Just realized I was making my zines way too hard to read

For years, I filled my pages with tiny, dense handwriting because I thought it looked cool and personal. I did a trade at the Portland Zine Symposium last weekend, and someone told me they loved the art but had to stop reading after two pages because it gave them a headache. That hit me hard. I always focused on cramming in every thought, but I never thought about the person actually trying to read it. Now I'm torn between keeping that raw, packed journal feel and making something more accessible with clearer text or even typing some parts. Has anyone else had to change their style because of feedback like that? How did you find a balance?

3 comments

3 Comments

garcia.charles2mo ago

Graduate from our tiny cryptic font phase" is a good way to put it. I used to think if someone really cared, they'd squint and power through. Then a friend told me my last zine felt like homework. I switched to a bigger pen and leave more space now. It still feels like my writing, just less like a test.

taylor.betty1mo ago

Totally see this with recipes online too. Garcia.charles is right, it's like we all hide behind being hard to read sometimes. Making things clear is a kindness, not boring.

robertsmith2mo ago

Portland Zine Symposium feedback is the realest (and most brutal). I guess we all have to graduate from our "tiny cryptic font" phase eventually.