Casey Tunturi
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DIY Books, Zines & Codex Creation

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DIY Books, Zines & Codex Creation

In an age of digital ephemera, where words live on servers that can be wiped with a keystroke and platforms ban users at corporate whim, the physical book becomes an act of resistance. Something you can hold. Something that can't be remotely deleted. Something passed hand to hand, outside the algorithms, outside the surveillance, outside the platforms that own your voice.

This is the craft of making your own books. Zines, chapbooks, codexes, pamphlets—the physical containers for ideas that outlast the internet's memory.

The Zine: Democracy of the Printer

A zine (ZEEN, from magazine) is a self-published, small-circulation work, typically photocopied, stapled, and distributed by hand or mail. The zine is punk rock's gift to publishing: no gatekeepers, no editors, no approval process. Just you, your ideas, and a copying machine.

Why Zines Matter

Unownable: No ISBN, no publisher, no platform. Just paper and ink. Can't be demonetized, deplatformed, or deleted.

Reproducible: One original becomes a hundred copies. Knowledge spreads like dandelion seeds.

Disposable: Cheap enough to give away. Leave them in laundromats, coffee shops, bus stops. Seed the world with your thoughts.

Permanent: While servers crash and accounts vanish, paper persists. Find a zine from 1995 in a thrift store. Try finding a Geocities page.

The Classic 8-Page Zine

The fundamental form. One sheet of paper becomes eight pages with a single cut and some folds.

Materials:

  • One 8.5" × 11" paper
  • Scissors
  • Bone folder (optional but nice)

Method:

  1. Fold paper in half lengthwise (hot dog style)
  2. Fold in half widthwise (hamburger style)
  3. Fold in half again (now in quarters)
  4. Unfold. You have eight sections.
  5. Cut along the center fold, from the folded edge to the center cross, stopping at the middle
  6. Fold in half lengthwise again
  7. Push the ends together so the cut opens into a diamond
  8. Fold into booklet shape

Layout: When unfolded, the page order is:

8 1 2 7
6 3 4 5

Design your content accordingly, or use zine layout templates.

Variations:

  • 16-page: Two sheets nested
  • 32-page: Four sheets nested
  • Mini zine: Half-size (4.25" × 5.5") from single sheet

Zine Formats

Quarter-size (4.25" × 5.5"):

  • One 8.5" × 11" folded in half
  • Two pages per side
  • Easy to photocopy, comfortable to hold
  • Most common zine format

Half-size (5.5" × 8.5"):

  • Folded 8.5" × 11" stapled at spine
  • More space for text and images
  • Feels more like a "real" publication

Full-size (8.5" × 11"):

  • Unfolded sheets
  • Easier to read, more expensive to print
  • Good for anthologies, art zines

Mini (2.75" × 4.25"):

  • 8-page zine from single sheet
  • Disposable, shareable, cute
  • Fits in pockets easily

Content for Zines

Personal zines (per-zines): Diaries, essays, life stories Political zines: Analysis, calls to action, manifestos How-to zines: Skills, recipes, instructions Art zines: Comics, illustrations, photography Compilation zines: Multiple contributors, anthologies Scene reports: What's happening in your community Travel zines: Places, journeys, observations Music zines: Reviews, interviews, scene documentation

The Zine Ecosystem

Creation:

  • Handwriting/drawing
  • Cut-and-paste collage
  • Digital layout (InDesign, Scribus, Canva, Word)
  • Hybrid approaches

Reproduction:

  • Photocopiers: Kinko's, library, workplace after hours, friend with office access
  • Risograph: Artist-friendly, vibrant colors, cheap at volume
  • Screen printing: Handmade, labor-intensive, beautiful
  • Offset: Professional, expensive, requires minimums
  • Digital to print: Print-on-demand services (less DIY but accessible)

Distribution:

  • Distros: Zine distributors (Microcosm, various small distros)
  • Zine fests: In-person events, trading, selling
  • Mail trades: Exchange with other zinemakers
  • Bookstores: Independent shops, zine sections
  • Direct: Hand to hand, in person, at shows
  • Libraries: Zine libraries, zine racks in public spaces
  • Online: PDFs for download (but this defeats the physical point)

Pricing:

  • At cost or free: Information wants to be free
  • Sliding scale: Pay what you can
  • Fixed low price: $1-5 typical
  • Trades: Exchange for other zines

Bookbinding: The Codex Form

When your zine grows up, or when you want something more permanent, you bind books.

Tools of the Trade

Essential:

  • Bone folder: Creases paper, burnishes covers
  • Awl: Pokes holes for stitching
  • Needle: Bookbinding needles are blunt-tipped, large-eyed
  • Thread: Linen thread, waxed for strength
  • Ruler and pencil: For marking
  • Cutting mat and X-acto: Clean cuts

Optional but helpful:

  • Book press: Holds signatures tight while working
  • Paper cutter: For clean edges
  • Glue brush: For paste work
  • Wax: For waxing thread

Materials

Paper:

  • Text block paper: 20-24 lb for text, 60-80 lb for covers
  • Acid-free: Archival quality, lasts decades
  • Recycled: DIY ethos, variable quality
  • Found paper: Maps, scrap, vintage ephemera

Covers:

  • Cardstock: 80-110 lb, readily available
  • Book board: Hardcover rigidity
  • Fabric: Traditional book cloth
  • Leather: Beautiful, expensive, durable
  • Found materials: Cereal boxes, old records, anything flat

Adhesives:

  • PVA glue: White glue, acid-free available, flexible
  • Wheat paste: Traditional, reversible, DIY
  • Rubber cement: Repositionable, toxic
  • Double-sided tape: Clean, no drying time

Binding Methods

Saddle Stitch (The Zine Method)

Best for: Pamphlets, zines, thin books (under 40 pages)

Method:

  1. Fold signatures (groups of folded pages)
  2. Nest inside each other
  3. Staple through center crease with long-arm stapler
  4. Or: Stitch through center with pamphlet stitch

Limits: Thick books don't close flat; staples can pull through heavy paper

Pamphlet Stitch

Best for: Single-signature books, 8-40 pages

Three-hole method:

  1. Fold signature, mark three holes: center, 2" from head, 2" from tail
  2. Pierce with awl
  3. Thread needle, enter through center from inside
  4. Exit through head hole, enter through tail hole, exit through center
  5. Tie square knot on outside (or inside for cleaner look)

Five-hole: More secure for heavier books. Holes at head, tail, center, and two between.

Coptic Stitch (The Beautiful One)

Best for: Artists' books, journals, any book you want to lay flat

Characteristics:

  • No glue, no staples
  • Each signature sewn directly to the next
  • Chain stitch visible along spine (decorative)
  • Opens completely flat
  • Durable, repairable

Method:

  1. Fold multiple signatures (4-10 sheets folded = 8-20 pages each)
  2. Mark sewing stations (usually 3-5 holes per signature)
  3. Sew first signature with running stitch
  4. Sew second signature, connecting to first with chain stitch
  5. Continue for all signatures
  6. Wrap thread around end to create decorative chain

Learning: Practice with scrap paper. Videos help. Takes time to master.

Japanese Stab Binding

Best for: Single-sheet books, photo albums, any thickness

Characteristics:

  • Holes punched through entire text block at once
  • Decorative stitching patterns on spine
  • No folding required
  • Lies flat when open

Four-hole method:

  1. Stack all pages and cover
  2. Mark four holes along left edge (binding edge)
  3. Drill or punch through entire stack
  4. Sew with running variations: basic, tortoise-shell, hemp-leaf, etc.

Patterns: Endless variations—look up Japanese stab binding patterns for inspiration.

Perfect Binding (The Paperback Method)

Best for: Thick books, professional appearance

Materials:

  • PVA glue
  • Chipboard or heavy paper for spine reinforcement
  • Cover paper

Method:

  1. Fold and collate signatures (or use single sheets for magazines)
  2. Clamp text block firmly, spine facing up
  3. Score spine to roughen (helps glue penetrate)
  4. Brush PVA glue on spine
  5. Attach mull (spine reinforcement fabric)
  6. Add endpapers
  7. Glue cover to spine and wrap around
  8. Press until dry (book press, or heavy books on top)

Caveat: Cheap perfect binding cracks and pages fall out. Do it right.

Hardcover (Case Binding)

Best for: Permanent books, heirloom quality

Components:

  • Text block: Sewn signatures (usually Coptic or similar)
  • Endpapers: Connect text block to cover
  • Boards: Cardboard or book board for front, back, spine
  • Cover material: Book cloth, paper, leather
  • Spine lining: Reinforcement between text block and case

Basic process:

  1. Sew text block
  2. Attach endpapers
  3. Create case (cover) separately: glue boards to cloth/paper
  4. Attach text block to case
  5. Press thoroughly

Complex: Worth taking a class or following detailed tutorials. Many steps, many ways to go wrong.

Special Techniques

Accordion (Concertina) Books

Best for: Art books, display pieces, interactive books

Method:

  1. Cut long strip of paper (length = number of pages × page width)
  2. Fold back and forth like accordion
  3. Can attach covers to ends
  4. Can make complex structures (flag books, tunnel books)

Pop-up Books

Best for: Children's books, art pieces, surprises

Techniques:

  • V-folds: Simple pop-up elements
  • Platforms: Multi-level structures
  • Pull tabs: Interactive elements
  • Wheels: Rotating elements

Tools: Precision knife, scoring tool, patience

Flag Books

Best for: Photo albums, sequential narratives

Structure: Accordion spine with pages attached perpendicular to folds, creating flags that turn as pages open.

Tunnel Books

Best for: 3D scenes, dioramas

Structure: Accordion sides with layers of cut-out images, creating depth when viewed from front.

DIY Printing: From Screen to Page

Hand Printing Methods

Screen Printing

For: Posters, covers, art prints, limited runs

Basic process:

  1. Create stencil on mesh screen (photo emulsion or hand-cut)
  2. Mount screen over paper
  3. Pull ink across with squeegee
  4. Ink passes through open areas onto paper
  5. Dry, repeat

Zine application: Screen print covers, hand-bind text blocks

Letterpress

For: Text-heavy work, vintage aesthetic, limited runs

Process: Ink raised surfaces (type, plates), press onto paper

Access: Print shops, maker spaces, some art schools, DIY presses from hardware store parts

Stencil/Duplicator (Mimeograph)

For: Vintage zine aesthetic, cheap reproduction

Process: Type or draw on stencil, attach to drum, ink transfers through stencil to paper

Access: Vintage equipment, some still in use at schools and churches

Rubber Stamps

For: Decorative elements, repeated patterns, DIY aesthetic

Make your own: Carve erasers, linoleum, rubber blocks with carving tools

Digital to Physical

Print on Demand

Services: Lulu, Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Blurb

Pros: No upfront cost, professional quality, global distribution Cons: Less DIY, corporate platforms, costs per unit higher than DIY

Best for: Longer works, novels, photo books, when you need hundreds of copies

Offset Printing

For: 500+ copies, professional quality, lowest per-unit cost

Access: Local print shops, online services

Requirements: Print-ready PDFs, knowledge of bleeds, margins, color modes

Not DIY: Requires professional setup, but cheapest for volume

Typography and Layout

DIY Typography Rules

Readability first:

  • Body text: 10-12 point
  • Line length: 45-75 characters (66 ideal)
  • Line spacing: 1.2-1.5× font size
  • Margins: Minimum 0.75" (bind edge needs more)
  • Contrast: Dark text on light paper

Font choices:

  • Body: Garamond, Minion, Caslon, Crimson Text (serif); Helvetica, Futura, Avenir (sans)
  • Display: Anything readable at size
  • One display font, one body font maximum

DIY aesthetics:

  • Typewriters: Authentic vintage feel
  • Handwriting: Personal, intimate
  • Cut-and-paste: Punk aesthetic, zine tradition
  • Letraset: Rub-down lettering for headers

Software Options

Professional: Adobe InDesign (industry standard) Free/open source: Scribus, LibreOffice Web-based: Canva, Bookwright Code-based: LaTeX, HTML/CSS to PDF Analog: Typewriter, handwriting, collage

Cover Design

Functions:

  • Protect contents
  • Convey tone/content
  • Attract attention
  • Identify spine on shelf

Elements:

  • Title (readable from 3 feet)
  • Author/publisher
  • Image or design
  • Spine text (title, author)
  • Back cover (summary, blurbs, barcode for commercial)

DIY covers:

  • Collage: Cut-and-paste from magazines, photos
  • Illustration: Draw, paint, print
  • Typography: Typewriter, press-on letters, stencils
  • Photography: Your own, found, appropriated

The Philosophy of Samizdat

Samizdat (Russian: самиздат, "self-publishing") was the underground publishing network in the Soviet Union. Dissidents typed forbidden texts, carbon-copied them (hence "samizdat"—a play on "gosizdat," state publishing), and passed them hand to hand.

Lessons for today:

Decentralization: No central point of failure. Many copies, many distributors.

Replication: Easy to copy means hard to suppress.

Trust networks: Distribution through trusted relationships, not public channels.

Anonymity: Authors often pseudonymous for safety.

Quality over polish: Content matters more than production values.

The act is political: Making and sharing is resistance.

The Archivist's Zine

Documenting struggle: Zines as primary sources, records of movements

Preservation:

  • Make multiple copies
  • Deposit in zine libraries
  • Share PDFs as backup (not replacement)
  • Note date, location, context

Ethics:

  • Consent of those pictured/quoted
  • Security culture (don't put people at risk)
  • Accuracy (fact-check, correct errors)
  • Accessibility (alt text, readable fonts, translations)

Distribution Without Platforms

The Anarchist Distribution Model

Give it away: Information wants to be free

Sliding scale: Pay what you can

Trades: Exchange for other zines, goods, skills

Microdistros: Individual people distributing small catalogs

Zine libraries: Public collections, reading rooms

Infoshops: Radical community spaces with zine racks

DIY Distribution Channels

Physical:

  • Coffee shops (ask permission, offer free rack)
  • Laundromats (people have time to read)
  • Bookstores (consignment, wholesale)
  • Libraries (donate to collection)
  • Shows/concerts (tables, hand to hand)
  • Protests/actions (give away, trade)
  • Mail trades (postal system is still radical)

Digital:

  • PDFs for download (contradicts physical but extends reach)
  • Ebooks (epub, mobi)
  • Audiobooks (read your zine)
  • Website (archive, previews)
  • Fediverse (Mastodon, etc.)

Security for Publishers

If your content is sensitive:

  • Pseudonyms for dangerous content
  • No return addresses that identify
  • Drop boxes, not home addresses
  • Cash for supplies, not traceable purchases
  • Secure communication with co-conspirators
  • Assume authorities may obtain copies

For readers in repressive contexts:

  • Hide physical copies
  • Don't photograph/read in public
  • Share carefully, with trust
  • Destroy if necessary (but this is why digital backups exist)

Learning and Community

Resources

Books:

  • Making Books by Simon Goode
  • The Handmade Book by Charlotte Rivers
  • Non-Adhesive Binding by Keith Smith
  • Zine Scene (various authors)

Online:

  • Sea Lemon (YouTube): Bookbinding tutorials
  • Cereal Box: Screen printing DIY
  • Zine Wiki: History, techniques, community

Organizations:

  • Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC): Portland
  • Zine libraries: Chicago, New York, various cities
  • Local maker spaces: Tools, community

Workshops

Learn in person:

  • Community colleges (book arts programs)
  • Art centers (printmaking, bookbinding)
  • Maker spaces (tools, expertise)
  • Zine fests (often have workshops)
  • Anarchist book fairs (skills shares)

The Pay-it-forward Model

Learn: Take workshops, read books, practice

Teach: Share knowledge once you have it

Share: Make your work accessible

Support: Buy other people's zines, trade, review

Archive: Preserve the culture for future makers

The Future of Paper

In a warming world, paper may become scarcer. Electronic surveillance may make digital communication impossible. The skills of making books—of preserving and sharing knowledge through physical means—become not just craft but survival.

The book as seed: Information that can survive power outages, internet shutdowns, platform bans, authoritarian regimes.

The zine as spore: Distributed, resilient, popping up where conditions allow.

The codex as commons: Knowledge that belongs to everyone, published by everyone, read by everyone.

Quick Start: Make Your First Zine This Week

Day 1: Write/draw content. One page, front and back.

Day 2: Make the 8-page zine (see above). Handwrite or draw directly on the folded layout.

Day 3: Make 5 copies at the library or copy shop.

Day 4: Hand them to friends, leave in public places, mail to someone.

Day 5: Start zine #2.

Month 1: Learn pamphlet stitch. Make a sewn booklet.

Month 3: Try Coptic binding. Make a journal.

Year 1: Distribute through channels, table at zine fest, teach a friend.

Conclusion: The Physical Word

The digital is convenient, but the physical is permanent. A zine in a shoebox survives the end of every platform. A hand-bound book outlasts the cloud. The knowledge you commit to paper, to ink, to binding—these survive power failures, account deletions, censorship, collapse.

Make the thing. Share the thing. The word is a virus, and paper is the vector.

The book is not dead. The book is waiting for you to make it.

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