A Dark Road into the Ocean

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.

1. Fold the paper in half widthways with the zine content facing out. (It should look like a book or hamburger.)
2. 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.
3. Fold the right side inward so that its edge meets the middle fold.
4. Unfold the paper. 
5. Fold in half lengthways with the zine content facing out. (It should look long and skinny, like a hotdog.)
6. Lay the folded zine flat on your surface. Make sure that the font and back covers are facing down, and that the fold is the top edge.
7. Fold the right side inward so that its edge meets the middle fold.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Unfold the paper if needed, then fold it in half lengthways with the zine content facing out (to make it long and skinny).
11. 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.
12. 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!
13. Flatten the zine by pressing on the folds.