From Blog Posts to E-Book to P-Book

I’ve been really busy the last too days  learning how to design a book in Adobe InDesign. I was going to try and hire a designer, but I had the program and I used to do a ton of design work “back in the day” when I had Pagemaker. I was trained to do design work in college and was required to do layout and design for many of my jobs. So, I figured it was time to tackle this program and see if I couldn’t lay out two small book projects.

Now, I probably didn’t save money–not if I calculated my hourly rate versus what I would have paid a designer for a  60-page book. However, I learned a new skill and turned an e-book into a p-book. Plus, the e-book was originally 10-days worth of blog posts. So, that work got recycled as well. (Neat!)

I even created a cover, but I still need it to wrap to the back. For this reason, I’m bailing and handing things over to a designer. She can check my cover, tweak it, and create the spine and back cover, producing the art I need to upload to the printer.

Given that this book is small in size–it will either by 4″ x 6″ or 4.125″ x 6.875″ (I produced both), I’m not sure where I’m printing it. I was aiming for CreateSpace–cheap and quick, I thought, but the size could be a problem. I can’t get anyone on the phone; that IS a problem. Lightning Source will take too long, since I never completed the process of setting up my account, and I didn’t even check if they do these sizes. I can’t find an affordable tip book company. (Anyone know one?). My booklet printer doesn’t do these sizes. I’m considering a company called 48hrbooks.com, because I need the book by June 24 at the latest, and they do the larger of the two sizes. That’s less than three weeks from now.

I have one more project I want to produce quickly, and I am considering redoing a few of my booklets as well in that time frame. I’m not sure I can do it, though. Now I don’t have to wait for a designer–although I might still need one to get all this work done. Anyone know a fast, inexpensive–available–book designer?

Anyway, the lesson to you: Be willing to learn new skills. You might be glad you did; they could come in handy when you want to turn your blog into a book. (Although if you don’t know anything about design, please hire a professional designer.) And…even 10 blog posts can turn into either an e-book or a p-book.

If you haven’t started blogging your book, maybe you should consider starting today.

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