diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5ffab95..425d666 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -85,32 +85,33 @@ const imagePrompt = getImagePrompt({
 
 ## Print Layout
 
-The output is a single PNG image with all 8 pages arranged in reading order:
+The output is a single PNG image arranged for traditional mini-zine folding:
 
 ```
-┌─────────────┬─────────────┐
-│   Page 1    │   Page 2    │  Row 1
-├─────────────┼─────────────┤
-│   Page 3    │   Page 4    │  Row 2
-├─────────────┼─────────────┤
-│   Page 5    │   Page 6    │  Row 3
-├─────────────┼─────────────┤
-│   Page 7    │   Page 8    │  Row 4
-└─────────────┴─────────────┘
+┌──────────┬──────────┬──────────┬──────────┐
+│    1↺    │    8↺    │    7↺    │    6↺    │  Top row (upside down)
+│  (cover) │  (cta)   │          │          │
+├──────────┼──────────┼──────────┼──────────┤
+│    2     │    3     │    4     │    5     │  Bottom row (right side up)
+│          │          │          │          │
+└──────────┴──────────┴──────────┴──────────┘
 
-Panel size: 4.25" x 2.75" (~10.8cm x 7cm)
-Total: 8.5" x 11" at 300 DPI (2550 x 3300 pixels)
+Paper: 11" x 8.5" landscape (US Letter rotated)
+Panel size: 7cm x 10.8cm (~2.76" x 4.25")
+Total: 3300 x 2550 pixels at 300 DPI
 ```
 
 ## Folding Instructions
 
 After printing, fold your zine:
 
-1. **Accordion fold**: Fold the paper in half horizontally (hamburger style)
-2. **Fold again**: Fold in half vertically (hotdog style)
-3. **One more fold**: Fold in half again
-4. **Cut center**: Unfold completely, cut a slit along the center fold
-5. **Push and fold**: Push through the center to create the booklet
+1. **Fold in half** along the long edge (hotdog fold) - brings top row to bottom
+2. **Fold in half again** along the short edge
+3. **Fold once more** to create a small booklet shape
+4. **Unfold completely** and lay flat
+5. **Cut the center slit** - cut along the middle crease between pages 3-6 and 4-5
+6. **Refold and push** - fold hotdog style, then push the ends together so the cut opens into a booklet
+7. **Flatten** - pages should now be in order 1→2→3→4→5→6→7→8
 
 ## Examples
 
diff --git a/src/index.mjs b/src/index.mjs
index 1ef610e..3f05892 100644
--- a/src/index.mjs
+++ b/src/index.mjs
@@ -30,23 +30,24 @@ export const DEFAULTS = {
 
 /**
  * Page dimensions in pixels at 300 DPI
+ * Paper is landscape orientation for traditional mini-zine folding
  */
 export const DIMENSIONS = {
   letter: {
-    width: 2550,  // 8.5" x 300
-    height: 3300, // 11" x 300
-    panelWidth: 1275,  // width / 2 cols
-    panelHeight: 825,  // height / 4 rows
-    panelCols: 2,
-    panelRows: 4
+    width: 3300,   // 11" x 300 (landscape)
+    height: 2550,  // 8.5" x 300
+    panelWidth: 825,   // ~7cm (width / 4 cols)
+    panelHeight: 1275, // ~10.8cm (height / 2 rows)
+    panelCols: 4,
+    panelRows: 2
   },
   a4: {
-    width: 2480,  // 210mm at 300 DPI
-    height: 3508, // 297mm at 300 DPI
-    panelWidth: 1240,
-    panelHeight: 877,
-    panelCols: 2,
-    panelRows: 4
+    width: 3508,   // 297mm at 300 DPI (landscape)
+    height: 2480,  // 210mm at 300 DPI
+    panelWidth: 877,
+    panelHeight: 1240,
+    panelCols: 4,
+    panelRows: 2
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/layout.mjs b/src/layout.mjs
index 5f0dcb6..5760c1c 100644
--- a/src/layout.mjs
+++ b/src/layout.mjs
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 /**
  * MycroZine Layout Generator
  *
- * Creates a print-ready layout with all 8 pages on a single 8.5" x 11" sheet.
- * Layout: 2 columns x 4 rows (reading order: left-to-right, top-to-bottom)
+ * Creates a print-ready layout with all 8 pages on a single sheet.
+ * Traditional 8-page mini-zine format for fold-and-cut assembly.
  *
- * Panel size: 4.25" x 2.75" (~10.8cm x 7cm)
+ * Paper: Landscape 11" x 8.5" (US Letter rotated)
+ * Layout: 4 columns x 2 rows
+ * Panel size: 7cm x 10.8cm (~2.76" x 4.25")
+ *
+ * Page arrangement for proper folding:
+ *   Top row (upside down):    1, 8, 7, 6
+ *   Bottom row (right side up): 2, 3, 4, 5
  */
 
 import sharp from 'sharp';
@@ -14,21 +20,30 @@ import fs from 'fs/promises';
 
 const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 
-// 8.5" x 11" at 300 DPI = 2550 x 3300 pixels
-const PAGE_WIDTH = 2550;
-const PAGE_HEIGHT = 3300;
+// 11" x 8.5" at 300 DPI = 3300 x 2550 pixels (landscape)
+const PAGE_WIDTH = 3300;
+const PAGE_HEIGHT = 2550;
 
-// Layout configuration: 2 columns x 4 rows
-const COLS = 2;
-const ROWS = 4;
-const PANEL_WIDTH = Math.floor(PAGE_WIDTH / COLS);   // 1275 pixels
-const PANEL_HEIGHT = Math.floor(PAGE_HEIGHT / ROWS); // 825 pixels
+// Layout configuration: 4 columns x 2 rows
+const COLS = 4;
+const ROWS = 2;
+
+// Panel size: 7cm x 10.8cm at 300 DPI
+// 7cm = 2.756" = 827 pixels, 10.8cm = 4.252" = 1275 pixels
+const PANEL_WIDTH = Math.floor(PAGE_WIDTH / COLS);   // 825 pixels (~7cm)
+const PANEL_HEIGHT = Math.floor(PAGE_HEIGHT / ROWS); // 1275 pixels (~10.8cm)
+
+// Page order for traditional mini-zine folding
+// Top row (rotated 180°): pages 1, 8, 7, 6 (left to right)
+// Bottom row (normal): pages 2, 3, 4, 5 (left to right)
+const TOP_ROW_PAGES = [0, 7, 6, 5];    // 0-indexed: pages 1, 8, 7, 6
+const BOTTOM_ROW_PAGES = [1, 2, 3, 4]; // 0-indexed: pages 2, 3, 4, 5
 
 /**
  * Create a print-ready zine layout from 8 page images
  *
  * @param {Object} options - Layout options
- * @param {string[]} options.pages - Array of 8 page image paths (in order)
+ * @param {string[]} options.pages - Array of 8 page image paths (in order: 1-8)
  * @param {string} [options.outputPath] - Output file path (default: output/mycrozine_print.png)
  * @param {string} [options.background] - Background color (default: '#ffffff')
  * @returns {Promise<string>} - Path to generated print layout
@@ -47,7 +62,7 @@ export async function createPrintLayout(options) {
   // Ensure output directory exists
   await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(outputPath), { recursive: true });
 
-  // Load and resize all pages to panel size
+  // Load and resize all pages to panel size (7cm x 10.8cm)
   const resizedPages = await Promise.all(
     pages.map(async (pagePath) => {
       return sharp(pagePath)
@@ -59,17 +74,35 @@ export async function createPrintLayout(options) {
     })
   );
 
-  // Build composite array for all 8 pages in reading order
+  // Rotate top row pages 180 degrees (they need to be upside down)
+  const rotatedTopPages = await Promise.all(
+    TOP_ROW_PAGES.map(async (pageIndex) => {
+      return sharp(resizedPages[pageIndex])
+        .rotate(180)
+        .toBuffer();
+    })
+  );
+
+  // Build composite array with proper page arrangement
   const compositeImages = [];
-  for (let row = 0; row < ROWS; row++) {
-    for (let col = 0; col < COLS; col++) {
-      const pageIndex = row * COLS + col; // 0-7
-      compositeImages.push({
-        input: resizedPages[pageIndex],
-        left: col * PANEL_WIDTH,
-        top: row * PANEL_HEIGHT
-      });
-    }
+
+  // Top row: pages 1, 8, 7, 6 (rotated 180°)
+  for (let col = 0; col < COLS; col++) {
+    compositeImages.push({
+      input: rotatedTopPages[col],
+      left: col * PANEL_WIDTH,
+      top: 0
+    });
+  }
+
+  // Bottom row: pages 2, 3, 4, 5 (normal orientation)
+  for (let col = 0; col < COLS; col++) {
+    const pageIndex = BOTTOM_ROW_PAGES[col];
+    compositeImages.push({
+      input: resizedPages[pageIndex],
+      left: col * PANEL_WIDTH,
+      top: PANEL_HEIGHT
+    });
   }
 
   // Create the final composite image
@@ -86,8 +119,9 @@ export async function createPrintLayout(options) {
     .toFile(outputPath);
 
   console.log(`Created print layout: ${outputPath}`);
-  console.log(`  Dimensions: ${PAGE_WIDTH}x${PAGE_HEIGHT} pixels (8.5"x11" @ 300 DPI)`);
-  console.log(`  Panel size: ${PANEL_WIDTH}x${PANEL_HEIGHT} pixels (${COLS}x${ROWS} grid)`);
+  console.log(`  Dimensions: ${PAGE_WIDTH}x${PAGE_HEIGHT} pixels (11"x8.5" landscape @ 300 DPI)`);
+  console.log(`  Panel size: ${PANEL_WIDTH}x${PANEL_HEIGHT} pixels (7cm x 10.8cm)`);
+  console.log(`  Layout: Top row [1↺, 8↺, 7↺, 6↺] | Bottom row [2, 3, 4, 5]`);
 
   return outputPath;
 }