I was bored, so I decided to create a step-by-step visual tutorial for all of you. After you read this, my question to you is: How do YOU roll?
Step 1: Gather supplies
As you can see here, we have a piece of paper (to prevent mess), tobacco, rolling papers, an index card (or part of one; don't waste!), a pair of scissors, and a pen cap.
Step 2: Creating a filter
Cut off a piece of the index card. Size is according to taste.
This is my ideal filter size.
Pinch the end of the filter to start the roll.
Roll the filter into a nice-looking cylinder. Keep it tight while rolling, but not too tight. The goal is for it to expand to a comfortable size when you release the pressure from your fingers.
Step 3: Prepare the tobacco.
Grind the tobacco with your fingers until it's broken up, but not too fine. Do not use a grinder! Grinders cut it too fine, so when you pack it in, it packs in too much tobacco. Try to pick out any wood chips you might find has been thrown in with your tobacco while you're at it.
Step 4: Roll it.
Start by putting the filter at one end of the open rolling paper (glue side up).
Add the tobacco.
After closing it a bit, roll the tobacco with one finger, and the filter with another, back and forth, to keep a consistent size based on the size of the filter. Give it a small roll to keep the tobacco from falling out, lick the glue (only enough to wetten the entire glue area), and continue in a rolling motion. Avoid folding; always make sure you're rolling, so as to keep a nice consistent look, and preventing a "pregnant" cigarrette. You might need to put some pressure on the middle at some point during the roll.
This is what it should look like when the rolling is done. Notice part of the paper is wet. Don't worry; it will dry fast, as long as you didn't make out with the rolling paper.
Step 5: Pack it.
Take the pen cap and pack it in until it's not loose where the tobacco touches the filter. Make sure it has a nice, tight, solid feel to it, but don't pack it too far in or else the first few hits will be unsmokeable. This is usually a matter of preference, though.
Now pack the rest of it in with tobacco. You see me here shovelling it in with the pen cap, but before I did that, I dropped tobacco in there and packed it in. This prevents you from destroying the end of the rolling paper, because if there isn't enough tobacco in there before you start the shoveling, the paper is more likely to bend (especially on the inside of the cigarrette).
Step 6: Pinch and twist.
Pinch the end of the cigarrette, and then twist it closed.
Voila! I put it on the keyboard here because it wasn't contrasting well with the paper.
This is a very rare occasion where I only used tobacco.
Just being careful.