The zine can follow any format, so I considered the different options by sketching how they would work with my content.
I considered using a single piece of paper which folds into separate pages but decided this might not be suitable for a children's book as there are multiple ways it can be viewed and my narrative has a clear order which needs to be followed.
I decided to use a traditional book format, so that each page featured a different part of the storyline. I didn't want to use a standard A size so I made the book a square which could print a two page spread on an A4 page, leaving room for a bleed.
Above, is the template I created in InDesign. I printed with markings so I could refer to this book while putting together the final zine. There is an option in InDesign to print as a booklet so the pages are arranged automatically, but because I didn't use a standard A size I created a version of my final zine on the template above, which takes into account which pages will appear next to each other when folded and put together.
This prototype was useful to give me an idea of what size the content would be when printed. I think the square will work well as a children's book as it is small and easy to hold, and view as a traditional book.
