How to DIY a Totally Fetch Burn Book

Get in losers. We’re making a burn book

Co-authored by Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: November 23, 2024 Fact Checked

Is your hair so big it’s full of secrets? Well, maybe it’s time to create your very own Burn Book. The iconic 2004 film Mean Girls made fetch happen and October 3rd a holiday, but, more importantly, it presented the gossip-ridden Burn Book.^{[1]
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Research source} Now, we don’t recommend following The Plastic’s lead and filling a book with nasty comments and hateful rumors (that is bullying, after all), but we can always recommend a fun DIY project! Whether you want to make a famous prop from your favorite movie or are planning a Mean Girls Halloween outfit, we bet your Burn Book will be grool (as long as you follow our steps).

Things You Should Know

Use a bright pink composition notebook or pink acrylic paint to make your Burn Book the movie’s iconic color.
Draw geometric shapes and zig-zag lines on the inner corners of the cover and print out the iconic letters to copy The Plastic’s design.
Mark your DIY Burn Book with a kiss, so everyone knows your secrets are hidden inside.

1

Buy a pink composition notebook.

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The original Mean Girls Burn Book is a bright fuchsia pink. Scour the internet or browse your local office supply store for a notebook of the exact color.^{[2]
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Research source} If you can’t find one, no worries! Paint over the cover with a pink acrylic paint instead.^{[3]
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- If you’re making a Burn Book for fun (instead of for a costume), consider switching up the color to give it a more personal touch.

2

Doodle on the cover with black permanent marker.

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Fill the inner corners of the book with geometric shapes. Regina, Karen, and Gretchen certainly had fun decorating and drawing on the cover of their Burn Book, so you should too! Pull up a picture of the original Burn Book and do your best to copy The Plastic's designs or come up with your own.
- Draw zig-zagging squiggles, hearts, or squared swirls.^{[4]
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- Write words like “mean,” “stab,” and “eat me” to replicate the movie’s design.
- Try using thick and thin black permanent markers to achieve the original’s care-free design.

3

Glue the title “Burn Book” onto the cover.

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Print out the iconic Burn Book letters or cut out your own. To make a replica of the movie’s Burn Book, search “mean girls burn book letters” online and select an image to print. Cut out the letters with scissors and arrange them on the cover of your book with a glue stick, using a reference photo as your guide.^{[5]
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Research source} For a more creative approach, flip through a magazine and cut out letters to spell “burn book.”
- Try using hot glue for a more secure hold but know that it may cause the paper letters to bubble and crease.^{[6]
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4

Kiss the center of the cover.

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A Burn Book isn’t complete without the signature kiss. Put on some red lipstick and kiss the center of the cover, right between the words “burn” and “book.” The smooch doesn’t have to be perfect—it’ll be fetch no matter what!^{[7]
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- Apply your lipstick thickly so it sticks cleanly to the book.
- Try using a long-lasting lipstick so it doesn’t smear on the cover.

5

Seal the cover if you’d like.

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Consider adding a spray sealant or clear tape to protect your Burn Book. Now, this isn’t movie accurate, but it can help your book last longer, especially if you plan on using the notebook as a diary or class book. Use a spray sealer to cover the book in a beautiful shine, or carefully place strips of clear packing tape over your designs.
- If you use a spray sealant, make sure to follow the instructions carefully on the back of the can.
- If you use packing tape, wrap the ends of the tape over the edge to the underside of the cover to keep it from peeling.^{[8]
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Question

Can I make a miniature Burn Book?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Of course! Simply start with a smaller composition notebook and glue on smaller letters.

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Does it have to be blank paper?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

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Nope! You can make a Burn Book with a composition notebook full of lined paper, graph paper, or any other paper you'd like.

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Could you use the Burn Book as a notebook?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

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Yes, of course! A Burn Book can be used as a notebook to take notes in during class or to simply jot down quick memos or thoughts.

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Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Making a Burn Book with trusted friends who understand that it's fictional can be fun. Have them help decorate and contribute silly ideas, but leave their names out of it!
If confronted about your Burn Book's contents, deny its existence or say you lost it. Don't show it to anyone who is featured inside, or who you suspect would disapprove.
To hide your Burn Book, store it somewhere very secret like under loose carpet or in a discreet location only you know about. Just be sure not to forget where you put it!
If making a Burn Book for fun, avoid writing mean comments about real people, as that promotes bullying. Focus on fictional characters or silly jokes instead.
For a realistic replica, watch Mean Girls to see the iconic details like the lettering style, cover design, and signature kiss placement.
Be aware that bringing something hurtful to school could get you in serious trouble, even if it seems harmless to you. Use good judgment.

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