Summer 2026: Zine Makers: Crafting a Peer Poetry Zine
Welcome to the Zine Makers: Crafting a Peer Poetry Zine Journey!
This Journey invites you to step into the role of editor and designer to transform poetry from the spring Poetry Rising Journey into a compelling, collaborative zine. You will move through the stages of publishing, beginning with a deep editorial dive to refine existing verses inspired by heritage and created by your peers. As you master visual composition and multimedia design, you will learn to pair these powerful voices with a cohesive aesthetic, ultimately gaining the technical skills and creative vision needed to produce and share a high-impact, independent publication.
You are currently viewing the course of the Zine Makers: Crafting a Peer Poetry Zine Journey. By the end of the Journey, participants will have collaboratively edited, designed, and produced a multimedia poetry zine that transforms their peers’ voices into a cohesive independent publication.
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Learning Objectives
Zine Makers: Crafting a Peer Poetry Zine – Journey Learning Objectives:
- Editorial Practice: Refine and polish existing poetry through a professional editing process to ensure each piece is ready for publication.
- Visual Design: Collaboratively develop a unique aesthetic for the zine by integrating graphic design elements that complement your zine’s theme.
- Publishing Production: Gain practical experience in the end-to-end zine-making process, from conceptualizing layouts to final print assembly.
- Collaborative Curation: Integrate written and visual elements into a professional publication that showcases a unified artistic vision.
Requirements
- Complete at least 2 pair sessions per month and log these in your Portal
- Attend each monthly Journey Meeting (see Engagement Dates )
- Complete all lessons and submit assignments in the course (see Asynchronous Coursework )
- Submit at least one piece through the Submissions section in the Portal to be published on your Author Page
Engagement Dates
Mentees and mentors in this Journey are required to attend the monthly Journey Meetings listed below.
Summer Cycle Journey Meetings:
- Saturday, July 11 , 2026, 4 – 6 PM ET
- Saturday, August 8, 2026, 4 – 6 PM ET
- Saturday, September 12, 2026, 4 – 6 PM ET
Zine Makers: Crafting A Peer Poetry Zine Release Party
- Saturday, October 17, 2026, 3 – 5 PM ET
If you’re unable to attend a Journey meeting, you must notify your Staff Lead in advance and attend a community event to make up for it—strongly recommended options include Community Studios and Salon Experiences. To find out more about upcoming events check girlswritenow.org/events and visit the Events Page in your Portal to register for upcoming live events.
Asynchronous Coursework
Complete each lesson in the the following course. As you progress through each lesson, make sure to press “complete” before moving on to the next.
Zine Makers: Crafting a Peer Poetry Zine
In this integrated coursework, you will deepen your understanding of the editorial and design process while building practical publishing skills you can apply beyond this Journey. Designed to directly support and extend your live Journey meetings, the coursework provides guided lessons, tools, and practice that strengthen the collaborative zine-making happening in real time.
Submissions
You are required to submit journey assignments–please see further instructions within the course.
Curriculum
- 4 Sections
- 29 Lessons
- Lifetime
- Introduction3 Items
- Section 1: From Draft to Distribution: Editing, Curating, and Publishing9 Items
- 2.1Journey Meeting 1: Recording
- 2.2Learning Objectives & Opening Lines
- 2.3Lesson 1 – History of Zines and Types of Zines
- 2.4Lesson 2: Editorial Practice
- 2.5Lesson 3: Editing for Collective Zine Curation
- 2.6Lesson 4: Finalizing A Poem for Publication
- 2.7Assignment 1: Editorial Revision + Reflection (due August 5)
- 2.8Conclusion & Resources
- 2.9Takeaway Exercise: Practicing Editorial Voice with a Model Poem
- Section 2: Visual Storytelling Through Poetry and Zine Aesthetics9 Items
- 3.1Journey Meeting 2: Recording
- 3.2Learning Objectives & Opening Lines
- 3.3Lesson 1: What Is Visual Storytelling?
- 3.4Lesson 2: Typography & Layout as Voice
- 3.5Lesson 3: Building A Collective Zine Aesthetic
- 3.6Lesson 4: From Digital Design to Print
- 3.7Assignment 2: Design Your Poem Page (September 9)
- 3.8Conclusion & Resources
- 3.9Takeaway Exercise
- Section 3: Zine Production, Design, and Community8 Itemsxxxcx
- 4.1Journey Meeting 3: Recording
- 4.2Learning Objectives & Opening Lines
- 4.3Lesson 1: Finalizing the Zine: Editorial & Design Check
- 4.4Lesson 2: Printing & Assembly (Digital → Physical)
- 4.5Lesson 3: Zines As Activism & Community Impact
- 4.6Final Assignment: (due September 25)
- 4.7Conclusion & Resources
- 4.8Takeaway Exercise: Write a Launch Caption (Editor Voice)
Instructor
