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O'Shields And Then O'Shields
Book Design and Imaging
....this is one of the most helpfull threads I have ever read on the forums…...
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Bookstore Staff Picks - Do They Actually Look Inside?
General Interest
Haywierd was being admirably diplomatic, (and correct in his observation)....
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Is blurb considering offering slip-cases?
General Interest
What I did was, I found a good local book binder to do a small number of slip cases for my 8"X10" book, "Another Mexico". He did a great job and it was extremely cheap. I’d look for either a professional or amateur book binder in your area. They’re not as rare as you might think, nor as costly…
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Buying new digital camera
General Interest
yea, I like DPReview, too. Excellent consumer and expert critiques of a whole range of cameras.
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Photo Shop
Book Design and Imaging
I agree with everything Lee says, except for the small point that after you modify your image on photoshop, it’s a really good idea to save it as a Photoshop file and a JPEG. JPEG is the format that you upload to your book, but the Photoshop file is the one you can go back to and alter once again, or add or edit your text, (if any). This file is kept in layers which can each be manipulated in future, whereas if you only have a JPEG you can’t play with the different layers- (the text layer for example.)
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Any conflict or advice if I want to take my Blurb-designed book to anoth...
Web Features
.......or just take your Blurb book and scan 20 pages or so at the resolution you prefer- put it on a cd and send it to them. Present it as a ‘proposed layout’ only- publishers like to shape and design a book according their reading of the market.
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Dust jacket protector
Tips and Tricks
Another way of protecting the dust jacket is to have a book binder make a custom slip case- that’s maybe more than most people want to spend, but I’ve found that the price on a slip cased hard cover book can go much higher because of the percieved higher value/quality due to this kind of presentation. It pays for itself and then some. And book binders are not as hard to find as one migh think….....
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Forum activity declining !!!!
Web Features
I wonder too…...The forums are one of the really interesting features of the Blurb site. I’ve had so many of my questions answered- just by keeping in touch with forum contributers’ comments. It’s been incredibly helpfull to me.
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InDesign export to JPG then into BookSmart....
Book Design and Imaging
I was aqdvised by Blurb staff at one point to be sure to design Indesign or Photoshop pages at 600 dpi, and then convert to JPEG and then import them to your Book. I’ve noticed that the type quality is better than previously when I imported at 300dpi. Even so, the type on those pages which were composed in Photoshop are not as high quality as the type which appears in Booksmart text boxes. (I’m refering to the appearance of the actual physical books when I recieved them- not how things look in ‘Preview’ mode on my screen).
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Paper Type and Blurb logo
Book Design and Imaging
Hey Tom! Nice book…..I hope you liked it, although I gather you were’nt totally pleased with the print quality….but it looks good on screen, anyway….K.
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isbn and barcode
General Interest
It would be cool if there are any Blurb authors out there that have used Amazon to sell their books. I wonder what their experiences were…...(maybe I missed such comments in another forum)
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Authors, photographers, journalists: Is the line blurring between amateu...
General Interest
Well Brian, I agree with all that. I always used to tell the students, (when I did a bit of teaching to would be painters and graphic designers/illustrators that one thing they will and must develop is a close and abiding familiarity with their materials , tools and media. The brush becomes an extension of the hand and the camera, an extension of the eye and so on. Obviously professionals get the chance to develop that familiarity because they are at it all day ,everyday and most amateurs have’nt the same opportunity or time to do so. Still, vision and talent shine through where ever it may find itself- in pro or ‘amateur’........at least that’s my gut feeling about it.
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ISBN Number
Book Printing
Yes it is. The ISBN bar code should appear on the back cover, probably in the lower left ,since I notice Blurb uses the lower right to place it’s on product bar code. Keith
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Authors, photographers, journalists: Is the line blurring between amateu...
General Interest
Yes, I think that pretty well sums up the debate as well as I’ve ever heard it expressed. It has far more to do with personal vision than almost anything else- how that person sees the world and how his ideas tell me something new about that world…......And whether that person understands all the intricacies of digital or film photography is of a lot less intrest to me. So I don’t care very much whether that talented individual is considered to be an amateur or professional. We all start out as amateurs afterall.
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isbn and barcode
General Interest
There is a web site out there which will generate a bar code for you when you type in your ISBN…...for free. Try searching Bookland EAM in google- or type in ISBN number to bar code, or some such and you’ll run across the Bookland site. I just did it a couple of days ago. ....ISBN number for free from the Canadian government and then free bar code and then photoshopped it on the back of my book….Keith
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Calibrating monitor for the first time
Tips and Tricks
I have never calibrated my monitor nor used the printer profile. I guess I should. Nevertheless, the colours are so dead on accurate in my Blurb books that I suppose I need’nt worry too much…....
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my books arrive today to Mexico!!!
General Interest
Alejandro….Gracias, acabado de pagar como 140.00 dollars por la paqueteria. Tenia la suerte de no pagar impuestos. Pero si,.. si ordenas 40 copias de la misma libro, generalmente tienes qur pagar 17% de su valor como impuestos. Nada mas que …tengo gente en la frontera muy lista que podia importar los 40 ejemplares sin costo a mi- menos la paqueteria obviamente…...
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There is a lot of dissatisfaction in the forums
Book Printing
Glen….Thanks for advising me of that- I will certainly try it!....Keith
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There is a lot of dissatisfaction in the forums
Book Printing
Thanks Glenlan…...But what I meant was that I want to have both left and right justified in the same body of text. It seems to me, unless I’m mistaken that the software allows either left, center or right justification, but not, for example Both left and right. I’m using a previous version of Booksmart so I may not be up to date on what’s possible at the moment….. There’s also a basic leading tool, but no kerning as yet in Booksmart….......Keith
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There is a lot of dissatisfaction in the forums
Book Printing
I’m with ttluigi. I think Blurb is doing a great job, but I sure wish that we could justify text on the right. Makes for a cleaner body of text visually speaking.
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Adding Captions Below Pictures
Tips and Tricks
I had the same problem- I ended up doing a photoshop layout for the spine and dropping it in as a jpeg. Your book may be a short one- hence a very narrow spine which does not accept much text easily….or is it a soft cover (which do not accept text on the spine). If it’s hardcover, once you get over a certain page count, the box for the spine broadens to accept more or larger text….but as I said I gave up and used Photoshop instead.
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Blank pages
Book Design and Imaging
No, you don’t have to delete your original book before uploading your revised version. The revised version, when uploaded is considered a ‘new’ book by Blurb.
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a book by non u.s. citizen in blurb bookstore
General Interest
You can have your book in the Blurb Bookstore, but only at cost- you can’t realize a profit if you are a non- U.S. taxpayer. The Swede probably has his book listed at his cost price…..... However, as staff have noted before they are working on making it possible for all of us foreigners to sell at a profit- by the end of Q1
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Why are page uploads so slow
Book Design and Imaging
Good advice. I only average 37 MB per hour when uploading a book. I start the job at about midnight and by the time I get up the next morning it’s done. Slow, but better to have adecuate resolution then speedier upload and poor quality…...
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How long will a book last?
Book Printing
So, Blurb wedding books easily outlast the average marriage, right?
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