothing and textiles, dried flowers and leaves, magazines, and more. We also discussed the impermanence of online texts–links can break and web domain licenses can expire. After discussion the students saw how physical zines afford the maker and reader ownership and unrestricted access. 

Before the final day in the workshop series, students provided WIZD with the original copies of their completed zines, many of which had multiple forms of media, layered elements, and three-dimensional components. Our team scanned and printed every zine, making copies for each student to keep or to trade with one another. We asked the students for their permission to include a copy of their zines in the WIZD library. (Most of them said yes!) The zine topics ranged from immigration and illegal deportation to autobiographical comics about the author’s struggles. Some zines were humorous in tone, while others were wistfully romantic. Some leaned into the absurd, while others tackled grand, existential topics like the very meaning of existence and the relentless progression of time. The final day of the workshop series was reserved for students to present their zines and give insight into their design choices and experience. 

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WIZD’s team is deeply impressed by the enthusiasm, innovation, and passion that this eighth-grade class demonstrated. Between the thoughtful questions posed, the multi-faceted design choices, and the care taken in choosing meaningful topics, this group gives us hope and excitement for the next generation of young zinesters! We would love more opportunities to facilitate classroom workshops for youths. Reach out to Wasted Ink to get started.