I recently ran an interactive “Make a Zine” project on Bluesky.
For this project, I wanted to empower people to stop passively doomscrolling on social media and instead actively create zines as physical media that they can hold in their hands. I wanted to show people that their voices matter and they can have an impact. I designed this project for social media users who feel overwhelmed by the current state of the world and want to do something but don’t know where to start. Making a zine won’t solve all of the world’s problems, but it does offer a starting place. It is a way to move out of paralysis, doomscrolling, and despair. In this project, I discuss some issues with social media, propose zines as a counterstrategy, introduce the concept of peace education and its relevance to zines, provide zine-making instructions, and give examples of zines. Furthermore, I encourage people to reflect on the project, continue making physical zines, share their work both online and offline, and engage with the broader zine community.
You can check out the “Make a Zine” Bluesky account here: https://bsky.app/profile/makeazine.bsky.social
If you would prefer, I have also created a PDF for this project that includes all the information and instructions, and can be downloaded here: https://softwords.home.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/make-a-zine-project_sage-pantony_final.pdf
Project References
Aragon, K., Adams, D., Braun, J., Fernhout, E., Huddleston, J., McElroy, K., Wenzel, A., & Wooten, K. (2022, February). Teaching with zines. Zine Libraries. https://www.zinelibraries.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Teaching-with-zines-Rev22.pdf
Cooper, L. (2022, October 7). Zines 101. Zine Jam. https://zinejam.com/blog-1/zines-101
Czyzewska, A. (n.d.) Catholic policies & parental rights legislation: Impacts on 2SLGBTQ+ and allied youth and educators in Alberta’s publicly funded Catholic schools. Retrieved February 28, 2026, from https://www.adelaczyzewska.ca/zine-ma-thesis
Edwards, N. (2024). Peace, what? Peacebuilder, who? Telling the stories I wish they had taught me in school. GEOZONe. https://geoz.one/zines/peace-stories/
Gunn, L. (2025, January 23). What is ‘doomscrolling’ and how can I stop? Nuffield Health. https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/article/what-is-doomscrolling-and-how-can-i-stop
Jenkins, T. (2020, August). What is peace education? Global Campaign for Peace Education. https://www.peace-ed-campaign.org/what-is-peace-education/
Kleon, A. (2020, March 4). How to make a zine from a single sheet of paper [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab4O9SWNl9g
Make a Zine [@makeazine.bsky.social]. (2026). Profile. Bluesky. https://bsky.app/profile/makeazine.bsky.social
Milstein, C. B. (n.d.). Don’t just do nothing: 20 things you can do to counter fascism — Yes, you! Yes, now (digital). Sheer Spite Press. Retrieved February 28, 2026, from https://sheerspite.ca/product/dont-just-do-nothing-20-things-you-can-do-to-counter-fascism-yes-you-yes-now-digital/
Mirk, S. S. (2019). How to make a zine template. https://www.mirkwork.com/s/howtomakeazinetemplate.pdf
Navarro-Castro, L. & Nario-Galace, J. (2019). Peace education: A pathway to a culture of peace (3rd ed.). Center for Peace Education, Miriam College.
Pantony, S. (2025, July). Art is for fun and zines are imperfect: A handwritten perzine about overwork, rest, and play. Ko-fi. https://ko-fi.com/s/0622c5d8ed
Tran Myhre, K. (2023, July 20). Of what future are these the wild, early days? (Resources for emerging movement-builders). Not a Lot of Reasons to Sing, But Enough. https://guante.info/2023/07/20/activismzine/
Tran Myhre, K. (n.d.). Zines. Not a Lot of Reasons to Sing, But Enough. Retrieved February 28, 2026, from https://guante.info/zines/
Wasted Ink Zine Distro. (n.d.). About. Retrieved February 20, 2026, from https://www.wizd-az.com/about.html
Winans, K. K., Muratore, R., & Winans, J. (Directors). (2020). Childhood 2.0 [Film]. Double Edge Films, Co.
Yang, A. S., Oishi, J., & Donner, C. (n.d.) Misc. The Small Science Collective. Retrieved February 28, 2026, from https://asyang.wixsite.com/small-science/miscellaneous
Sage Pantony 