Queer Diary Zine-making
We run zine-making workshops as a way for participants to share their teenage writing, art and memories - to get involved with the Queer Diary project in a creative way (without getting up on stage, like you would at one of our open-mic diary-reading events!)
All attendees are given craft materials plus verbal/visual instructions & hands-on facilitator support to make a zine for themselves.
We also provide some inspiration - in the form of other LGBTQIA+ zines to look at - and ideas of prompts for for Queer Diary-themed zines.
For example:
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Write a letter to your teenage self. What would your teenage self write back?
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Make a fan-zine about a TV show, band, or anything you were obsessed with as a teenager. Why did you love it so much? How do you feel about it now?
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Illustrate the lyrics to your favourite song from when you were growing up.
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Collage your feelings about growing up as an LGBTQIA+ teen. What were the moments of hope, or excitement, alongside any anger or sadness?
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Write a poem, inspired by something you remember saying, or hearing a lot as a teen.
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Draw a cartoon of a 'queer awakening' or a 'coming out' story: you could use real story, or a fantasy, or tell MANY different coming out stories!
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Design a fantasy outfit based on how you'd have liked to look when you were 14. Would you dress like that now?

What's a zine?
A leaflet-sized mini-magazine, originating in DIY culture, zines are traditionally home-made by writing, drawing, and collaging, and printed in very small batches for distribution amongst community groups.
Zines are often associated with fan culture, subcultures, and are popular amongst people who share non-mainstream ideas and/or marginalised identities.
First Queer Diary Zine 2020






Zine-making Workshop 2021




2024 Queer Diary zine
The first QD zine was made in collaboration with Queer Diary participants, home-printed and distributed to ~100 people in 2020-21.
In 2024 we're delivering more Queer Diary zine-making workshops for LGBTQIA+ adults, and offering the opportunity for Queer Diary participants to contribute to a new collective zine.
The 2024 Queer Diary zine will contain a mix of writing, drawings and collages made in workshops inspired by teenage memories, plus writing and artwork saved from participants own their teenage years.
For readers the Queer Diary zine offers an intimate insight into several generations of young queer lives in years gone by, from contributors from a wide range of locations, backgrounds and queer identities.
This zine will be published at an initial run of 500 copies, to be distributed at LGBTQIA+ community centres, pop-up libraries and bookshops.
Poem by a Queer Diary Participant
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