Publishing Practices with Esther McManus

The purpose of these sessions is to help you shake off creative blockages, spark ideas for your own publishing practice, and get inspired by our extensive print archive. You’ll also get to explore our zine collection, all laid out on our extra large communal table.

In small groups, you’ll introduce yourself and share your print project—whatever stage it’s at. This is your chance to shape new or existing ideas into zine form. We hope you’ll meet some like-minded people, get a sense of what’s already out there, and start carving out your own space in the self-publishing landscape.

Whether you’ve just had a spark of an idea or you’ve already started taking steps on a print project, this session is for you.

If your concept is still in your head and you haven’t made any progress yet — great, bring it!
If you’ve got early drafts, drawings, layouts, or experiments — bring those too.
This is a space to talk things out, test formats, and connect with others who are navigating their own publishing processes — no matter what stage you're at.

🎙️ Special Guest: Esther McManus

Esther makes books and comics that explore personal and collective histories through archival research and experimental print formats. She teaches at Central Saint Martins and brings deep insight into self-publishing, distribution, and the politics of print.

The session opens with a short talk from Esther on our latest zine St. Monday, which all participants will receive as part of the ticket price.

🧩 Workshop Zones

1. Archive & Communal TableExplore our extensive zine collection laid out across a giant table. Browse, get inspired, and talk to others about what you’re seeing.

2. A6 Zine-Making StationFold, cut, and paginate an A3 sheet into various zine formats. Use our offprint paper and worksheet to mock up your own dummies, and take home a Risograph colour swatch for inspiration.

3. Group Crit (two rounds)

First Steps: Briefly individually share early zine ideas (1–5 mins).

Next Steps: Present a project already in progress (5–10 mins).

Meet in small groups to share, listen, and reflect — a low-pressure space for work-in-progress. Bring along your drawings, notes, or the beginnings of something you've been working on. It's a chance to speak ideas out loud, get feedback, and develop your project in conversation with others.

⚠️ Note: This is not a Risograph printing workshop.It’s not about finishing a zine — it’s about thinking through the practice of publishing.