PRINT a SHORT-FICTION, POETRY, LITERARY MAGAZINE at EX WHY ZED
We look at Issue 14 of the Short Fiction, Poetry and Literary magazine Shooter. Shooter is perfect bound at a custom 222x157mm, one of many builds we quote for as part of short run magazine printing. We have proudly printed it since issue 1 so it’s another magazine that began its life on the press rollers at Ex Why Zed. High fives all around. Buy your copy at https://shooterlitmag.com/
222x157mm Portrait Books
4pp Cover Matt laminated onto 300gsm Silk
82pp Text onto 120gsm Uncoated
Full colour print throughout
Trimmed, collated and perfect bound
Shooter is a custom size of 222x157mm making it more substantial than A5 which gives more space on the pages to fill with creative writing. The typography is neat and legible often punctuated with a colour background or title. No need to get too creative here, in a literary zine the written word is the hero so the reader mustn’t have to fight to digest it. The coloured backgrounds are a good vehicle for breaking up the otherwise white pages though. The styling is similar in each issue which breeds familiarity. For a deeper look into this, check out our next video about launching a new journal. The colourway is taken from the cover illustration and repeated throughout the issue to create unity. 300gsm Silk is used for the cover to give a slight sheen and bright imagery. Matt Lamination is added to the outer to prevent the ink cracking. The inside pages are onto 115gsm which is a good choice for written word books. Editors planning a journal rather than a single collection will find stock, trim and spine advice in our literary magazine guide.
Poetry books that respect both the writing and the page
A poetry book needs a careful touch. The words carry the emotion, but layout, pacing and production choices shape how readers experience them. Our guide to how much it costs to publish a poetry book breaks down the likely spend across editing, cover design, formatting, ISBNs and printing, helping poets plan with a clearer budget from the start. It is practical, honest and especially useful for first-time self-publishers.
The companion guide on poetry book format turns attention to the manuscript itself: cover sheets, copyright pages, contents, spacing, fonts, margins and the gentle discipline that helps poems sit well on the page. Read together, the two articles show how a poetry collection moves from private draft to a print-ready book that feels coherent, readable and true to the work.
