Frequently Asked Questions

What book formats can I create with Blurb?
How do I create my own book with Blurb?
How do I self-publish a book with Blurb?
How much does it cost to self-publish a book?
How long does it take to produce and ship my book?
Does Blurb offer volume pricing?

What book formats can I create with Blurb?

Blurb offers various book formats for creators, including photo books, trade books, and magazines. Each format provides unique features and is tailored for certain types of content.

• Photo Books: Perfect for fine art books, cookbooks, travel books, family albums, and portfolios, these high-quality books are available in six sizes and photo-quality papers and three cover types.
• Trade Books: This format suits novels and poetry books, plus children’s books and graphic novels. Available in four print options to balance cost and quality, trade books are priced to sell and printed with a free ISBN for broader distribution.
• Magazines: These are available in one standard size and on premium paper. The magazine format is well-suited for serial content, catalogs, work samples, and portfolios intended for promotion.

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How do I create my own book with Blurb?

Blurb offers helpful design tools and software integrations to help you design your book. Here’s a simple breakdown about creating a book with Blurb:

1. Choose a book format: With several options available, choose the book format that best suits your content. For example, a photo book format is best for premium-quality art books.
2. Select a tool: Blurb enables creators to utilize various tools to create their books. You can use BookWright, which is Blurb's free bookmaking design software, or you can choose an Adobe InDesign plugin, Adobe Lightroom plugin, or Adobe Photoshop plugin, depending on your book's format.
3. Design your book: Once you have selected a tool, you can start designing your book. You can use Blurb's customizable templates or design each page yourself. You have complete creative liberty over your book's overall look and feel.
4. Edit your content: Editing is essential in creating your own book. Use high-quality images and organize text to tell a story that engages your readers.
5. Distribute your book for sale: If you want to sell your book, Blurb offers several options for promotion and distribution, including the Blurb Bookstore, Amazon, and global online outlets like Ingram. You can print one copy at a time or order many copies upfront for a lower price per unit.

Blurb makes it easy to create your own book while offering flexible design tools and lucrative distribution channels to sell your self-published book online.

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How do I self-publish a book with Blurb?

The process of self-publishing a book depends on the nature of your book's content and your goals as a creator. In general, the self-publishing process involves the following steps:

1. Choose a book format that suits your content, such as photo books, trade books, or magazines, as well as your book's dimensions, cover, and paper choice.
2. Select a tool to organize your book's content and design your book using customizable templates or by designing each page yourself.
3. Edit your book's content to ensure that it's error-free and clear and that images are high resolution.
4. Design your book cover or have a professional design it for you.
5. Submit your book for printing. Blurb offers both volume printing and print-on-demand and handles shipping and fulfillment as needed.
6. Submit your book for printing. Blurb offers both volume printing and print-on-demand and handles shipping and fulfillment as needed.

Blurb simplifies self-publishing while taking the guesswork out of creation, pricing, and promotion. In turn, you can create a bookstore-quality finished product that rivals major book publishers.

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How much does it cost to self-publish a book?

The cost of self-publishing a book varies by book format, number of pages, and number of copies. In addition to your book's chosen format and the quantity of needed copies, your book's paper choice and size also affect the publishing cost. Refer to Blurb's pricing page for a more detailed chart and pricing calculator.

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How long does it take to produce and ship my book?

When creating and printing a book with Blurb, it takes about five business days to print and bind a book. Shipping can take an additional 1-5 business days, depending on the shipping method you choose at checkout. In total, the time it takes to produce and ship a book with Blurb can range from 6-10 business days. Please note that this is an estimate, and the actual time may vary depending on the book format, the number of copies, and the distribution options. Blurb does not offer expedited production times, so be sure to plan accordingly if you need your book sooner.

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Does Blurb offer volume pricing?

Blurb offers volume order discounts starting with orders of 10 or more copies of the same book. For orders of 750 copies or more, Blurb offers offset printing for better economies of scale. Blurb charges no distribution fees for printed projects and no commission for print sales. The cost per unit decreases as the number of copies increases, and you can print one copy at a time or buy many copies upfront for a lower price per unit. Learn more about Blurb’s large order services.

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