Catastrophizing
A downloadable zine
One day I was messing around on the Zine Idea Generator and got a prompt that I couldn't get out of my head: "Make an erotic zine that that catastrophizes about media that awakened your sexuality."
I wasn't comfortable doing an erotic zine, but after rerolling the first part of the prompt a few times I settled on: "Make a single-page zine that catastrophizes about media that awakened your sexuality."
My sexuality is... vague. Confusing. But this zine was fun to make, and hopefully folks find it amusing and/or relatable.
Files and Accessibility
You can download (for free, or for a donation):
- A PDF with single pages for reading (best on a phone).
- A PDF with spreads for reading (best on a computer).
- A PDF for printing the zine at home.
The PDFs for reading on a computer or phone have tagging and alt text. The PDF for printing includes only basic alt text describing the page layout. Please view the digital PDF for accessible zine content.
If you run into any accessibility issues, however, please do let me know, and I'll do my best to fix them!
You can also view (and share) the zine on Mastodon (with full alt text).
Instructions
Print the one-page PDF on letter paper at full size/100%. (If you don't have letter paper, printing "fit to page" on A4 paper should work, but you'll have to trim off a bit from one or both of the short edges.)
To fold, you can follow any of the many "one-page" zine tutorials online, or check out my steps below. The Zine Idea Generator prompt is the front cover, and the pride flag is the back cover.
Folding Steps
You'll need something to cut the paper — a craft knife with a ruler and cutting mat works best, but scissors will also work. You may also want to use something to help you crease the paper, like a bone folder or the flat edge of a plastic knife.
- Fold the paper in half widthways with the zine content facing out. (It should look like a book or hamburger.)
- Unfold the paper and lay it flat on your surface with the zine content facing up. Make sure the front and back covers are on the bottom left.
- Fold the right side inward so that its edge meets the middle fold.
- Unfold the paper.
- Fold in half lengthways with the zine content facing out. (It should look long and skinny, like a hotdog.)
- Lay the folded zine flat on your surface. Make sure that the font and back covers are facing down, and that the text isn’t upside down.
- Fold the right side inward so that its edge meets the middle fold.
- Unfold the paper completely and lay it flat on your surface with the zine content facing up. The folds should divide it into 8 evenly-sized pages.
- Cut a slit along the longest fold. It should span the width of two pages; the two halves of the zine should remain attached at either end by one page.
- If you're using scissors, it may be easier to first fold the paper in half widthways (book fold). Then make a cut in the middle perpendicular to the fold you just made; it should span the width of a single page.
- Unfold the paper if needed, then fold it in half lengthways with the zine content facing out (to make it long and skinny).
- Hold both short ends and push them together; the cut pages should start to form a diamond. Keep pushing until the diamond closes up and the pages look like a plus sign from above.
- Find the front and back cover, and fold along the edge where they meet (the spine of the zine). You now have a mini booklet!
- Flatten the zine by pressing on the folds.
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
